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36599847 | Alex Zyl, 35, originally of Belarus, began following the team after befriending Wales fans 16 years ago in his country's capital, Minsk.
Mr Zyl, who now lives in the United States, travelled from New York to watch Wales' 3-0 win against Russia in Toulouse on Monday.
He said Wales fans were "always friendly and always fun".
Mr Zyl said: "For a long time Wales got so many defeats, they didn't qualify for any major tournaments.
"This is the first time they have qualified and they make real progress.
"It's fantastic - top of the league, that's why I like Wales."
Chris Coleman's team now face Northern Ireland in Paris on Saturday after topping group B and making the last 16.
Mr Zyl said the 3-0 win in Toulouse was "doubly special" for him, given his own native land's rivalry with Russia.
And the Welsh travelling contingent is full of supporters who have covered large amounts of ground to make it to France.
Lee Griffiths, originally of Bridgend, also flew from the US to watch Wales' opening group game against Slovakia in Bordeaux on 11 June.
He said he had not wanted to miss the "biggest day in Welsh football history".
And Mike Lambert, 60, originally of Cardiff, made the trip to France from Thailand, where he has lived for two years.
He said there was a "huge amount of expense" and a 13-hour flight but the trip would be "worth every penny".
He first watched Wales play against England at Cardiff's Ninian park in 1970 - a 1-1 draw.
"I had the bug and since then I have seen them play in Andorra and Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Belgium, Croatia and Cyprus, Scotland and Serbia and many many more," added Mr Lambert, who lives in Thailand's Isaan region.
Some reports have suggested Saturday's fixture will see up to 50,000 fans travelling to Paris.
And should they win that match, there could be a chance for fans to clock up more miles. While one possible last eight match will take place in Paris the other will be in Lille. | One Wales supporter has spent £2,000 (US $2,936) and travelled 3,500 miles (5,600km) following the team in France for Euro 2016 - despite not even being Welsh. |
35566370 | Croatia's Denis Pitner was banned for a year in August after passing on details about a player's fitness and accessing an account used to place bets.
Pitner was approved by the US Open on 13 July and picked up his credential before the USTA was notified of a ban.
The USTA responded on Friday, blaming "a flaw in our process".
After the Guardian newspaper revealed that Pitner had officiated while banned, a USTA statement said: "After learning within the last 24 hours that an official on the 'Do Not Credential' list may have worked at the 2015 US Open as a linesman, the USTA immediately investigated the claim.
"The USTA was shocked to find that this was in fact the case."
Last month, the BBC and Buzzfeed exposed evidence of widespread suspected match-fixing in tennis.
The sport's governing bodies announced on Friday that an independent review panel will take at least a year to investigate allegations of corruption in tennis.
Pitner also officiated at January's ATP Qatar Open at Doha, and the USTA vowed to work with the review panel to prevent any recurrence.
"We take this matter extremely seriously and make the investigation of what caused the error its highest priority." | An umpire who was suspended as part of a betting investigation worked at last year's US Open, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) confirmed. |
39719126 | Sixth-tier Darlington FC, Hungerford Town and Poole Town were all bidding to feature in the promotion play-offs in the North and South divisions.
The trio were prevented from doing so as their grounds did not have 500 covered seats across two stands.
The National League's decision was upheld by an independent FA panel at Wembley on Wednesday.
An FA statement said: "The board, after considering the evidence dismissed the appeal and agreed with the decision of the National League which was made in accordance with FA rules and the Grade B criteria document in that the four mentioned clubs have not met the required grading by 31 March of the current season to compete in the National League play-offs.
It added: "This decision is final and binding."
The league declined to make any detailed statement, but recommendations were understood to have been made to change the competition rules next season.
Poole currently occupy the final National League South play-off place in fifth, with a game to play, while Hungerford are two points behind in sixth.
Eighth-placed Wealdstone also confirmed their failure to overturn a decision preventing their participation in the play-offs, which leaves Hampton & Richmond set to take Poole's place.
Darlington, fourth in National League North, declined to make any further comment.
BBC Sport has contacted the FA for a response. | Three teams will not play in the National League play-offs after failing to overturn decisions to block them. |
37975269 | James Larkin, 26, of Crawshaw Road, Doncaster, shook Christopher, his partner's baby, on 16 September 2014. He died in hospital the following day.
Larkin was found guilty of manslaughter at Sheffield Crown Court.
Both Larkin and Christopher's mother Laura Ostle, 21, of Broadway, Doncaster, were found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
More on this and other stories in South Yorkshire
Ostle was handed an 18-month jail sentence.
Christopher suffered "unsurvivable" brain injury when he was "shaken so violently", the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Mrs Justice Andrews, sentencing, said Larkin's action was "not the action of man gripped by panic, endeavouring to save a life, but the action of man who had been driven by anger, frustration, exasperation, or combination of all three, to completely lose his self control".
Evidence heard during the case had portrayed him as "kind, loving and caring" towards the boy, she said.
Mrs Justice Andrews said the most "extraordinary feature" of the case was how Larkin was treated like a "doormat" by Ostle.
She said Larkin did most of the childcare, suffered a black eye at Ostle's hands and tolerated her relationships with other men.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Julian Briggs called it an "absolutely tragic case", with Larkin and Ostle "thinking only of saving themselves".
He said: "Unbelievably, Laura Ostle even texted Larkin from the ambulance taking the dying child to hospital in order to align their accounts."
A serious case review into the death by the Doncaster Safeguarding Children Board found there were missed opportunities to intervene.
The report said there was a "lack of curiosity by professionals" in what was happening within the family and information was not shared.
Also it found there was "no evidence found of joint visits or working" between the various agencies involved. | A man who "violently" shook a three-month-old baby who later died has been given a 12-year jail sentence. |
40532160 | Emergency services were called to the crash between the minibus and a bin lorry on the A38 in Castle Vale, Birmingham at 09:00 BST on Friday.
Another girl was taken to hospital and 24 people, including the lorry driver, were treated at the scene.
The pupils were all from John Taylor High School in Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire.
See more stories from across Birmingham and the Black Country here
The girl died at the crash scene, the ambulance service said.
West Midlands Police said three teachers and a further 20 pupils were on the minibus.
The teenager who suffered minor injuries was taken to Heartlands Hospital.
Machine worker Stephen Jones, 38, who works nearby, said: "I heard a big bang at 9am this morning - a massive bang.
"I came over and had a look and the police were here with the sirens and they'd shut it all.
"I saw the coroner's ambulance and I heard a girl had passed away."
He added: "There are a lot of accidents here all the time, it's a busy road."
In a letter to parents, school principal Mike Donoghue said pupils would be able to receive support from teachers and other staff.
He said: "Your child, who has brought this letter home today, has been told about this and they may well be very upset by this sad event.
"We therefore felt it was important you know what has happened and what we are are doing in school to support your child."
"Our thoughts, at this very tragic and sad time, are with the family, their friends and the pupils and staff involved," the letter added.
The school later tweeted its thanks for support during the "desperately sad time".
End of Twitter post by @johntaylorhigh
The school earlier said some of its Year 9 and 12 pupils had been on an art trip when the crash happened.
In a statement, Birmingham City Council confirmed the bin lorry was one of its fleet and said it was "deeply saddened" about what had happened.
"As a city council trade waste vehicle was involved in the incident we will be fully co-operating with all investigations," it said.
No arrests have been made, however, police said that both drivers were assisting with the "detailed and thorough" investigation.
Asked by reporters if the pupils were wearing seatbelts, he replied: "That will be part of our investigation and, at the moment, I can't confirm either way whether or not pupils were wearing seatbelts or otherwise."
He said he would not speculate on the cause of the collision.
Forensic experts were at the scene on Friday afternoon.
From the roadside, damage to the bin lorry's front end was visible and the rear right-hand portion of the minibus had been covered over with a green tarpaulin.
Officers were also carrying out skid tests and taking distance markings on the dual carriageway.
The school is a specialist science and leadership academy and has 1,500 pupils.
The calendar on the school's website suggests a trip had been planned for Friday to Birmingham's Botanical Gardens and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
It also shows the school's Year 11 prom was due to be held on Friday night.
It is located in Barton-under-Needwood, close to Burton-upon-Trent and Lichfield.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant, whose constituency includes the school, tweeted he was "heartbroken" to hear about the girl's death.
End of Twitter post by @Mike_Fabricant
Councillor John Clancy, leader of Birmingham City Council, said he was "shocked and saddened by the tragic incident".
West Midlands Police's Force Contact team earlier tweeted that the road was expected to be closed for a "considerable time". | A 14-year-old girl has died in a crash involving a minibus full of pupils going on a school art trip. |
39052647 | The body of Christine Solik, 57, was found 50 miles (80km) from her home in the Kwazulu-Natal province three days before that of her husband, Roger, 66.
Police initially began a kidnap and robbery investigation after a neighbour found bloodstains in their home.
The couple from the Cynon Valley emigrated after their marriage in 1980.
Mrs Solik's mother, Sheila Savage, 83, from Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff, said the family were "devastated".
A passer-by spotted the body of Mrs Solik in a river on Friday 17 February, and a search and dive unit discovered Mr Solik's body last Monday.
Police said Mrs Solik had suffered a head injury, and both of the couple's hands had been bound.
Several teams of officers, including a canine unit, are investigating the murders.
KwaZulu-Natal acting provincial commissioner Maj Gen Bheki Langa said officers would "not rest until the killers are brought to book".
The Times' Africa correspondent Aislinn Laing said people in South Africa were "horrified" by the deaths despite the country's high crime rate.
"In a small community like this it has caused a huge amount of alarm," she told BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme.
The couple lived on a farm estate in the town of Nottingham Road, about 100 miles (160km) in land from Durban.
Mrs Savage said the couple had returned home to Mountain Ash in January in order for Mrs Solik to see her father, Glyn Savage, before he passed away.
Members of both families plan to travel from the UK to South Africa on Saturday as the couple's funeral is due to be held in Cape Town on Tuesday.
"They were wonderful parents, had four lovely children, who are obviously suffering now," said Mrs Savage.
"I remember we always had wonderful holidays out there - all of the family - we'd make a special effort."
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the couple's four children, Alexander and Gregory, 32, Jessica, 30, and Brendon, 29, said it was "hard to understand that... something so violent could happen". | Police in South Africa have said they are "working around the clock" to catch the killers of a couple who emigrated from south Wales. |
37318732 | Argentina striker Higuain's clinical low shot into the bottom corner set the hosts on their way.
He made it three goals in three league games since joining in July for £75m from Napoli with a volley.
Miralem Pjanic, a £25m signing from Roma, headed home on his debut before Sassuolo's Luca Antei pulled one back.
Juventus, who start their Champions League campaign at home to Sevilla on Wednesday, have taken nine points from their first three league games, while defeat was Sassuolo's first of the season.
Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus are three points clear of Genoa and Sampdoria, both of whom play on Sunday.
Genoa host Fiorentina, while Sampdoria travel to Roma.
Match ends, Juventus 3, Sassuolo 1.
Second Half ends, Juventus 3, Sassuolo 1.
Federico Ricci (Sassuolo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Federico Ricci (Sassuolo).
Mario Lemina (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Marcello Gazzola (Sassuolo).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Miralem Pjanic (Juventus) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Simone Missiroli (Sassuolo) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Alfred Duncan with a cross.
Foul by Hernanes (Juventus).
Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) because of an injury.
Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Alfred Duncan (Sassuolo).
Matteo Politano (Sassuolo) hits the right post with a left footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Federico Ricci with a through ball.
Substitution, Juventus. Marko Pjaca replaces Paulo Dybala.
Attempt missed. Matteo Politano (Sassuolo) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Foul by Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus).
Federico Ricci (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Medhi Benatia (Juventus) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Medhi Benatia (Juventus).
Federico Ricci (Sassuolo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Federico Peluso.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Federico Peluso.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Francesco Acerbi.
Marcello Gazzola (Sassuolo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Paulo Dybala (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Marcello Gazzola (Sassuolo).
Attempt missed. Mario Lemina (Juventus) right footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Francesco Acerbi.
Substitution, Sassuolo. Federico Ricci replaces Antonino Ragusa.
Attempt saved. Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Paulo Dybala.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) because of an injury.
Corner, Sassuolo. Conceded by Giorgio Chiellini.
Attempt blocked. Pietro Iemmello (Sassuolo) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfred Duncan with a cross.
Corner, Sassuolo. Conceded by Leonardo Bonucci.
Substitution, Juventus. Hernanes replaces Sami Khedira. | Gonzalo Higuain scored two goals in six minutes as defending champions Juventus returned to the top of Serie A with victory over Sassuolo. |
34042347 | Dawson played twice for Essex in the T20 Blast group stage, but hopes to lead Hampshire to victories in both the One-Day Cup and T20 Blast Finals.
The 25-year-old was recalled early by his parent county to the first team.
"It was a fresh challenge for me. I enjoyed it and I'm glad I did it," he told BBC South Today.
"Getting out of your comfort zone a little bit helps. You realise what you've got and what a good place it is to play cricket here (at The Ageas Bowl)."
Hampshire travel to Gloucestershire in the One-Day Cup quarter-final on Wednesday before their sixth successive T20 Finals Day on Saturday.
They face Lancashire Lightning in a repeat of last year's semi-final.
Dawson hopes his side can overcome their recent poor record in the competition at Edgbaston, where they have lost the last two semi-finals, and lift the trophy for the first time since 2012.
"Six years in a row is an unbelievable effort from the lads," he added.
"We've fallen short a couple of times and been beaten in the semi-finals. That's something we want to put right this year, play in that final and go all the way as it's such a great day." | Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson admits he was taken out of his comfort zone during a loan spell with Essex earlier in the season. |
40688367 | North Wales AM Michelle Brown was recorded using derogatory comments about Labour MP for Streatham, Chuka Umunna, in a call in May 2016 to her then senior adviser Nigel Williams.
Ms Brown said her language was "inappropriate" and has apologised.
Mr Williams, who was her senior adviser for 12 months, was sacked by Ms Brown in May.
Ms Brown, who called Mr Umunna a "coconut", was also recorded using an abusive remark about Tristram Hunt, who was then Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central.
In a statement, Ms Brown said: "The point I was making is that because of his considerable wealth and privilege, Chuka Umunna cannot possibly understand the difficulties and issues that the average black person faces in this country any more than I can, and I stand by that assertion.
"I do however accept that the language I used in the private conversation was inappropriate and I apologise to anyone that has been offended by it.
"As far as the language I used about Mr Hunt is concerned, it was a private conversation and I was using language that friends and colleagues often do when chatting to each other."
An assembly Labour Group spokesman said: "This is absolutely outrageous language and lays bare the disgusting racism at the heart of UKIP.
"Anything less than immediate suspension would be a clear endorsement of Michelle Brown's racist slur."
Ms Brown's comments have been referred to the assembly's standards commissioner.
Mr Williams said he believed Ms Brown should resign from her seat and UKIP's national executive committee should remove her from the party.
"You wouldn't expect anyone to say it, let alone somebody in such a position. It's appalling," he said.
"Michelle Brown is not fit for office saying things like that. UKIP HQ should do the right thing. The party does not want people with views like that in the party. End of."
UKIP AM David Rowlands said he "thought we'd put that racist language behind us as a party".
The regional AM for South Wales East said: "It's an inappropriate comment. It's certainly not the kind of language I'd use.
"I don't know if there's been any provocation but I'm very disappointed that anyone in my party should be using that language.
"However, it does puzzle me that someone can record and release a private call without the knowledge of the other person."
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said: "This racism reflects poorly on our parliament - The National Assembly for Wales - and that's why her party should take action on this.
"No to racism in all its forms. No tolerance on racism in our Assembly."
This is not the first controversy Ms Brown has faced - in February, she was forced to deny claims she had smoked "recreational drugs" in a Cardiff Bay hotel room.
Her spokesman said the smell was caused by the AM smoking a strong tobacco product. | A UKIP AM has been recorded using a racial slur about a black MP in a phone call to a former member of her staff. |
34244142 | He is also opposed to a third runway at Heathrow, an infrastructure project supported by many businesses.
John McDonnell's Who's Who entry talks of "generally fermenting the overthrow of capitalism". He may have meant fomenting. Or maybe he was making a home brew joke.
To put it mildly, Mr McDonnell is certainly a different character from Ed Balls, his predecessor.
Many business leaders are sure to feel very uncomfortable with Mr McDonnell's "radical agenda".
And will fear that a general "anti-business" sentiment will now radiate from the opposition benches.
Mr McDonnell has spoken about Britain being a "corporate kleptocracy".
Those on Mr McDonnell's side argue that, given the mess of the financial crisis, it is high time there was a radical reappraisal of the way markets work and a new look at ways of tackling inequality.
At this stage, many business leaders will hold their counsel.
One I spoke to last week on the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn victory in the Labour leadership contest said simply that many of his colleagues did not believe he could win a general election.
And at a business dinner I attended with chief financial officers in the retail sector, most expressed a similar view.
So, although the impact of a Labour victory would undoubtedly be significant on many businesses across the UK, the probability of that happening - according to those same businesses - is low.
It was different when it came to Ed Miliband. Before the 2015 general election, many businesses believed that he could be the next prime minister.
That was why the share price of the energy companies fell sharply when Mr Miliband announced in 2013 that a future Labour government would freeze the price of retail energy bills.
Share price volatility is less likely this time as many investors also do not believe that Mr Corbyn will be prime minister. And that means that Mr McDonnell will not be chancellor.
Another well-connected business figure I spoke to this morning said that it was time for caution.
He pointed out that the new Labour leadership had not published any policies and that businesses should refrain from knee jerk reactions to statements made in the past by members of the new shadow cabinet.
"Politicians say lots of things," he pointed out with half a smile.
He also said that a focus on apprenticeships and young people in employment - favoured by Jeremy Corbyn - would be something high up the agenda, particularly for smaller businesses.
As is higher levels of state investment in infrastructure.
There is then the issue of Europe.
Mr Corbyn appears less committed to the European Union than his predecessors, raising the prospect that both the Conservatives and Labour could split for and against during the referendum campaign.
Chuka Ummuna, the former shadow business secretary, said that a lack of commitment from Mr Corbyn to the EU was his reason for quitting his position yesterday.
And as David Cumming, head of equities at Standard Life Investments, argued on the Today programme this morning, if both parties are split on the issue that could increase the chances of the UK leaving.
Which wouldn't be much welcomed by the many in the City.
Of course, many other businesses believe that Britain could flourish outside the EU.
Peter Hargreaves, of the retail investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, said in The Sunday Times at weekend that he would be at the forefront of the campaign for a UK exit.
For the moment, many businesses will decide that silence is the best policy when considering how to respond to the election of Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell.
At least until the new Labour leadership starts announcing what its policies actually are. | This morning, business leaders woke up to the fact that the shadow chancellor is a man who has argued in the past for the nationalisation of the UK's banking system, a 60% top rate of tax for those earning over £100,000, higher taxation for the City, caps on high pay, a rapid expansion of public ownership and a "removal" of the "monopoly of the big six energy companies". |
30124600 | In matches played up until 1 October this season, Welsh players accounted for 2.45% of total minutes in England's top division, State of the Game found.
This represents a slight fall from a last season's figure of 3.12%.
However a rise in the number of Argentines in the top flight saw Wales slip from eighth to ninth top country for total minutes played.
There were 13 Welsh players who got on the field in the Premier League in the period covered by the study. However the number of Argentines increased from 12 last season to 18 as they leapt from 10th to fifth overall.
England, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands were the other nations ahead of Wales.
State of the Game analysed the total minutes played by each nationality in the Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership to 1 October this season and in 2013-14.
Click here to read all the Premier League data from the State of the Game study
Swansea City, Wales' only Premier League club following the relegation of Cardiff City last season, used the most Welsh players. The Swans fielded three players from their homeland in the period studied and were the only team, along with Crystal Palace (two), to field more than one Welsh player.
Others to include a Welshman in the first six matches of the campaign were Arsenal, Hull City, Leicester City, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
However, less than a quarter of the 13 Welsh players used (three) featured in every game.
That overall figure of 13 is only one down from the same period for last season but represents a decline in the amount of actual time spent on the field. Compared with 3,757 minutes at the same stage in 2013-14, Welsh players had completed 2,907 minutes in the top flight.
In the Championship, Welsh players had a slightly larger percentage of total minutes than last season, up from 3.8% to 3.91%.
A total of 24 Welsh players were used in the Championship. Reading, Charlton Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers each used three while Cardiff used one, Declan John, who had played for 45 minutes.
In the Scottish Premiership, Welsh players went from 1.09% to 0.92% of total playing time. | Argentines have overtaken Welsh players for minutes on the pitch in the Premier League, according to a BBC Sport study. |
34398908 | Last year's BBC Sport Price of Football study showed the average price of the cheapest tickets in Premier League football has increased 15% since 2011.
The co-ordinated protests will call for a £20 cap on away ticket prices.
The Premier League said clubs do have a "huge number of offers" for supporters to make tickets more affordable.
Fans intend to display banners at matches including the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool, and Arsenal's home game against Manchester United.
But there have been suggestions some clubs may prevent such banners being unveiled. Aston Villa, who host Stoke City on Saturday, have previously only allowed those in support of the team.
Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), said: "Pricing is a major barrier to watching live football for many fans - no club should deny fans the right to freedom of speech within grounds on such a central issue.
"Any club who does that will rightly face criticism from their fans."
Supporters' groups from Championship sides Cardiff, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, QPR, Bolton, Reading, Middlesbrough and Bristol City will join their top-flight counterparts in staging protests.
The BBC's annual Price of Football study - set to be released on 15 October - has brought the cost of football tickets into sharp focus.
The FSF says the increase in the Premier League's domestic TV revenues - to £5.14bn over three years from next season - could allow clubs to charge fans nothing and still see an increase in income compared to this season.
But it is focusing its protest on the cost of away tickets, in a campaign called 'Twenty's Plenty'.
"We're delighted to see so many fan groups involved in the weekend of action - supporters are standing together against high prices," Miles said.
"In the coming weeks, Premier League clubs have a choice to make when they carve up the latest multi-billion-pound media deal. Without match-going fans filling the stadiums, and particularly those who make such arduous away trips, football simply wouldn't generate such wealth.
"Of course it's not just in the Premier League that we see high prices, many Football League fixtures can be very expensive too."
The Premier League, which says occupancy at stadiums has been at 95.9% for the past two seasons, provides each club with £200,000 a year for initiatives for away fans. That is set aside to cover travel costs or reduce ticket prices.
The FSF says the 'Twenty's Plenty' initiative has already led to 68,000 fans saving a total of £738,000 over the past two seasons through reciprocal deals, where clubs agree to cap each other's away-ticket prices.
Away tickets for Manchester United fans travelling to Emirates Stadium on Sunday will cost £64 - the second-highest away price in the Premier League and the minimum home fans will pay for a 'category one' fixture between bigger teams.
Home tickets at Arsenal can reach £97, the most expensive in the Premier League.
Raymond Herlihy, chairman of Arsenal supporters' group Red Action, told BBC Sport he had sympathy with away fans.
He added: "This is an issue which is bigger than your club or mine. It affects the millions of people who watch their teams every week. We are trying to get the issue out there because we are being priced out.
"Arsenal have got so much money in the bank but we are playing ridiculous prices compared to 20 or 30 years ago. Supporting them is a life sentence with no chance of parole."
Protestors will unfurl special FSF banners at half-time and before and after matches.
Dave Kelly, of Everton supporters' group Blue Union, said there had been no opposition from Everton, Liverpool or Merseyside police.
Banners are set to be draped across both sets of fans at Goodison Park to show their solidarity.
Kelly added: "The Merseyside derby is known as the friendly derby but we want it to be the affordable derby in recognition of the loyal support that both clubs receive.
"Our request to achieve a reciprocal deal between Everton and Liverpool has fallen on deaf ears this season but we will keep pushing the issue."
Another recent study by the GoEuro Football Price Index claimed the Premier League's average ticket price - £53.76 - was the most expensive in the world.
A Premier League spokesman said: "While the most expensive tickets are subject to the most attention, the huge number of offers available at clubs are generally ignored. This approach does not provide a fair reflection of what the vast majority of fans are actually paying to attend Premier League football matches.
"To provide an example, this season 12 Premier League clubs offered adult season ticket prices which work out as fans paying £26 or less per match. And many of the junior season-ticket offers at clubs see young people attending for less than £10 per match." | Fans from all 20 Premier League clubs and 10 Championship teams will join forces this weekend to protest about the cost of ticket prices. |
28882770 | What are the values that infuse it? And how did it break out of its kilted straitjacket to be shaped by the times we live in now?
If the modern Scottish identity has a birthplace, it's at Abbotsford, the country home, 40 miles south of Edinburgh, of Sir Walter Scott.
The novelist and poet, who died in 1832, designed it himself, with crow-stepped gables and Scots baronial turrets and crenellated balconies.
Scott invented modern Scotland here, summoned it from his own imagination, and served it up principally for English consumption.
Until then, Scotland had been, in the English imagination especially, a wild and lawless place that had to be subdued by force.
Scott made it safe, even romantic.
"Scott was very clear when he wrote his first novel, Waverley, that what he was doing was introducing Scottish readers to their own history, and English readers to Scotland's history," says Stuart Kelly, author of the critically acclaimed Scott-land: The man who invented a nation.
"But there is something fictitious about it all, not fake but fictitious."
We are sitting in Scott's impressive drawing room at Abbotsford and Kelly gestures to what appears to be the finely carved, oak-wood ceiling above us.
"This wonderful roof is modelled on Rosslyn Chapel," he says, "but it isn't even wood. It's papier mache and sawdust.
"This whole place is a kind of theatrical set.
"But there's something good about that, the idea that our identity is not something fixed, that it's something changeable, that Scott could actively go out there and think 'I will change the way people think about Scotland'."
Victorian Britain loved this manufactured Scotland and bought it wholesale.
Queen Victoria mimicked it in the design of her Scottish retreat at Balmoral. This Scotland sat comfortably in the prospering British Union.
But a generation emerged in the 1970s that wondered why it was still, so late in the 20th Century, watching men in kilts dancing around swords while demure ladies in white frocks and tartan sashes looked on.
Why, it wondered, was Scotland still presenting itself in this way when none of us knew anyone who actually did this kind of thing?
"Kilts, haggis, the White Heather Club… on television as a young person, certainly growing up in Scotland, I didn't feel like it related very much to me," Scots actress and comedian Elaine C Smith told me.
"I didn't look out there and see anyone that reflected me at all."
But that Scotland - that sense of what the country was - had been carried around the world by the British Empire.
The canny Scot and the dour Scot, and their cousin the chippie Scot, landed on every shore.
They dressed in tartan and toasted Robert Burns every January and sang sweet, sentimental songs about exile and distance and longing for a Scotland which didn't really exist; a Scotland which was an imagined romantic construct.
That Scotland was tame, it was safe, it knew its place in the greater scheme of things.
It had a rebellious past that could be saluted and celebrated as long as that rebelliousness stayed safely in the past.
And that Scotland survived well into our own age. Think of Private Fraser in Dad's Army.
"One Saturday night, at the age of 15 or something, on to the television came a version of John McGrath's play The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black Black Oil," says Smith.
"And it changed my life really. I had never seen my own culture and my own country reflected back to me in the way that it did.
"There was a sort of reclaiming of who we were."
The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black Black Oil drew a direct line between the Highland Clearances of the 18th Century and the sudden, catastrophic decline of heavy industry in the 20th.
This was a powerful new voice in Scottish culture. It was an angry play.
It was produced by a theatre company called 7:84, so named because 7% of the population of the country owned 84% of the wealth.
Scottish national identity began to wrap itself in the cause of social justice - in the idea of resistance to unaccountable wealth and power imposing its will from outside.
"The reason Scottish identity so closely allied with left-of-centre politics, a sense of social justice and inclusion is because of the mauling Scotland perceived itself to get during the Thatcherite years," says the novelist James Robertson.
"Thatcherism was obviously disliked by lots of people in lots of other parts of the British Isles, but it seems to me that in Scotland, because we had a sense of national identity, we had something to coalesce around, to respond to.
"Culture, it seems to me, is a way of asking questions about who we are, or who do we think we are.
"And those questions can be much more easily answered through culture than through politicians standing up and sort of wagging fingers at people and saying this is who you are."
This Scotland was also irreverent, self-mocking, and hilariously funny.
Billy Connolly, who'd been a Glasgow shipyard welder, spoke for a Scotland that now began to eclipse the old stereotype.
This wasn't just funny. It was genuinely liberating.
This was the Scotland that emerged to replace the heirs of Harry Lauder and Balmorality and the green hills of Tyrol.
This Scotland was urban with a collective folk memory of displacement from a rural past.
This Scotland felt increasingly dispossessed as the industries that had serviced the British Empire collapsed and spoke in the voice of the cities, especially of Glasgow.
This Scotland was dismayed by what was happening.
It was angrier, less tame, less docile, more political.
It didn't much care about the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond and it didn't know the difference between the low road and the high road.
This Scotland was much less British.
Scottish children had always been punished for using Scots idioms and locutions in school.
Standard English was thumped into you. But by the 1980s, publishers wanted literature to reflect the demotic speech of ordinary folk.
"They realised there was a market for work in which we talked about ourselves in our own terms," says Liz Lochhead, one of Scotland's most celebrated poets and playwrights.
"And then with the first failed referendum [on devolution in 1979] there really was, afterwards, a sort of sense of depression, which then expressed itself in a sense of let's get on with it, and... a revival of Scottish identity."
In the visual arts too you sense this gradual decoupling.
Ross Sinclair is one of a group of young artists who emerged from the Glasgow School of Art in the 1980s.
He says for his generation of artists, Scotland's access to the wider world no longer lies through London alone.
"London still has its thrall, it's still fantastic.... but there are all these other kinds of relationships, in Europe and Berlin and Scandinavia and the States, China and Africa - just thinking of projects that are kind of going at the moment.
"These are relationships that aren't based on some kind of historical premise that has this sort of built-in power relationship.
"These are new, fresh relationships, horizontal, organic, there is a feeling that anything can happen."
Scotland's independence debate is shaped by this change in the way the country represents itself.
It is a sentiment that chimes with Walter Scott, for whom Scotland was, of necessity, outward looking, internationalist in character.
"Waverley's the great novel of border crossing," says Stuart Kelly.
"Scottish novels from the 18th Century to the early 20th Century often feature characters who will cross borders, who will experience more than one country.
"Now by contrast... the great English novels of the 19th Century are very settled affairs.
"The truly great novels, the kind of Bleak House novels, or Jude the Obscure, or Middlemarch, these are not novels about travel."
Walter Scott conjured a Scottish identity that could fit in a wider British context.
Scotland's artists have been pushing at the boundaries of that for 40 years. | What is Scottish national identity and how is it expressed in art and music, literature and theatre? |
36836111 | The show will be made available the day after it is broadcast on CBS All Access, the network's US subscription streaming service.
It is the franchise's first return to television since 2005 with a new ship, characters and civilisations, although casting has yet to be announced.
Production is set to begin in Toronto in September.
Alex Kurtzman, who co-wrote and produced the blockbuster films Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) will also serve as executive producer for the series.
The Netflix deal will see the show available in 188 countries excluding the US and Canada.
The whole back catalogue of Star Trek TV series will also be made available to watch.
'Hailing on all frequencies'
"Star Trek is already a worldwide phenomenon and this international partnership will provide fans around the world, who have been craving a new series for more than a decade, the opportunity to see every episode virtually at the same time as viewers in the US," said Armando Nunez, CBS Studios president and chief executive officer.
"The new Star Trek will definitely be hailing on all frequencies throughout the planet."
The original Star Trek spawned 13 feature films and five television series.
It was last on screen with Enterprise, which was set a century before the original series featuring Captain Kirk, and ran from 2001 to 2005.
Paramount Pictures confirmed this week it had approved plans for a fourth Star Trek film featuring the current crew of the starship Enterprise.
Producer JJ Abrams has said the role of Chekov, played by Anton Yelchin who was killed by his own car at his home last month, will not be recast.
The actor's parents took out a full-page advert in the Hollywood Reporter on Monday to thank the industry for the support they have received since his death.
"We are deeply grateful for your unconditional love for our son. He would be surprised by how many hearts and souls he touched," they said.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email [email protected]. | The new Star Trek TV series is to be streamed globally on Netflix from January next year. |
30332660 | 5 December 2015 Last updated at 07:53 GMT
If you'd like to send in your own special family tradition to be considered for the calendar then click here to get involved!
Today's Christmas tradition comes from CBBC's Katie - take it away!
Click here for 4th December's tradition. | Every day in December we are bringing you a different Christmas tradition from Newsround viewers as part of our 2015 advent calendar. |
33731108 | Trinity Mirror analysed 3,185 state-funded secondary schools in 15 areas for its Real School Guide.
About 5% of those analysed are grammar schools, which select pupils based on the 11-plus test.
The teachers union, the NUT, said selective schools were "socially divisive and antiquated".
Claire Miller, a data journalist for Trinity Mirror's regional team, said: "It's not too surprising.
"If you are selective you can select pupils who will do better, although a lot of these schools do also add value.
"Selective schools tend to have better attendance and more of their pupils stay in education after their GCSEs.
1 Pates Grammar School, Cheltenham
2 Langley Grammar School, Langley
3 Queen Elizabeths School, Barnet
4 Wallington County Grammar, Sutton
5 Nonsuch High For Girls, Cheam
6 Wilsons School, Wallington
"Of course, many will have their own sixth forms so it's easier for students to stay in an establishment with which they are familiar than start somewhere new."
Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the NUT, said: "Children develop at different rates and at different times, which makes academic selection at 10 or 11 years old wrong.
"International evidence clearly demonstrates that if an education system is to be characterised by quality and equity, it is the comprehensive path that must be followed.
"Grammar schools have far fewer pupils with special educational needs or eligible for free school meals. They also have fewer pupils from ethnic groups."
There are 164 grammar schools in England, educating 4% of the secondary school population.
Pupils are selected based on their results in the 11-plus test taken in the final year of primary school.
In 1998, the then-Labour government banned the creation of new grammar schools, although existing ones were allowed to continue.
David Cameron is also opposed to the creation of new grammar schools, preferring instead to allow groups to set up free schools.
Opponents of grammar schools say all children should be educated equally.
Supporters argue they give bright children from low-income families a better education on a par with private schools.
The Good Schools Guide says grammar schools can be found in 38 of England's 150 local education authority areas.
Trinity Mirror also found 88.3% of pupils stayed in education after completing their GCSEs with just 2.4% becoming NEETS (not in education, employment, or training).
The schools were judged on much more than just their GCSE results, said Ms Miller.
"There has been a tendency to focus on the number of A* to C GCSEs pupils get, but for many pupils that is not what's most important," she said.
"As a parent, you want to know a school is going to help your child reach their potential."
Data journalists from Trinity Mirror have analysed each school in 25 categories.
The number of A* to C graded GCSEs pupils gain is often used as a key indicator to a school's success.
But Ms Miller said other factors were important.
One important area of analysis is the value-added score, which is the amount a child improves across their time at the school.
Trinity Mirror has also looked at pupil-teacher ratios, attendance, truancy rates and what happened to students after their GCSEs: did they go on to further education, find employment or become a NEET?
This is the third year that Trinity Mirror has carried out the research, creating a page for each school on its various newspaper websites.
"It's the remit of local papers to inform and be helpful and give people information that's useful," Ms Miller said.
Trinity Mirror ranked Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham as the top school in England and Wales, while three of the top 10 are in Sutton in Greater London.
Also in the top 10 are Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Wolverhampton Girls' High School, Thomas Telford School in Telford and St Ursula's Convent School in Greenwich.
Click on the newspaper links below to see how your local school is ranked: | Eight out of the 10 top-performing state schools in England and Wales are selective grammar schools, research by a newspaper group has found. |
39469624 | It coincides with the visit to the island by her husband John McAreavey.
He has gone back to issue a fresh appeal for information about the killing.
The confidential telephone line is being set up by his lawyer in Mauritius, Dick Ng Sui Wa.
'I don't want sympathy, I want justice'
The idea is to give people who are reluctant to talk to the police, another means to provide information.
As well as the telephone hotline, there will be an address where people can post potential new evidence.
Mr McAreavey will give more details at a news conference at some stage in the next 48 hours.
He has not said anything publicly since he arrived on Saturday in the Mauritian capital Port Louis.
He is arranging meetings with the director of public prosecutions and the police.
No-one has been convicted of the murder of Mrs McAreavey, 27, the daughter of Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte.
She was strangled to death at a luxury hotel in northern Mauritius 12 days after her wedding in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Before leaving for Mauritius, Mr McAreavey told the BBC he was prepared "to go to the ends of the earth to ensure that justice is achieved for Michaela".
John and Michaela McAreavey went on honeymoon to Mauritius in January 2011. She was found dead in a bath at the four-star Legends Hotel, after returning to her room to collect a packet of biscuits.
Two hotel workers - Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea - were later accused of murdering her and stood trial in the Mauritian capital Port Louis.
They were found not guilty of the murder.
Mauritian police launched a fresh investigation following the trial, but it came to nothing.
Mr McAreavey remarried in September last year. His wife, Tara Brennan, is an accountant from County Kildare.
He said: "I'm very, very fortunate that I've such a loving family.
"You move forward with life, you enjoy the good things, but you don't shy away from the hard things either." | A confidential telephone line is to be set up in Mauritius for people to give information about the murder of Tyrone woman Michaela McAreavey in 2011. |
37095676 | Last week, the Bank failed to find enough sellers when it offered to buy the bonds, known as gilts.
But it found no shortage of sellers on Tuesday. The "reverse auction" was oversubscribed by almost 2.7 times.
By creating money to buy gilts the Bank hopes to push cash out into the economy for investment and lending.
Pension funds in particular have been reluctant to sell gilts, especially those with long maturities, because they bought them when they were cheap and offered a high rate of return.
The Bank's quantitative easing programme began in 2009, and last month it announced a new £60bn round of government bond buying to try to stimulate growth after signs of a slowdown followed the referendum vote in June.
The bond purchases will take place three times a week until October.
Part of the bond-buying programme will also involve buying up a limited amount of corporate bonds, fixed interest debt issued by companies. | The Bank of England has successfully bought £1.17bn worth of government bonds as part of its £60bn buy-back programme to stimulate the economy. |
20774792 | UK Sport has made a record £347m available for Olympic and Paralympic sport for the four-year cycle, with the latter receiving a 43% rise in funding.
Athletics is the biggest beneficiary as their funding is increased by over £4m - from £6.7m to £10.7m.
Swimming and cycling have also been rewarded for their London performances.
Investment in swimming increases from £10.5m to £11.8m, while cycling is up to £6.7m from £4.2m.
However, wheelchair fencing and sitting volleyball have had their funding programme cut completely.
Five-a-side football has been included, while para-triathlon and canoeing, which will be making their debuts in Rio, have been guaranteed funding for one year.
ParalympicsGB won 120 medals in London, and have been challenged by UK Sport to win one medal more than that tally in Rio.
The British Paralympic Association said in a statement: "The BPA has always maintained that, for the Paralympic movement in the UK, London should be a springboard onto greater things.
"UK Sport's increased level of investment into Paralympic sport as a whole reflects that and we are delighted that the strong performance of the ParalympicsGB team in London has acted as the catalyst."
Disability athletics won 29 of those medals, and UK Athletics Paralympic head coach, Paula Dunn, said the funding they receive was vital to their success.
"Funding from UK Sport and the National Lottery was an integral part of our success in London this summer," she said.
"We are absolutely delighted to be receiving an increased investment of 59% into the Paralympic programme."
Sport - London 2012 budget - Rio 2012 budget
Adaptive Rowing - £2.3m - £3.5m
Boccia - £2.3m - £3m
Disability Archery - £2.1m - £2m
Disability Athletics - £6.7m - £10.7m
Disability Sailing - £1.7m - £2.8m
Disability Shooting - £2.1m - £3.3m
Disability Swimming - £10.4m- £11.8m
Disability Table Tennis - £1.7m - £2.7m
Football (5-a-side) - N/A - £1.3m
Goalball - £0.5m - £1m (women only)
Judo (Visually Impaired) - £1.3m - £2m
Para-Canoe - N/A - £2.3m
Para-Cycling - £4.2m - £6.7m
Para-Equestrian Dressage - £3.6m - £3.8m
Para-triathlon* - N/A - £2.2m
Powerlifting - £1m - £0.8m
Sitting volleyball -£0.8- 0
Wheelchair Basketball - £4.5m - £5.4m
Wheelchair fencing - £0.6- 0
Wheelchair Rugby - £2.4m - £3m
Wheelchair Tennis - £0.8m - £1.9m | Paralympic sport has received a dramatic increase in funding for Rio 2016 following the success of British athletes at London 2012. |
39197145 | I usually patiently explain that if I knew what was in the chancellor's red box, I probably wouldn't have to work for a living. But there are a few areas where we have a good idea of what Philip Hammond is planning.
Some Budget changes have already been announced. It's always helpful to remember this when MPs start cheering re-announced tax cuts or fuel duty freezes.
In the new financial year that begins on April 6, the amount you can earn before paying income tax will rise from £10,600 to £11,500. The higher rate threshold will rise from £43,000 to £45,000.
For savers, the annual ISA limit rises from £15,240 to £20,000. Corporation tax will be cut from 20% to 19%. Insurance premium tax will rise from 10% to 12% in June. Petrol duty is frozen until April 2018.
The Treasury has already trailed several announcements that will mean higher spending on technical education and (some) schools in England. The Welsh Government will get a share of increases in comparable spending in England, to spend as it chooses. If the chancellor announces extra cash for social care in England, the same rule applies.
Business rates are more complicated. They are devolved, but if Mr Hammond finds some more money for England via the Department for Communities and Local Government, then expect a cheque to head west to Cardiff Bay too.
Philip Hammond may be known ironically as 'Box Office Phil' in some quarters but he may have unwittingly raised expectations about the proposed Swansea Bay Region City Deal when he jaunitly told MPs last week: "This discussion is still ongoing. I hope we may bring it to conclusion within, let's say. the next 8 days."
Since then UK government sources have suggested that more work needs to be done before the city deal is formally signed off, although there may be more "warm words" in the Budget speech.
Supporters of the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project who expect the chancellor to give the go-ahead tomorrow are likely to be disappointed. Although a report it commissioned was effusive about its potential, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not appear to have given its approval.
One of the city's MPs, Carolyn Harris, is more optimistic that Mr Hammond will respond positively to her campaign to stop councils charging for children's funerals.
Finance Secretary, Mark Drakeford, may be less certain that the Welsh Government's Budget shopping list - more money for health and social care, no more cuts and an end to austerity - will meet with a warm reception from the chancellor. With Mr Hammond warning about eye-wateringly high levels of debt and against spending sprees, any cash boost is unlikely to be more than modest.
The new chancellor approaches the Budget rather differently from his predecessor, George Osborne, who often gave the impression Budget day was a news deadline. Mr Hammond appears content to wait for a policy to be worked through rather than to announce it to an artificial deadline.
Stephen Crabb, who served alongside both men in David Cameron's cabinet told me: "Philip Hammond takes a much more accountant-like approach. He's interested in cold, hard facts - cold, hard numbers. And this is where the challenge is for Welsh politicians in terms of securing more investment into Wales - is to make winning economic arguments.
"With George Osborne it was much more about the politics, particularly in the run-up to the 2015 general election. We're now in a phase where actual cold, hard economic arguments will sway the Treasury, probably little else."
If you have six minutes to spare, I've put together a few things to look out for in this Sunday Politics film. | It's about this time of year that I'm often asked: "David, what's going to be in the Budget?" |
29319363 | The aim at the New York meeting is to galvanise member states to sign up to a comprehensive new global climate agreement at talks in Paris next year.
"Today, we must set the world on a new course," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told leaders from 120 countries, "I am asking you to lead".
It is the first high-level gathering since the Copenhagen summit in 2009.
With so many nations attending the summit at the UN headquarters and so little time at the one-day meeting, three separate sessions will run simultaneously in three different rooms.
The BBC's Nick Bryant says it will be a feat of huge choreographic complexity.
Mr Ban has organised the summit and on Sunday took part in a climate change march in New York with thousands of protesters - including Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who has recently been appointed a UN representative on climate change.
On Monday, more than 100 people were arrested after they refused to leave a protest near Wall Street. At one stage, demonstrators tried to push past police barricades, sparking a brief clash with officers.
The Rockefeller family, which made its vast fortune from oil, was reported to have announced their intention to sell investments in fossil fuels and reinvest in clean energy.
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund is joining a coalition of philanthropists pledging to rid themselves of more than $50bn (£31bn) in fossil fuel assets.
Meanwhile, Google has announced it is to sever ties with a rightwing US lobbying network, the American Legislative Council, over its sceptical positions on climate.
Our correspondent says that the real bargaining on climate change is expected to take place at a private dinner on Tuesday hosted by Mr Ban and attended by a select list of 20 or so countries.
But the absence of the leaders of China, Russia and India - whose Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives later in the week - does not augur well, our correspondent says.
Mr Obama will strive on Tuesday to generate international support for the battle against climate change when he addresses the UN, with time running out on his desire to leave an environmental legacy.
The president has warned that a failure to act on climate change is a "betrayal" of future generations. But correspondents say he faces numerous obstacles - including a Congress unwilling to curtail greenhouse gas emissions - let alone ratify an international agreement.
Mr Obama's last meeting with heads of state in order to reach a climate deal in Copenhagen five years ago ended in disappointment, with member countries failing to agree on a timetable to reduce long-term emissions.
Mr Ban has asked that the political leaders come to UN headquarters bearing pledges of action. He wants to hear commitments to cut carbon and offers of finance for those most affected.
Observers believe the meeting can still achieve political momentum despite the absence of Chinese, Indian, Australian, Russian and Canadian leaders. | World leaders including US President Barack Obama are holding a summit on climate change at the United Nations. |
40763369 | "He was known as an Islamist but not a jihadist," Hamburg's Interior Minister Andy Grote said, noting the suspect also had "psychological" issues.
The man, a failed asylum seeker born in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), attacked customers at random on Friday.
Police said he acted alone and he was overpowered by passers-by.
The 26-year-old man, identified as Ahmad A, is a Palestinian from the UAE who is registered on an Islamist database, Mr Grote said on Saturday.
The attacker, who arrived in Germany in 2015 but could not be deported because he had no identification papers, was also suffering from mental health problems, officials said.
Police have carried out a search of the shelter in Hamburg where the man was living but said there was no evidence that he had accomplices or was part of a terror organisation.
It is not yet clear what the suspect's motivations were.
The attack happened in the Barmbek region in the north of the city in a branch of Edeka, Germany's largest supermarket chain.
Police said the man entered the supermarket and removed a kitchen knife, measuring around 20 cm (8 in) long, from the shelves.
"He ripped off the packaging and then suddenly brutally attacked the 50-year-old man who later died," police spokeswoman Kathrin Hennings said.
He later wounded two other men in the supermarket before fleeing the scene.
Police praised the courage of the three men who followed the attacker after video footage emerged of passers-by using chairs as shields to corner the suspect.
Eyewitnesses said that members of the public shouted at the man in Arabic to drop the knife.
A 50-year-old woman and four men aged between 19 and 64 were stabbed, while a 35-year-old man was injured while helping overcome the suspect.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered her "deepest sympathies" to the relatives of the murdered victim and praised the courage of the public and the authorities.
"I thank the police for their effort and all those who stood up against the attacker with civil courage and bravery," Mrs Merkel said, adding that the incident "must and will be fully investigated".
Germany has suffered a series of attacks in recent months.
Security was heightened after a man ploughed a lorry into a busy Christmas market in the heart of Berlin in December 2016.
In July 2016, a German teenager of Iranian heritage shot dead nine people in Munich before shooting himself dead.
The same month, a teenage Afghan refugee armed with an axe and a knife injured four people on a train in the southern German city of Wuerzburg before being shot dead by police. | The man who killed one person and injured six in a supermarket knife attack in Hamburg was a "known Islamist", officials say. |
40666788 | The selectors confirmed the 28-year-old will bat at number three in place of Gary Ballance, who broke a finger in the second Test.
Uncapped Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan has also been named in a 13-man squad.
The four-Test series is level at 1-1 following South Africa's 340-run win at Trent Bridge.
Westley has scored 478 runs at an average of 53.11, including two centuries, for County Championship leaders Essex this season. He averages 37.44 in his first-class career.
He hit 106 not out for England Lions against a full-strength South Africa bowling attack at Worcester last month.
Malan, who made 78 off 44 balls on his international Twenty20 debut last month, could play if England select an extra batsman after being bowled out for 205 and 133 in the second Test.
The 29-year-old left-hander averages 42.50 for Middlessex in County Championship Division One this season.
Surrey opener Mark Stoneman, the third highest run-scorer in the top flight this summer, was overlooked by the selectors on his home ground.
Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones, who was left out of the XI at Trent Bridge, retains his place in the squad.
Essex coach Chris Silverwood told BBC Radio 5 live that Westley's selection has come after "a lot of hard work and graft".
"It's one of those things you always dream of and then when it happens it leaves you a little bit speechless. He's over the moon and can't wait to get stuck in," he said.
"Around Test cricket and the England squad there's a lot of hype and a lot of people watching, but if you can keep everything around you as normal as possible and stay in that zone then it's business as usual and I think he can cope with the pressure.
"We're all very proud of him and can't wait to watch his performance."
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew
This is not a panic-struck selection. One change was enforced and England had to pick another batsman after last week's defeat. Given Keaton Jennings is going to open, that ruled out Stoneman.
Westley has had a good season but has a career average of 37. To bat against South Africa in a crucial Test match at number three, that is a big step up.
Malan is an interesting choice. If you look at how England played at Trent Bridge, everyone was saying knuckle down, but they have gone for someone whose first impression of international cricket was in the T20 game. In fairness to him, though, he isn't only a limited-overs entertainer and does have the ability to play long innings.
He has had a decent first-class summer and, if chosen in the final XI, would bat at five, with Jonny Bairstow moving down to seven and Moeen Ali to eight.
Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Keaton Jennings (Durham), Tom Westley (Essex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Ben Stokes (Durham), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Mark Wood (Durham), James Anderson (Lancashire), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex). | Essex batsman Tom Westley will make his England debut in the third Test against South Africa at The Oval starting on 27 July. |
36286624 | The store in Camden Road took out an advert for "an ambitious artist" to "voluntarily refurbish" the facility.
The company was shamed on social media by people who pointed out the successful supermarket chain should pay its way.
A spokesman for the company said the advert was an "error of judgement".
Artist Conor Collins attacked the supermarket's attempt to hire someone for free and suggested the store deducted some money from its bosses' salaries to "pay someone to do work for you so that the concept of 'starving artist' wouldn't have to be a thing."
He wrote on Twitter: "Dear Sainsbury's, I am looking for a company worth £150,000,000 to feed all of my artist friends in Manchester."
Others read: "@Sainsbury's Awful. You can afford to pay an artist their worth."
While another said: "So @sainsburys let me get this straight. You turnover £26bn yet want an artist to voluntarily decorate your canteen?"
Sainsbury's told the BBC it was discussing the matter with the store in Camden.
It added: "The advert was placed in the local paper following a colleague discussion around ways to improve the canteen and offer an opportunity to the local community.
"It is not our policy to hire volunteers and we are sorry for this error of judgement." | Sainsbury's has apologised after one of its London branches placed an advert in a local paper seeking an artist to decorate its canteen for free. |
23185060 | Striker Oyenuga, 20, who spent part of season 2011-12 on loan at St Johnstone, and 22-year-old defender Butcher had been on trial at the Tayside club.
Butcher has agreed a two-year deal with the Tannadice club, while Oyenuga's contract runs until May 2016.
"They are young, hungry, excellent footballers with something to prove," said United manager Jackie McNamara.
"Calum is an aggressive centre-half who is also comfortable with the ball at his feet.
"Kudus will excite our fans. He is quick, direct and always looking to score goals.
"We have now brought in eight new faces over the summer and I am excited by what we can achieve this coming season."
The pair played together last season in the Conference South for Hayes & Yeading United.
United head off on their pre-season tour to Germany and Spain this weekend.
McNamara has had a number of other players on trial, including Graham Carey, who was released by St Mirren.
"There are two areas I would like to strengthen - the centre of defence and possibly left-back, depending on how Graham Carey does," he said.
"Young Andrew Robertson has looked very good in training but he is 19 and ideally I would like two fighting for the position." | Dundee United have signed former Tottenham Hotspur trainees Calum Butcher and Kudus Oyenuga. |
37019942 | One hundred new GP training places are being advertised, with a £20,000 incentive for some who choose to take up hard to fill posts.
Some medical bodies are concerned Scotland is facing a GP crisis, with certain areas restricting patient lists because they are reaching capacity.
The Scottish government said it was refocusing the role of GPs.
The new scheme will offer a one-off bursary of £20,000 to trainees who commit to being trained in posts that have not been filled recently. Many of these are in isolated rural communities.
The posts qualifying for the incentive include placements based in Arran, Inverness, Fort William and Oban. Others are in Dumfries and Galloway, Angus, Aberdeenshire, Glasgow and Lanarkshire.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway's Medical Director, Angus Cameron, told BBC Scotland: "This is excellent news. We believe we have superb training available in Dumfries and Galloway.
"We really welcome the extra incentive to help encourage doctors to choose a career in rural general practice starting here."
Health Secretary Shona Robison said general practice was at the "heart" of the NHS.
"We are also investing in the future of the profession - developing new ways of working with multi-disciplinary teams and refocusing the role of the GP as the expert medical generalist within our community health service," she said.
"We've also abolished the bureaucratic system of GP payments, QOF, and are working on a new Scottish GP contract to support our wider efforts to make primary care services fit for the future."
The Scottish government said the 100 new places brought the total number of GP specialist training posts advertised this year to 439.
Scotland's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith, who previously practised as a GP, said: "Working in general practice can give you a wide and varied career - one in which every day is different and you never know what will come through the door next.
"There are some fantastic opportunities for training available in Scotland - whether that is working in inner city communities or with remote and rural populations, all within a flexible and supportive training environment."
He added: "It is a fantastic career and one which I would highly recommend to junior doctors."
The application window opens on 9 August, and closes on 25 August. | The Scottish government is hoping to encourage more junior doctors to consider a career in general practice. |
32803537 | Falling attendances have had an impact on Vale, their average home gate having fallen from 6,249 in the 2013-14 season to 5,044 in the campaign just finished.
"I have a responsibility to do what's right for Vale," he told BBC Sport.
"There was an average of over 1,200 per game who didn't turn up. We were £600,000 down on gate receipts."
Speaking on Sport at Six on BBC Radio Stoke, he added: "We were a further £300,000 down due to a poor cup run. That's £900,000 down and we're still in business.
"It's up to us to get the product right on the pitch, then people will turn up, but we're in a results-orientated business."
Vale have offset those losses by cutting their wage bill, striker Tom Pope being one of several first team regulars currently mulling over whether to stop on reduced terms.
"I don't want him to go," added Smurthwaite. "He's a great ambassador for the club, but he was awarded a contract that I wasn't privy to.
"He's a good living the last two and a half years and I suspect he's got used to it, but we've made a contract offer that reflects where we are.
"He has a responsibility to his wife and his daughter to do what's right for him. But my responsibility is somewhat greater than Tom's. It's to the future of the club." | Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite says the League One club's future would have been in doubt if they had not managed to cut their wage bill. |
40508184 | The teenager was found at a property in Taylor Place on Sunday.
Police said her death was being treated as unexplained pending further investigations.
A bomb disposal team had been called to the scene after the woman was found to deal with items "requiring further examination". The items are not believed to be linked to the death. | An 18-year-old woman has died after being found unconscious in an Edinburgh flat at the weekend. |
35669343 | 26 February 2016 Last updated at 13:33 GMT
The team, led by Richard Gill, started on a beach in Northern France, where they set the drone off on its 35 kilometre flight back to the UK.
They followed it in a boat, being careful not to get in the way of big ships, until it finally reached Shakespeare Beach in Dover.
It took 72 minutes of flying, without stopping, to get back to the UK. | A UK team called Team Ocuair have made history by being the first ever to successfully fly a drone all the way across the English Channel. |
37056479 | English tourist Thomas, from Kent, is 19 and a regular visitor to Hua Hin. He was due to be at the scene of the blasts on Thursday, before being delayed.
He says he is "very relieved and shocked".
"I was walking towards the Soi Bintabaht area of Hua Hin when the attacks took place on Thursday night.
"I was meant to go to a bar right where the attacks took place, but was held up on the way when I met my sister.
"Had I not been delayed, I would have been there when the explosion happened. I feel very relieved and shocked this morning.
"I can't believe it's happened here. It's usually just a laid-back beach resort. This is just totally unexpected
"I have been coming to Hua Hin for three years as a tourist and my father lives here, along with a sizeable expat community.
"It has never been as quiet as it is now.
"I just returned from the scene again and the area is cordoned off and cars are not allowed to enter.
"There are blood stains on the floor which point to last night's attack.
"I arrived there just after the attacks took place. It was a chaotic scene. No one knew what was going on.
"Police and emergency vehicles were arriving at the scene. People were fleeing quickly on scooters
"When we arrived, we were sent away by police, and there was enormous speculation about what had happened and how many bombs had gone off.
"I have Thai friends, whose friends have been injured. I have seen them posting about it on Facebook.
"All bars closed after the attack. The main shopping centre, Market Village, which is normally heaving with shoppers, is now closed.
"I have spoken to two local business owners today. Both told me how worried they are for their businesses and tourism following on from a difficult couple of years for the area anyway.
"The roads are completely quiet this morning and businesses are shut. There is a clear police presence on the streets.
"People are just in shock. I'm just relieved."
Interview by Stephen Fottrell. | The resort town of Hua Hin was the worst-hit in a number of co-ordinated blasts across Thailand, targeting tourist areas and leaving four dead and many injured. |
37864734 | The Brunel Camping Carriages site in Dawlish Warren, Devon, exceeded the guide price of £125,000 - £175,000.
The auction was held in St Mellion, Cornwall. The site closed at the end of last summer after 50 years.
Each eight-person chalet carriage includes a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom.
More on the converted rail carriages story, plus other Devon and Cornwall news | A former holiday park which features eight chalets in converted rail carriages has sold at auction for £261,000. |
39833667 | Jon Robertson's stunning strike levelled the scores on aggregate.
Penalties were almost not required when Alloa's Jordan Kirkpatrick hit the outside of a post with a free-kick in extra time.
But it was left to Calum Waters to score the winning spot-kick following two saves from goalkeeper Neil Parry.
It means that Alloa, who finished runners-up in League One, 10 points ahead of the Diamonds, will face the fourth-placed side in the final with promotion at stake.
Match ends, Alloa Athletic 1(4), Airdrieonians 0(3).
Penalty Shootout ends, Alloa Athletic 1(4), Airdrieonians 0(3).
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(4), Airdrieonians 0(3). Calum Waters (Alloa Athletic) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(3), Airdrieonians 0(3). Sean McIntosh (Airdrieonians) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(3), Airdrieonians 0(2). Andy Graham (Alloa Athletic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Penalty saved! Kieran MacDonald (Airdrieonians) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(2), Airdrieonians 0(2). Jordan Kirkpatrick (Alloa Athletic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Penalty saved! Iain Russell (Airdrieonians) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
Penalty saved! Steven Hetherington (Alloa Athletic) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(1), Airdrieonians 0(2). Jack Leitch (Airdrieonians) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1(1), Airdrieonians 0(1). Scott Taggart (Alloa Athletic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1, Airdrieonians 0(1). Andy Ryan (Airdrieonians) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Penalty Shootout begins Alloa Athletic 1, Airdrieonians 0.
Second Half Extra Time ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Airdrieonians 0.
Corner, Alloa Athletic. Conceded by Daniel Boateng.
Kyle Hutton (Airdrieonians) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stefan McCluskey (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kyle Hutton (Airdrieonians).
Corner, Alloa Athletic. Conceded by Scott Stewart.
Attempt missed. Jordan Kirkpatrick (Alloa Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Dylan Mackin (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Daniel Boateng (Airdrieonians).
Adam Martin (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Daniel Boateng (Airdrieonians).
Substitution, Airdrieonians. Murray Loudon replaces Ryan Conroy because of an injury.
Foul by Dylan Mackin (Alloa Athletic).
Joseph Gorman (Airdrieonians) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Steven Hetherington (Alloa Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Iain Russell (Airdrieonians).
Corner, Alloa Athletic. Conceded by Daniel Boateng.
Second Half Extra Time begins Alloa Athletic 1, Airdrieonians 0.
Substitution, Alloa Athletic. Adam Martin replaces Kevin Cawley.
First Half Extra Time ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Airdrieonians 0.
Attempt saved. Dylan Mackin (Alloa Athletic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner.
Corner, Alloa Athletic. Conceded by Rohan Ferguson.
Attempt missed. Iain Russell (Airdrieonians) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Calum Waters (Alloa Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Calum Waters (Alloa Athletic).
Andy Ryan (Airdrieonians) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Frank McKeown (Alloa Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. | Alloa Athletic beat Airdrieonians 4-3 on penalties to reach the Scottish Championship play-off final against Brechin City. |
16547045 | It is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Top Partner, paying a reported $100m for each two-games deal of one winter and one summer Games.
The new deal covers the 2014 winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and 2016 summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The 2018 winter Games will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2020 summer venue is yet to be decided.
The company has been an Olympics sponsor since 1976.
It is the seventh of the 11 top-tier sponsors to renew its partnership with the IOC until 2020.
The others are Coca-Cola, Dow Chemicals, General Electric, Omega, Procter & Gamble and Visa.
A further three firms have extended their sponsorship until 2016.
It is estimated that the IOC has garnered about $1bn in sponsorship revenue in the current four-year cycle which ends this year 2012.
London 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, features and programmes from the BBC
McDonald's said the restaurant chain would use the extended partnership to introduce several new programmes "focused on balanced eating and fun play for children".
"We are delighted that McDonald's, our long-time and valued Olympic Partner for more than 35 years, is continuing its ongoing commitment not only to help fund the Olympic Games, but also to support the Olympic Movement around the world and ultimately the athletes themselves," IOC President Jacques Rogge said in a statement. | Fast food giant McDonald's is to extend its sponsorship of the Olympic Games for another eight years until 2020. |
38093391 | The 28-year-old has not fought since breaking his jaw against Carl Frampton last February, a fight in which he lost his WBA world title.
Frampton has since stepped up to featherweight and Quigg has set his sights on avenging that loss.
"It's no secret that I want a rematch with Carl," he said.
Mexican Cayetano, 29, has 20 wins and four losses on his record with his previous defeat coming against former world champion Leo Santa Cruz.
In July, Frampton became a two-weight world champion after beating Santa Cruz for the WBA featherweight title, and Quigg believes he can emulate that feat.
"I want to be linked with Carl and [IBF featherweight world champion] Lee Selby because if I am not, I'm doing something wrong," he said.
"I've got to go out there and get back to winning ways first though, and then those fights will happen." | Former super-bantamweight world champion Scott Quigg will make his comeback against Jose Cayetano on 10 December at the Manchester Arena. |
38968432 | The 24-year-old Australia international will now remain at Loftus Road until the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
Luongo has made 59 appearances for the R's since joining from Swindon Town in the summer of 2015.
"The next few years will be really important in my career, and hopefully I can build on the progress I feel I've already made," he said. | Queens Park Rangers midfielder Massimo Luongo has signed a new contract with the Championship club. |
36079844 | Two of the four women live in the the area and the council said it was the first time it had granted the honour.
The Yorkshire Rows completed the 3,000-mile challenge in February.
Niki Doeg, 45, Helen Butters, 45, Frances Davies, 47, and Janette Benaddi, 51, met at a rowing club in York three years ago.
Yorkshire Rows was one of 26 crews taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge and were raising money to help build a cancer care centre in Leeds.
Some of the funds will also be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Mary Weastell, chief executive of the council, said: "This is an incredible achievement, and with two of the team coming from the Selby district we wanted to do something special to mark their outstanding success.
"As well as the crossing, which was gruelling at times, the team has raised significant money for charity too, which is a great achievement in itself.
"This is the first time the Council has awarded the 'freedom of the district', and the Yorkshire Rows absolutely deserve our support and recognition in this way for what they've done." | Four North Yorkshire women, who became the oldest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic, have been awarded the Freedom of the Selby district. |
34168038 | Media playback is not supported on this device
During interviews they kept speaking, passionately and unprompted, about the Monza circuit and the risk of it being removed from the Formula 1 calendar. The verdict was unanimous - the idea dismays them.
Talks over a new deal to secure the race's future beyond 2016 have stalled and there is a real chance that next year's race will be the last.
Lewis Hamilton believes Monza "should be here for the rest of F1's life" and "has to stay here for moral reasons" because it is so historic.
Williams' Felipe Massa agreed: "You cannot take it out. Here we are in the history of F1. Here is a part of what everything F1 is. We race for the people and when you see the podium, with a lot of people screaming and crying, we cannot lose that. This is part of our blood."
Sebastian Vettel, experiencing Monza for the first time as a 'home' Ferrari driver, did not mince his words: "If we take this away from the calendar for any money reasons, I think you are basically ripping our hearts out."
So what makes Monza so special? Why is the race at risk? And why does it matter if it gets dropped?
The home of the Italian Grand Prix is the oldest and fastest racetrack on the F1 calendar - arguably this is the place to find the soul of the sport.
It held its first grand prix in 1922 and through the near-century since, Monza has seen it all, from the closest finish on record in 1971 to the deaths of some of the sport's greatest drivers, including Jochen Rindt - F1's only posthumous champion in 1970 - and Ronnie Peterson, in 1978.
Set in the grounds of the largest city park in Europe, history hangs heavy in the early-autumn air when F1 gathers for the race every September. It is the spiritual home of Ferrari and the devoted Tifosi turn up en masse to roar on their beloved scarlet cars.
All the greats have raced at Monza and the ghosts of the past are almost tangible among famous corners such as the Parabolica, Lesmo and Curva Grande.
It was where Niki Lauda made his astonishing comeback in 1976 just six weeks after he nearly burned to death in his horrific crash at the Nurburgring. World champions have been crowned there, while two-time champion Mika Hakkinen was reduced to tears after spinning out in 1999.
Since the inauguration of the F1 World Championship in 1950, Monza has hosted the Italian Grand Prix every year bar 1980 when it was being renovated. No other circuit - not Monaco, not Silverstone - has been such a fixture.
Surrounded by the towering protected trees of the royal park, and with the Alps visible in the distance, Monza truly is the cathedral of speed.
The day before this year's race, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone met with officials from the state government of Lombardy, the Italian region in which the track is situated, to try to resolve the dispute which threatens Monza's future as a grand prix venue.
The issue, unsurprisingly, is money.
"Ecclestone might not go gooey over the atmosphere, the trees, the beautiful light, the banking and so on as most visitors do, but he is more than smart enough to appreciate what Monza means to F1, and that maintaining some semblance of a link with the sport's past is important," says BBC chief F1 writer Andrew Benson.
"But, for Ecclestone, it is not more important than money. Nothing is. He is demanding a higher fee, and he sees no reason to give Monza a discount just because it has a past.
"A route out of that impasse looks for now as difficult as finding a way through the fans that crowd the entrance to the paddock.
"They come here from year to year, from generation to generation, a love for the place and the sport it hosts passed on from father to son.
"To lose all this is unthinkable for most. But not many people have played brinksmanship with Ecclestone and won."
While the F1 calendar has expanded significantly in recent years, adding events in the Middle East and south-east Asia, a number of the most historic races have been lost.
At the turn of the Millennium, it would have been unthinkable to have a race schedule without the French and German Grand Prix but that is the reality in 2015. Silverstone was so nearly lost as well until Ecclestone and owners the British Racing Drivers' Club finally resolved a long-running dispute.
In two weeks' time the sport will reconvene in Singapore for F1's annual night race. Inaugurated in 2008, it has quickly established itself as one of the highlights of the year and is a hugely popular venue for drivers, teams, fans and the television audience.
F1 is correct to embrace the future but it is surely diminished if it turns its back on the past.
Massa, who finished third at Monza on Sunday, said afterwards: "We go to amazing countries, countries that didn't even know what F1 was before and I love to go there. But you cannot lose something that is inside the blood of the sport."
Race winner Hamilton is of a similar mind.
He said: "When you go to a new circuit, Ayrton [Senna] didn't drive there, [Juan Manuel] Fangio didn't drive there. The greats. There is no history there. Italy and Ferrari are huge parts of this sport. This is an area you can't lose."
Most F1 fans will join the world champion in praying that the majesty of Monza is preserved. | Throughout the Italian Grand Prix weekend, there was one subject that seemed to be dominating the drivers' minds - and it wasn't tyres. |
34984504 | English Fine Cotton, which makes material for bullet proof vests at Tame Valley Mill, Dukinfield, is to produce luxury yarn at neighbouring Tower Mill.
The company is investing £4.8m topped up with a £1m grant from the Textile Growth Programme.
The Grade II listed Tower Mill last produced cotton in 1955.
The firm has collected spinning machines and looms from mills over the years to produce synthetic textiles at Tame Valley, but the new production will have the latest in loom technology.
Andy Ogden, general manager of English Fine Cotton's parent company, Culimeta-Saveguard Ltd, said: "We owe it to the cotton industry - which Manchester was synonymous with - to put it back onto the world stage.
In 1781 Richard Arkwright opened the world's first steam-driven textile mill on Miller Street in Manchester.
Manchester rose to power as a centre for the trading, production and storage of cotton in the 19th century, earning the description "Cottonopolis".
The number of Manchester cotton mills reached its zenith in 1853 with 108 mills.
The UK cotton industry declined in the 20th century, starting with the halting of exports caused by World War One and the rise of other countries as cotton exporters.
Cotton mills in North West England closed at the rate of one a week in the 1960s and 70s, with the last one shutting in Greater Manchester in the 1980s.
Source: Museum of Science and Industry.
He added: "A number of times we have had firms coming to us saying they want British cotton. Unfortunately, up until now, we have had to say no."
A company spokeswoman said among the luxury cotton used will be Sea Island from Barbados, adding "It is the cotton that Ian Fleming specified James Bond's shirts were made of and Daniel Craig wore shirts using this cotton in Spectre."
The firm hops to sell "high end" cotton produced in Britain to companies such as Burberry or Marks and Spencer.
Councillor Kieran Quinn, executive leader of Tameside Council and responsible for investment strategy and finance within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), said the mill will not be competing with the mass production of China, South East Asia or India.
"What we're talking about is bringing high quality........Made In Britain is a very powerful brand," he added.
English Fine Cotton bought Tower Mill - which was used to film the late 1980s' BBC One series Making Out - two years ago with help from GMCA, which also loaned £2m for the company's investment. | British cotton is to be spun for the first time in a generation thanks to a £5.8m renovation of a Greater Manchester mill. |
35064027 | The report criticises the White House for not providing Congress a legally-mandated 30-day notice ahead of any detainee release, among other claims.
Democrats issued a rebuttal to some of the report's concerns and accusations.
Mr Berghdahl was released in May 2014, after nearly five years in captivity.
On Thursday, the popular podcast Serial launched its second series, which focuses on Mr Bergdahl's story and includes recordings of his first public telling of his experience.
In the interviews, conducted by filmmaker Mark Boal and excerpted in the podcast, he claims that he left his base to create a crisis and highlight poor leadership within his unit.
"What I was seeing, from my first unit all the way up into Afghanistan, all I was seeing was, basically, leadership failure, to the point that the lives of the guys standing next to me were, literally, from what I could see, in danger of something seriously going wrong and somebody being killed," he said.
Berghdahl's release was initially met with fanfare, but soon became embroiled in controversy amid suspicions that he deserted his post. A welcoming party in his home town was cancelled.
In exchange for his release, the Obama administration transferred five Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Qatar - who acted as an intermediary in negotiations between the US and the Taliban.
The five men are still in Qatar, and are not allowed to leave the country or engage in militant activities.
The 98-page report reveals previously undisclosed details of the negotiations with Qatari officials.
It states that Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee - who issued the report - do "not have confidence" that the Defense Department has established who is responsible for making sure Qatar holds up its end of the deal.
But it was most critical of the Obama administration for not informing the committee of the "any of the specifics or contemplated courses of action" regarding the Guantanamo transfer and Mr Bergdahl's release.
The report claims that the detainees were informed of their release two days before Congress was notified.
Emails cited in the report illustrate the administration's concerns that leaks to the media could scuttle negotiations, and that the probability of leaks would increase if Congress was notified.
In an eight-page rebuttal, Democrats who sit on the committee rebuked the report's claims that the Pentagon had not taken enough precaution with the Qataris, but agreed that Congress should have been notified. They said the legality of the swap "remains unsettled".
Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the US military "had a near-term opportunity to save Sergeant Bergdahl's life, and we were committed to using every tool at our disposal to secure his safe return".
"We will not transfer any detainee from Guantanamo unless the threat the detainee may pose to the United States or US persons or interests will be substantially mitigated," he said. "We determined that this standard has been satisfied here."
Mr Bergdahl was charged with desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy in March; if convicted, he could face life in prison. His case has since been recommended for a lower military court. | The Obama administration misled Congress over negotiations to swap five Taliban leaders for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, congressional Republicans have claimed in a new report. |
34900244 | Kamil Gryszkiewicz, 27, unemployed and of no fixed address, was found not guilty of one count of rape following a trial at Brighton Crown Court.
He had always denied attacking the 18-year-old woman as she walked along a path off Haslett Avenue East, in Three Bridges, Crawley, on 9 May.
At the time, Sussex Police said she was found "staggering" along the road by a passer-by shortly before 23:30 BST. | A man has been cleared of raping a teenager in West Sussex. |
37478491 | A statement from Institute said that Grace is now "conscious and talking and able to recognise family and friends".
Grace, 24, has been moved out of intensive care to a main hospital ward.
"While Niall is still showing signs of confusion and frustration, the family are hoping his condition will continue to improve," said Institute.
The Institute statement added that the club had been informed of the player's progress by his family.
"The Grace family would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation for the love and generosity they have been shown during this difficult time," continued the Institute statement.
Following the incident which happened in Waterloo Street in Derry City in the early hours of 11 September, a 22-year-old local man was charged with a one-punch attack on the footballer. | Institute footballer Niall Grace is said to have made "significant progress" from the serious head injury he sustained on a recent night out. |
36942068 | 3 August 2016 Last updated at 17:19 BST
Thousands of fans crowded bookstores for the midnight release of the book, with many dressed as their favourite characters from Rowling's novels.
Based on a story by JK Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, 'The Cursed Child' picks up the story 19 years after the end of the last book, featuring Potter as a 37-year-old employee of the Ministry of Magic and father of three.
Newsround asked for kids, who have read the latest Potter story, to send in their reviews. | The new play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' and a book based on its script have been sending Potter fans into a frenzy since they were released on 30 July. |
35638508 | 23 February 2016 Last updated at 07:34 GMT
Professor David Cahill, who normally works at St Michael's Hospital in the city, was brought in to help after the mum became ill.
It took three hours to get the baby out safely.
The operation, called a caesarean section, is really rare for gorillas and has only been carried out nine times around the world.
The baby, which hasn't got a name yet, weighed 2lbs 10oz.
She's now being looked after by a team of experienced gorilla keepers - when she's strong enough she'll be back with her mum.
The baby's mum, Kera, is also getting better and being cared for by vets at the zoo.
Ricky's got the full story. | A baby gorilla was born at Bristol Zoo after surviving a rare operation carried out by a doctor who normally delivers human babies. |
34525039 | Imran and Farzana Ameen and their five children, aged five to 15, were reported missing on Tuesday, West Yorkshire Police said.
Police said the family travelled from their home to Manchester Airport a week earlier, on 6 October.
A relative described the disappearance as "totally out of the blue".
Officers said the family, who live on Birch Lane in the West Bowling area, are believed to have flown to Antalya - though their "current whereabouts are unknown".
Police confirmed Rehan Ameen, 30, brother of Imran Ameen, is also missing. He was last seen on 29 June and also flew to Turkey.
West Yorkshire's assistant chief constable, Russ Foster, said: "We have established they travelled to Turkey on a one-way ticket.
"Although this is being treated as a missing from home inquiry, we are keeping an open mind.
"We haven't ruled out the possibility that the family may intend on travelling to Syria or Iraq."
Arshid Siddique, first cousin of both Imran and Farzana Ameen, who lives on their street, said: "The strange thing is they never saw anyone before they went, never said goodbye.
"I knew there was something not right here, then your worst fears are confirmed.
"My worst fears are they are going to a war zone, not for them, they are adults, it's for the kids."
They were last seen on 5 October.
Turkey is a known staging post for people heading for the Syrian war-zone.
Earlier this year, sisters Khadija Dawood, 30, Sugra Dawood, 34, and Zohra Dawood, 33, also from Bradford, went missing after going on an Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with their nine children.
A smuggler told the BBC he had taken them over the border into Syria to an area held by the so-called Islamic State group.
Ishtiaq Ahmed, from the Bradford Council for Mosques, said local people were "shocked and concerned" for the family's welfare.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, Mr Ahmed was asked if his organisation had done enough to dissuade people from travelling to Syria following the disappearance of the Dawoods.
He said: "I think over the years and months we have worked with our membership through mosques, faith schools and other community relations to emphasise to individuals and families that Syria is not a safe place.
"We need to know more information regarding this family - about their whereabouts and motivation. The safety and wellbeing of the children is paramount."
Police said officers were working with family relatives in the UK as well as the Turkish authorities. | Police are investigating whether a family of seven from Bradford who travelled to Turkey on one-way tickets are trying to get to Syria. |
30897012 | Media playback is unsupported on your device
20 January 2015 Last updated at 15:14 GMT
Operation Sandpiper is taking place over two days and involves police, local authorities, ambulance crews and other medical staff.
Students from Hartlepool College were drafted in to act as casualties.
Look North's Stuart Whincup reports. | Emergency services on Teesside have been put to the test in a major exercise which included a dramatised terrorist attack and armed robbery. |
30091180 | Dr Willie Stewart, who has advised rugby union on dealing with concussion, believes football authorities are still paying lip service to the matter.
Stewart said he was "depressed, disappointed and dismayed" by recent incidents involving footballers.
Dr Robert Cantu added governing body Fifa was "light years behind" rugby union with its handling of the issue.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU), Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association (RPA) last month announced major changes to the way concussion is managed in the professional game.
Stewart and Cantu were speaking at the International Rugby Board's World Rugby Conference in London, where they took part in a panel discussion about the sport's response to the problem of serious head trauma.
"I don't see much progress happening in football," said Stewart, a Glasgow-based neuropathologist.
"And it could learn a lot from how other sports have changed their protocols to better look after their players."
Their comments come after two serious incidents at this year's World Cup in Brazil.
Uruguay's Alvaro Pereira was knocked out in their group game against England, and Germany's Christoph Kramer sustained a head injury in the final against Argentina. Both players were allowed to continue playing despite suffering concussion.
This was followed last month by the apparent failure to implement the Football Association's strengthened concussion guidelines when Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was injured in a collision with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.
Rugby union has been praised by experts for responding to criticism of its own practices around concussion, and is now believed to be safer as a result.
The pitch-side assessments of head injuries have been doubled in length to give doctors more time to spot symptoms, players have been educated on the risks of ignoring those symptoms and all potential concussion victims are now assessed after the game and again 36 hours later.
American neurologist Cantu, who is the National Football League's senior advisor on head, neck and spine injuries, as well as advising a number of individual basketball, ice hockey and NFL teams, said he was "personally disappointed" at the speed at which football was getting to grips with the issue.
An authority on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease that was once referred to as "punch drunk" syndrome, Cantu believes football will be forced to act if the recent class-action lawsuit launched by a group of young American players and their parents in California gathers momentum.
According to Cantu and Stewart, further impetus for change should come from the campaign led by Jeff Astle's family for more research into CTE and footballers. The former England and West Bromwich Albion forward died of CTE in 2002, aged just 59. | Two leading brain injury experts have strongly criticised football for not taking head injuries seriously enough. |
35321307 | Benjamin Netanyahu said Margot Wallstrom's remarks were "outrageous... immoral and... stupid".
Ms Wallstrom had called for "thorough and credible investigations" into the deaths.
Some 155 Palestinians - mostly attackers, Israel says - have been killed in unrest since October.
In that time, 26 Israelis have been killed in stabbing, shooting or car-ramming attacks by Palestinians or Israeli-Arabs.
The attackers who have been killed have either been shot dead by their victims or security forces. Others have been arrested.
On Tuesday, Ms Wallstrom said it was "vital that there is a thorough, credible investigation into these deaths in order to clarify and bring about possible accountability", according to Swedish media reports.
Speaking to foreign reporters, Mr Netanyahu condemned Ms Wallstrom's comments.
"I think what the Swedish foreign minister said is outrageous, I think it's immoral, it's unjust and it's just wrong," he said.
"People are defending themselves against assailants wielding knives who are about to stab them to death and they shoot the people, and that's extrajudicial killings?
"Does the Swedish foreign minister suggest that there be examinations of what happened... in Paris, or in [San Bernardino] the United States?" he asked by comparison, alluding to deadly attacks late last year by Islamist militants in which the assailants were killed by security forces.
Israel's deputy foreign minister earlier said Israel would continue a policy of barring the Swedish foreign minister from visiting the country, accusing Ms Wallstrom of fostering terrorism.
Relations between Israel and Sweden have been strained since Sweden recognised Palestinian statehood in October 2014.
In the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks, Ms Wallstrom also angered Israel by saying a sense of hopelessness among Palestinians was a factor behind the rise of Islamist extremism in Europe. | Israel's prime minister has denounced a call by Sweden's foreign minister to investigate whether recent killings of Palestinians were "extrajudicial". |
17609369 | Margaret Masson, of Glasgow, died after the Virgin train derailed on the West Coast Main Line in February 2007, after going over a "degraded" set of points.
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd had admitted health and safety breaches.
Mrs Masson's family said they found it "offensive" that as taxpayers they would be contributing to the fine.
After sentencing on Wednesday, solicitor Soyab Patel, speaking on behalf of Mrs Masson's family, said: "The fine of £4m, together with costs, will ultimately be borne by the taxpayer.
"Mrs Langley [Mrs Masson's daughter] is a taxpayer.
"Her mother died in the crash. She and her husband suffered serious injuries.
"She finds it offensive she is contributing to the fine."
Network Rail pleaded guilty to a charge under section 3(1) of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act last month.
Passing sentence at Preston Crown Court, Mrs Justice Swift said: "This was a very serious offence and could have easily led to greater loss of life than actually occurred."
The judge said if convicted after trial the penalty would have been £6m but credit was given for the guilty plea.
Network Rail was ordered to pay the sum, along with £118,037 costs, within 28 days.
The director of railway safety at the Office of Rail Regulation, Ian Prosser, said: "The derailment near Grayrigg was a devastating and preventable incident which has had long-term consequences for all involved.
"It tragically caused the death of Mrs Masson and shattered the lives of others. My thoughts are with Mrs Masson's family and all those injured and affected by this horrific incident."
He said Network Rail was focused on improving safety measures but at times it had been too slow.
Network Rail chief executive David Higgins described the crash as a "terrible event".
He said: "Within hours it was clear that the infrastructure was at fault and we accepted responsibility, so it is right that we have been fined.
"Nothing we can say or do will lessen the pain felt by Mrs Masson's family but we will make the railways safer and strive to prevent such an accident ever happening again.
"We have learnt from the accident, determined to recognise what we got wrong and put it right."
A victim impact statement from Mrs Masson's granddaughter was read out in court.
Margaret Jones described the manner of her grandmother's death as "bitter", because she felt it could have been avoided.
Mrs Justice Swift said that no fine could put a value on the life lost, but the penalty had been imposed to "mark the seriousness of the offence".
She added: "The importance of implementing safe and adequate systems for the inspection and maintenance of the infrastructure is paramount, in order to ensure that accidents like the ones at Potters Bar and Grayrigg do not occur."
Network Rail was fined £3m for the Potters Bar crash in which seven people died.
That crash, in 2002, also involved safety breaches at a faulty set of points. | Network Rail has been fined £4m over the Grayrigg crash in Cumbria in which an 84-year-old woman died and 88 people were injured. |
37811570 | Last season's Betfair Chase and King George VI Chase winner was well beaten by Irish Cavalier (16-1) and Menorah (12-1)
Paddy Brennan's mount (8-11 fav) was well in contention but struggled when he was called on for an effort late on.
The winner is the biggest success for jockey Jonathan Moore.
Trainer Rebecca Curtis admitted afterwards she was surprised with the horse's performance.
"I thought he'd run well, but I didn't think he'd win," she said. "He's still only seven and he obviously gets three miles. He's improving every season.
"There were a couple of blips last year, but they were when our horses were wrong. He did win at Punchestown.
"The more you race him the better he is."
BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght:
If Cue Card was any horse other than the nation's best and favourite chaser, people would be saying this was a perfectly decent first run of the season, nicely setting up an attempt on race number two.
But as his trainer Colin Tizzard said in an interview with BBC Sport last week, when you get to this kind of level people expect more.
The fact is, it was first time out.
Remember too that his Wetherby win last season wasn't his best, and under the conditions of Saturday's race he had to carry more weight than the winner, so there's no need to panic. | Leading steeplechaser Cue Card could only finish third on his seasonal reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. |
37558248 | The 39-year-old victim was hit over the head on Monday afternoon in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and is being questioned by police.
Derbyshire Constabulary appealed for witnesses to the assault, which happened at 15:30 BST in Beetwell Street, to contact them. | A man who was attacked with a crutch is in hospital in a serious condition. |
18170463 | In an interview with a schizophrenia society, Vince Weiguang Li said he had heard what he believed was "the voice of God" before killing Tim McLean, 22.
Mr Li was deemed not criminally responsible for the murder after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
He has since been treated at a mental health centre near Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In the interview given to Chris Summerville, head of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, Chinese-born Mr Li said he had bought the knife used in the attack for protection "from the aliens".
He said he had been unaware at the time that he suffered from schizophrenia.
The attack took place in front of horrified passengers as the inter-city Greyhound bus travelled past Portage la Prairie, about 70km (40 miles) west of Winnipeg.
The driver, alerted by Mr McLean's screams, stopped the bus and fled with the passengers as Mr Li continued his attack.
"The voice told me that I was the third story of the Bible, that I was like the second coming of Jesus [and that] I was to save people from a space alien attack," he said, according to a transcript of the interview published by Canadian media.
"I was really scared. I remember cutting off his head. I believed he was an alien. The voices told me to kill him, that he would kill me or others. I do not believe this now."
He said he was "really sorry" for what he had done.
Asked what he would like to say to Mr McLean's mother and family, he said: "If I could talk to her directly I would do anything for their family. I would ask forgiveness, but I know it would be hard to accept."
Mr Li, who had been locked in the bus, was apprehended after a three-hour stand-off with police as he tried to leave by a window.
He was later heard in a pre-trial hearing to plead "please kill me". | A man who beheaded a fellow bus passenger in Canada in 2008 has spoken out for the first time, saying he believed he was killing an alien. |
36580890 | Stephen Abram of Indelible Tattoo Studio, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault, outraging public decency and five counts of voyeurism.
The 46-year-old from Bournemouth filmed women at the former tattoo parlour undressing and using the toilet.
Footage of two women who were sexually assaulted in their sleep was also found on Abram's phone.
Dorset Police first investigated the tattoo artist in June last year after a woman thought she had been filmed by Abram in the bathroom.
He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years on Friday at Bournemouth Crown Court.
Det Con Shanena Cornwell said: "I would like to praise [the victims] for coming forward and supporting this prosecution.
"I hope the sentence handed out will go some way to help them come to terms with what has happened." | A tattoo artist has been sentenced to 23 months in jail after pleading guilty to a string of sex offences. |
24848705 | It recognises artists who take the genre to a worldwide audience, and comes despite Swift's recent shift towards more mainstream pop.
George Strait, 61, won entertainer of the year at the ceremony in Nashville.
Blake Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert were named best male and best female vocalists, each for the fourth time.
Shelton, who has been a judge on the US version of The Voice since 2011, also won album of the year for Based on a True Story.
Swift, 23, who was nominated in six categories, was surprised on stage by six country stars that she had opened for as a teenager.
Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, George Strait, Brad Paisley and the members of Rascal Flatts all joined her, before a video featuring messages from stars including Justin Timberlake, Julia Roberts, Carly Simon and Mick Jagger.
"I didn't know there was going to be all this. You've made me feel so special right now," said Swift, who also performed an acoustic version of her hit Red, accompanied by Vince Gill, Alison Krauss and Sam Bush.
However, her Pinnacle Award attracted some criticism, including in the New York Times.
"The only way for country music to respond to [Swift] - and for her to engage with country music, a dance partner she only sometimes favours - is to fete her endlessly, to let her be both serious in addition to frilly, to weave her even more tightly into the fabric of Nashville," wrote Jon Caramanica.
He added: "She is country music's cash cow, its creative engine, its ambassador to the wider world."
Despite having won a total of 17 CMA awards over the years, Strait shared his surprise at taking the entertainer of the year prize for the third time in his career.
"This blows me away, I cannot believe it. This means the world to me," he said, after beating the likes of Swift and Shelton to the prize.
Strait is currently on his Cowboy Rides Away farewell tour after announcing his retirement from touring, but has said he intends to continue recording with occasional live appearances.
Florida Georgia Line won single of the year for their crossover hit Cruise, and best duo of the year.
New star Kacey Musgraves, who had six nominations following her debut Same Trailer Different Park, went home with best new artist.
"This first year has been just indescribable. It's amazing what 52 weeks can do to a person," said Musgraves.
"Last year I had really crappy seats. I was just sitting back with my roommate just as a fan. And here I am holding this thing.''
The three-hour ceremony - shown live on ABC in the US - was hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley for the sixth year running.
Kenny Rogers was given a lifetime achievement award, telling fans "It's been a hell of a month."
He continued: "The (Country Music) Hall of Fame last week, this this week. I can't wait to see what's coming next week.'' | The Country Music Association has handed Taylor Swift its Pinnacle Award - a prize only awarded once before to Country legend Garth Brooks in 2005. |
40668548 | The 24-year-old joins Chloe Arthur and Caitlin Leach in agreeing new contracts with the Vixens.
Matthews, an England youth international, has spent her entire professional career with City.
"I am delighted to be staying and once again testing myself against the best players in England," she said. | Bristol City midfielder Jasmine Matthews has become the third player to commit her future to the Women's Super League One club this week. |
36758877 | Flanker Armand, 27, has appeared 44 times for Exeter since joining from South African side Western Stormers.
Hepburn, 23, arrived from Australian club Perth Spirit in 2014-15 and has played 21 matches for the Chiefs.
Back-row forward Lees, 27, has played 31 times for Chiefs since joining from London Welsh in 2014.
Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter said: "Mitch and Don had real stand-out seasons last year and they are starting to show that they could be two of the best back-five forwards in the Premiership.
"That was shown by them going on the Saxons tour, while Alec has just been getting better and better in his time with us.
"We made a decision to bring him in early to the club and nurse him through some injury rehab, and I think that was a really good decision, and that allowed him to put some foundation work in, which allowed him to have a good season last year.
"I thought he was absolutely fantastic on the Saxons tour, probably one of the stand-out forwards." | England Saxons players Don Armand, Alec Hepburn and Mitch Lees have all signed new extended undisclosed-length deals at Premiership side Exeter Chiefs. |
40594728 | Proposals to axe one of Wrexham's engines were scrapped by North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority in March, until after the May elections.
The new authority is yet to rule out the cut as it sets its budget plan for the next three years.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dawn Docx said any cuts would be a "last resort".
While there are no proposals to cut front-line services, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) fears the engine will face the axe again as the authority tries to deal with budget pressures.
Cerith Griffiths, of the FBU, said the cut would force firefighters to breach safety protocols to save lives.
Under the service's safety rules, which set out how many crews should attend a particular incident - known as a predetermined response, two fire engines are needed in the event of a house fire.
Mr Griffiths said if the second engine was cut, firefighters would be forced to choose whether to wait crucial minutes or enter a burning building without back-up, putting their own lives at risk.
"When you look at Grenfell in London, firefighters broke all kinds of protocols there, if we haven't got that second engine we shouldn't be going into that property," he said.
"We have seen firefighters will push the boundaries to save someone.
"If you are waiting half an hour for the second engine, that's a long time in a situation where every second counts, that's a long time if you are trapped.
"It is putting lives in danger."
Proposals to axe one of Wrexham's two fire engines and 24 firefighter posts, to plug a £900,000 funding gap by 2020, were withdrawn by the fire authority in March following public opposition.
The station is the only one in north Wales with three fire engines - two full-time and one part-time engine.
The new authority is now preparing to set its own budget plans and is canvassing public opinion ahead of publishing its draft financial strategy in November.
Ms Docx said no proposals had yet been put forward, but the service was looking at ways to make savings without affecting front-line jobs.
A fire engine may have to be axed from a station, meaning crews would have to wait "slightly longer" for back-up, she said.
"There would have to be a judgement call - do we wait for the second pump or do we go in," Ms Doxc said.
"I certainly wouldn't want to leave you with the impression this is something that senior fire officers want," she said.
"If we are in that position where we can't close the gap with the budget this is the option that the authority could consider"." | Firefighters would be forced to breach safety rules to save lives if plans to cut fire engines resurface, a union has warned. |
40318846 | The turbulence struck as flight MU774 was on its way to Kunming, in the southern Yunnan province.
Passengers suffered broken bones, cuts to the scalp and soft tissue injuries, the Xinhua state news agency reported.
China Eastern Airlines later said it was crucial passengers wear seatbelts as flights descend.
"I was on the flight, and I felt like I would not survive," the Hong Kong- based South China Morning Post quoted one passenger as saying on the Weibo microblogging site.
"Many people were injured, and among them, many had not buckled up."
Xinhua said (in Chinese) that two violent bumps and many small bumps occurred over about 10 minutes.
It said that during the turbulence, several passengers' heads and shoulders collided with the luggage racks, some luggage racks broke from the impact, and some luggage fell off the racks and hit customers.
The airline said on its Weibo account (in Chinese) that the Airbus A330, that had taken off from Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, landed safely in Kunming.
A week ago, a China Eastern Airlines flight to Shanghai had to turn back to Sydney after a technical failure which left a hole in an engine casing.
The pilot reported problems with the engine of the plane, another Airbus A330, about one hour after taking off. Passengers told media they smelt something burning inside the aircraft. | At least 26 people were injured, four seriously, when turbulence hit a China Eastern Airlines flight from Paris on Sunday, state media reports. |
39692500 | The courts had given ministers until 16:00 on Monday to set out draft measures to combat illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution.
A 2016 court ruling said existing measures proposed by the government did not meet the requirements of law.
The general election is scheduled to take place on 8 June.
In a surprise move late on Friday, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) lodged a fresh application with the High Court to postpone publication of its draft clean air plan until after the election.
It argued to move was necessary in order to comply with election "purdah" rules limiting government announcements with political implications during the election period.
Green group wins air pollution court battle
The environmental lawyers who have brought legal proceedings against the government, ClientEarth, said they were considering whether to challenge the application.
"The unacceptable last minute nature of the government's application late on Friday night, after the court had closed, has meant that we have spent the weekend considering our response," said chief executive James Thornton.
"We are still examining our next steps. This is a question of public health and not of politics and for that reason we believe that the plans should be put in place without delay."
In this latest skirmish in the war for clean air, the government looks to be holding a strong position in seeking to delay publication until June. First, ClientEarth have to decide if they can persuade a judge that public health issues are not covered by rules over election purdah.
Then a judge would need to be willing to make a ruling on the sensitive political issue of defining purdah. Even if the judge ruled against the government, ministers would be likely to appeal.
And that would spin out the process until after the election anyway. Campaigners see this as a calculated move by ministers wanting to dodge tough decisions on taxing dirty diesel cars.
They say a three-month delay leaves 10,000 more likely to die as air pollution continues. Others will note that the policy is already seven years delayed so it's worth another three months' wait to win the clean air war.
In the House of Commons on Monday, Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said the government had committed more than £2bn towards measures aimed at tackling air pollution, such as promoting the take-up of low emission vehicles.
She said the UK now had lower emissions of some key pollutants and added: "Due to the failure of Euro vehicle emission standards to deliver the expected improvements in air quality, the UK is among 17 European countries including France and Germany who are not yet meeting EU emissions targets for nitrogen dioxide in parts of our towns and cities.
"We are taking strong action to remedy that."
Labour MP Sue Hayman responded: "The situation has gone from bad to worse under this government's watch and has now escalated into what the Efra (Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee) calls a 'public health emergency'."
She added: "Isn't it the case that the government is doing everything it can to avoid scrutiny because it is missing its own commitments, has no strategy and wants to yet again kick this issue into the long grass?"
While the deadline for publication passes at 16:00, it could take a few of days for the court to decide whether to grant the application.
ClientEarth chief executive James Thornton said: "Whichever party ends up in power after the June 8 will need this air quality plan to begin finally to tackle our illegal levels of pollution and prevent further illness and early deaths from poisonous toxins in the air we breathe."
A raft of recent studies and reports have linked air pollution to heart disease and lung problems, including asthma.
Last year, the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health said outdoor air pollution was contributing to some 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK.
ClientEarth won a Supreme Court ruling against the government in April 2015.
That judgment ordered ministers to come up with a plan to bring down air pollution to within legal limits as soon as possible.
But ClientEarth was dissatisfied with those proposals, and took the government to the High Court in a judicial review. A judge ruled in favour of the environmental lawyers in November 2016. | The UK government may face legal action after seeking to delay publishing its plan to tackle air pollution until after the general election. |
38531055 | Ian Stewart is set to leave the newspapers where he has spent the majority of his career in March.
The announcement comes just three weeks before The Scotsman is due to celebrate its bicentenary.
Mr Stewart is in charge of The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News, as well as sister title Scotland on Sunday. He first joined The Scotsman in 1991.
He has edited The Scotsman since 2012 and Scotland on Sunday since 2009.
Mr Stewart said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to have been editor of these titles through what has been a truly significant time in Scotland's history.
"I leave with the greatest respect and admiration for my colleagues who do an extraordinary job day in and day out."
Jeremy Clifford, editor-in-chief of owners Johnston Press, said they would be recruiting for Mr Stewart's successor "immediately".
He said: "I would like to thank Ian for his leadership of The Scotsman in challenging times and during one of the most important eras in modern Scottish history.
"As well as the editorial director, he also served on the editorial board as my deputy chairman when it was first set up just over four years ago.
"I would like to thank him for everything he has achieved and wish him every success for the future." | The editor-in-chief at The Scotsman Publications has announced he is leaving the post. |
34563235 | Police said the attack took place in the Commercial Arcade in St Peter Port in the early hours of Saturday.
Officers said the victim was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.
A man from Guernsey is due to appear before magistrates on Monday. | A 25-year old man has been charged with indecent assault following an attack on a woman in Guernsey. |
35470260 | Lancaster University's AuroraWatch UK said it had received reports of sights of the aurora borealis.
But, because conditions have not been right for the aurora, the organisation suspects people have been seeing nacreous clouds.
The clouds have been visible in the past few days over parts of the UK.
Also known as mother of pearl clouds, they have been seen from various places in Scotland including Aberdeen, Aviemore, Dundee, Dunfermline, Inverness and Perth.
Nacreous clouds form in the lower stratosphere over polar regions when the sun is just below the horizon.
BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett said the effects of storms Gertrude and Henry may have heightened the chances of seeing the clouds.
He said: "Iridescent nacreous clouds are as captivating as they are rare.
"These eye-catching rainbow coloured clouds form in the Earth's stratosphere at around 70,000ft, way above where other clouds are normally found and in much colder air, around -78C.
"Usually it is far too dry at this height for clouds to form, but during the polar winter the temperature can drop low enough to promote the cloud's development.
"Here in Scotland, the recent storms have probably helped too, with strong winds driving moisture up into the stratosphere.
"Their colour comes from ice crystals refracting the sun's rays to give the rainbow effect."
He added: "They're most vivid before dawn and after sunset, as they're in sunlight longer due to their altitude. They're sometimes referred to as 'mother of pearl' clouds or otherwise known as polar stratospheric clouds." | Brightly coloured clouds that form in Earth's lower stratosphere appear to have been mistaken for another phenomenon. |
39639604 | 19 April 2017 Last updated at 08:27 BST
Normally the big vote to decide who will run the country happens every five years and the next one was due to take place in 2020.
BBC political reporter Adam Fleming tells us more about what she said and why she wants to bring it forward. | British Prime Minister Theresa May surprised many people when she announced on 18 April she wants to call a general election in June 2017. |
39143996 | Leanne Hall, 30, from Hull, developed a brain tumour as a teenager and has had three operations to remove the tumour.
Scar tissue and the remains of the tumour have left her with epilepsy and daily seizures.
Miss Hall is due to undergo specialist surgery using the ROSA robotic surgery assistant in Sheffield in March.
The city's Royal Hallamshire Hospital says it is the only NHS hospital in the UK with ROSA. Charity Neurocare has launched a £250,000 appeal to secure its future.
Miss Hall had two surgeries to remove her tumour in 1993 and had further surgery in 2004. She said the seizures she had been left with were extremely restrictive.
"I am not allowed to go out of the house on my own as it is too dangerous.
"All my life I have wanted to be normal; drive, get a job, get a house but I just have not been able to."
She said the new treatment had given her a "light at the end of the tunnel".
"I have never had the chance to say to someone 'I might be seizure-free this year' and I find it amazing that something might be able to do that," she said.
ROSA facts
Source: Neurocare
ROSA uses an advanced computer system to create precise 3D maps of a patient's brain, helping neurosurgeons to plan the best route for surgery.
The surgeon then guides the robot's arm and instruments to the exact location of a seizure or tumour.
The accuracy of the robot cuts surgery time and improves recovery times.
Sheffield consultant neurosurgeon Mr Dev Bhattacharyya said: "The first operation I undertook took two-and-a-half hours compared to six.
"Through its pinpoint precision we are now able to reach areas of the brain we would previously not have been able to, which is fantastic news for patients." | A woman who has had severe epilepsy since undergoing brain surgery hopes a new robotic technique could end her seizures. |
31425016 | The Intelligence and Security Committee said it found no evidence to support such claims after being given access to relevant files by M15 and M16.
Redactions made only related to general matters of national security, it said.
The Senate report found there had been "brutal" treatment of al-Qaeda suspects in the wake of 9/11.
December's report, which claimed that the CIA had misled the US public about its alleged use of torture, contained no reference to UK agencies.
Ministers have insisted they did not ask for any details about the UK security services to be removed from the report.
Speaking in December, Home Secretary Theresa May said she had not personally asked for any information to be blacked out and "any such request will only have been in relation to the need to ensure that nothing damages our national security".
The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), made up of MPs and peers and reporting to the prime minister, said it believed this was correct, based on its examination of relevant documents held by the UK's security services and interviews with intelligence chiefs.
However, it made clear this did not have any bearing on the wider question of whether the UK's security and intelligence agencies had been in any way complicit in the mistreatment of detainees, which is the subject of an ongoing inquiry.
"It has been alleged that the UK may have requested redactions to the Senate report to conceal evidence of UK complicity in the mistreatment of detainees," the committee said in a statement.
"From the evidence we have seen and heard, we conclude that these allegations are unfounded."
It added: "The UK agencies did request redactions to the primary material which was used by the Senate Committee when drafting its full report.
"We have seen these requests and can confirm that all were directly related to national security interests. They do not concern UK involvement or complicity in, or awareness of, the mistreatment of detainees."
The CIA sought redactions relating to UK intelligence material from the executive summary of the Senate report, the committee stated.
While it believed these concerned general security matters, it said details were "limited" and the UK had only been shown "heavily-edited extracts" from the report prior to publication rather than the draft report in full.
The committee said it had not sought any information so far from the US authorities as part of its inquiry but may do so in the future.
Amnesty International said the committee's assurances "were far from satisfactory".
"Instead of the ISC doing ad hoc reviews and talking privately to intelligence chiefs, the question of possible collusion over redactions between the UK and the USA should form part of a fully independent, judge-led inquiry," said campaign manager Tom Davies.
"The ISC is a body without teeth, which shouldn't have been entrusted with the vital job of investigating allegations of the UK's complicity in kidnap, detention and torture overseas." | The UK did not attempt to conceal complicity in the mistreatment of detainees by requesting redactions from a US Senate report, a report says. |
29876570 | Net income in the July-to-September rose to $1.1bn (£687m).
Alibaba, founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, floated in New York in September, breaking records by raising $25bn.
The shares have traded around 45% above the listing price in expectation that the firm's rapid growth will continue. The shares rose 4.2%.
After taking account of certain one-off costs in the quarter, net income fell by 39%. The costs included $490m in incentive and retention payments to certain executives, and the costs of consolidating newly bought businesses, as well as other investments and marketing costs.
Revenue rose 53.7% to $2.74bn, its fastest growth for three quarters, with mobile revenues accounting for 22% of the total.
Alibaba's platforms carry 80% of Chinese online commerce, a fast-growing market where spending is forecast to triple from its 2011 level by 2015.
Often described as a combination of eBay and Amazon, Alibaba does not sell its own goods, but links buyers and sellers. It says it is the largest online and mobile commerce company in the world in terms of volume.
There has been speculation that its main source of earnings - from advertising and sales commissions - might be affected by China's slowing economy.
Alibaba's companies include the Taobao and Tmall.com retail websites, which are household names in China but little-known outside the country.
It plans to expand into emerging markets, and, eventually, to operate in the US and Europe. | Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has reported a 15% rise in quarterly profits in its first set of results since it listed its shares in New York. |
36718347 | To date, 109 people are known to have caught the bug - 102 in England, six in Wales and one in Scotland.
South-west England has been worst hit.
E. coli O157 infection can cause a range of symptoms, from mild diarrhoea to bloody diarrhoea with severe abdominal pain.
Public Health England says it has triggered heightened surveillance and is carefully monitoring the situation across the UK.
Although the cause of the infection is not absolutely certain, preliminary investigations show many of the people affected ate salad, including rocket leaves, prior to getting sick.
Dr Isabel Oliver, director of PHE's field epidemiology service, said: "At this stage, we are not ruling out other food items as a potential source."
PHE was first alerted to the outbreak at the end of June.
Dr Oliver said people could help protect themselves from possible infection by washing their hands before eating and handling food and by thoroughly washing vegetables and salads that they were preparing to eat.
E. coli O157 is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle, and can contaminate food and water.
Outbreaks of 0157 are rare compared with other food-borne diseases.
Source: Public Health England | An outbreak of E. Coli affecting more than 100 UK people could be linked to eating contaminated mixed salad leaves, public health officials say. |
38668340 | The student said he needed hospital treatment after he was blindfolded for several hours and tortured.
No-one at Punjab University responded to his cries for help, he said.
The five bloggers disappeared after they condemned extremism and the role of the military in Pakistan.
The university authorities say they are investigating the latest incident.
The Pakistan Herald Tribune said that Suhail Ahmad was abducted by more than 14 members of the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami group who forced their way into his Lahore hostel room on Monday evening.
Pakistan pressed over 'abducted' activists
Pakistan's bewildering array of militants
The student told the newspaper that a blanket was put over his head throughout his ordeal and that no security guards responded to his pleas for help.
He said he was only released when senior Jamaat-e-Islami members intervened on his behalf.
Last week hundreds of people held protests across the country to demand the authorities trace the activists, who disappeared earlier in January.
No group has said it is holding them.
Pakistan's parliament has expressed grave concern over their fates.
The government says it is investigating the case of one of the four, Salman Haider, who has campaigned against enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Supporters of the men accuse the security services of having secretly arrested them.
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that the disappearances have alarmed liberals in Pakistan, where the military has long promoted a hardline Islamist narrative as a bulwark to protect its financial and security interests.
Salman Haider, a well-known poet and university professor, was last seen in Islamabad on Friday, two days after bloggers Waqas Goraya and his cousin Asim Saeed went missing in Lahore.
Two other bloggers, one named as polio sufferer Ahmed Raza Naseer, are also reported to have disappeared in or near Lahore.
Pakistan is one of the the world's most dangerous countries for reporters and human rights activists, and critics of the powerful military have been detained, beaten or killed. | A Pakistani student has said he was abducted and badly beaten by hardline Islamist students after posting tweets in support of five liberal bloggers who have gone missing. |
20176036 | Holloway, 49, will take charge of Palace with the London club currently fourth in the Championship, six points above 12th-placed Blackpool.
He told Palace's club website: "This is a fantastic opportunity. I got great energy when I met the club's owners and just can't wait to get going."
Keith Millen also joins Holloway at Selhurst Park as assistant manager.
It suits him to be nearer his family and I am sure he will enjoy the new challenge he has set himself
"It is sad to leave Blackpool as my time there was the best trip I have been on and leave very proud of what was achieved and I would like to wish them all the best," added Holloway, who has also managed Bristol Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth and Leicester.
"I just see this as too good an opportunity to turn down.
"I am bringing in Keith as my assistant who is a Croydon boy and he is as excited as I am about the opportunity."
Holloway's former Blackpool assistant Steve Thompson will be in temporary charge for the Seasiders' game with Derby County on Saturday.
Bristol-born Holloway leaves Blackpool after over three years in charge, winning promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in May 2010 although they were relegated the following season.
And Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston holds no resentment towards Holloway regarding the decision to leave.
"I wish Ian all the best in his new role," Oyston told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"He has done a fantastic job for us during his time here and will be remembered as the most successful manager in the club's history.
"Things happen in football very quickly, as in this case, so I am not shocked by his decision. It suits him to be nearer his family and I am sure he will enjoy the new challenge he has set himself.
"There is no animosity, he goes with my best wishes having served our club so well and the success he brought to the club during his three years here.
"Steve Thompson will take charge of the team at Derby this afternoon. I will then be making an appointment as soon as possible."
Palace chairman Steve Parish had revealed the club had made an approach for Holloway on Thursday.
Holloway took training as normal at Blackpool on Friday morning, but did not join the team on their journey to Derby, although he often travelled separately to away fixtures.
His departure comes only six months after guiding Blackpool to the Championship play-off final against West Ham, where his side lost 2-1.
Holloway will now hope for similar success at Palace, who have not been in the top flight since a one-year stay in 2004-05, and lost their first three league matches of the current campaign.
Six wins out of seven then lifted them into fourth place in the Championship before Freedman's departure.
His assistant Lennie Lawrence was caretaker boss for the Eagles' draw at Barnsley and a notable victory at Leicester, before joining Freedman at the Reebok Stadium. | Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has been appointed as Crystal Palace's new manager on a four-and-a-half-year deal. |
11185895 | Mr Wilders said he did not trust some members of the Christian Democrats to adhere to any agreement reached.
Some Christian Democrats have expressed deep reservations about any deal with Mr Wilders because of his strong anti-Islamic and anti-immigration views.
The collapse comes three months after an inconclusive general election.
The Netherlands has been without a government since the previous coalition collapsed in February.
"The negotiations did not succeed," Mark Rutte, leader of the centre-right Liberal Party (VVD), told a news conference at the Hague.
The VVD narrowly won the elections in June but did not have a majority. They had hoped the negotations, which began on 9 August, would enable them to form a rightist coalition government with Mr Wilder's Freedom Party (PVV) and the Christian Democrats (CDA).
The PVV, which doubled its seats in the election, would not have formally joined the coalition but would have given it the support to get decisions through parliament.
But some members of the CDA had raised concerns about entering into an agreement with Mr Wilders because of his controversial far-right views.
He has campaigned to stop the "Islamisation of the Netherlands" and faces a criminal trial later this year on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination with his anti-Islamic film Fitna.
Mr Wilders told reporters he was leaving the talks because his party's trust in the CDA had "declined to an all-time low".
"The Netherlands needs a stable government. Our view is that the CDA cannot give enough guarantees to provide that stability," he said.
"We really wanted to be able to support a stable government. Instead, we will play our role as the biggest opposition party."
Mr Rutte said he respected Mr Wilders' decision but did not agree with it.
"I regret too ... that this political co-operation is not possible," he said.
Analysts say it is now highly unlikely that a coalition will be finalised before the caretaker government must present the budget on 21 September. | Negotiations to form a coalition in the Netherlands have collapsed after the leader of the far-right Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, walked out. |
36541076 | Michael Young met Nicola Sturgeon after the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) refused to approve Translarna to treat his condition.
It said there was too much uncertainty about its benefits in relation to cost.
About 139,000 people have now backed Michael's online petition.
It calls for a rethink of the decision and asks Ms Sturgeon for help.
Michael's mother Michelle Young, 43, said: "There was about 20 people at SMC who voted and assessed it and said 'no', and we have 140,000 saying 'yes, the boys in Scotland should get this medicine'.
"I think that's a clear message to the SMC that they actually need to reconsider their decision."
Five boys in Scotland could benefit from Translarna, with the drug giving them the possibility of being able to walk for longer, according to Muscular Dystrophy UK.
While the SMC rejected the drug, the charity said it had been approved for funding by Nice, the equivalent body in England.
The drug is also available in some European countries, including France and Germany.
Mrs Young said the family, from Larbert, near Falkirk, has "serious concerns" about the SMC process when they are assessing medicines for ultra-rare conditions.
Most of those who suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy have to use a wheelchair before the age of 12 and only a few with the condition live beyond the age of 30.
Michael put his case to Ms Sturgeon on Wednesday after having met her at Holyrood in January.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Sturgeon said: "I am pleased to note that the pharmaceutical company has already committed to going back to the Scottish Medicines Consortium.
"Today, I have written to the company to urge that the resubmission is submitted as a matter of urgency.
"Also, the pharmaceutical company confirmed at a public meeting in Parliament in June last year that it would continue Michael's treatment after the end of the clinical trial." | A boy with muscular dystrophy has met the First Minister for a second time after his petition calling for NHS funding for a new drug reached almost 140,000 signatures. |
18010123 | 1917 - Central Rada (Council) set up in Kiev following collapse of Russian Empire.
1918 - Ukraine declares independence: Ukrainian People's Republic set up. Numerous rival governments vie for control for some or all of Ukraine during ensuing civil war.
1921 - Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic established as Russian Red Army conquers two-thirds of Ukraine. Western third becomes part of independent Poland.
1932 - Approximately 7 million peasants perish in man-made famine during Stalin's collectivisation campaign.
1937 - Mass executions and deportations as Stalin launches purge against intellectuals.
1941 - Ukraine suffers terrible wartime devastation as Nazis occupy the country until 1944. More than 5 million Ukrainians die fighting Nazi Germany. Most of Ukraine's 1.5 million Jews wiped out by the Nazis.
1944 - Stalin deports 200,000 Crimean Tatars to Siberia and Central Asia following accusations of collaboration with Nazi Germany.
1945 - Allied victory in World War II leads to conclusive Soviet annexation of western Ukrainian lands.
1954 - In a surprise move, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev transfers the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine as a "gift".
Armed resistance to Soviet rule ends with capture of last commander of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
1960s - Increase in covert opposition to Soviet rule, leading to repression of dissidents in 1972.
Chernobyl blast released a radioactive cloud over Europe
1986: Soviets admit nuclear accident
In Pictures: Inside Chernobyl
Chernobyl - Ukraine's new tourist destination
1986 - A reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power station explodes, sending a radioactive plume across Europe. Desperate efforts are made to contain the damaged reactor within a huge concrete cover. Many armed forces personnel die of radiation sickness.
1988 - Prominent writers and intellectuals set up Ukrainian People's Movement for Restructuring (Rukh).
1990 - Student protests and hunger strikes bring down government of Vitaliy Masol.
1991 - Ukraine declares independence following attempted coup in Moscow: 90% vote for independence in nationwide referendum in December.
Early to mid 1990s - About 250,000 Crimean Tatars and their descendants return to Crimea following collapse of Soviet Union.
1994 - Presidential elections: Leonid Kuchma succeeds Leonid Kravchuk.
1996 - New, democratic constitution adopted. New currency, the hryvna, introduced.
1997 - Friendship treaty signed with Russia. Ukraine and Russia also reach agreement on the Black Sea fleet.
1999 - Death penalty abolished. Nationalist leader Vyacheslav Chornovil killed in car crash. President Kuchma re-elected.
2000 - Chernobyl nuclear power plant is shut down, 14 years after the accident. Well over ten thousand people have died as a direct result of the explosion, the health of millions more has been affected.
2001 February - The European Union calls for an inquiry into the murder of investigative journalist Georgiy Gongadze. Opposition demonstrations allege that President Kuchma was involved and call for his impeachment. President Kuchma denies the allegations.
2001 April - Viktor Yushchenko government dismissed following no-confidence vote in parliament. Mr Yushchenko was respected in the West for fighting corruption, pushing ahead with economic reforms and working to attract investment, but was unpopular with powerful Ukrainian businessmen.
2001 June - Pope John Paul II makes first visit to Ukraine amid protests by Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and Russia against the visit.
2001 October - Ukrainian military accidentally shoot down Russian air liner over the Black Sea, killing all 78 on board. Defence Minister Olexander Kuzmuk resigns.
2002 March - General election results in hung parliament. Parties opposed to President Kuchma allege widespread electoral fraud.
Leonid Kuchma was forced out by popular pressure. His rule was tainted by scandal, corruption charges
2002 May - Leadership announces decision to launch formal bid to join Nato.
2002 September - Opposition stages mass protests demanding resignation of President Kuchma whom they accuse of corruption and misrule.
Relations with the West are strained after US officials authenticate recordings in which they say Kuchma is heard to approve the sale of early-warning radar systems to Iraq. On the same tapes, recorded over two years previously, Kuchma is also allegedly heard ordering an official to "deal with" journalist Georgiy Gongadze.
2002 November - President Kuchma sacks Prime Minister Kinakh. Viktor Yanukovych, governor of Donetsk region, appointed to replace him. He promises to fight poverty and work for integration into Europe.
2003 March - Tens of thousands of people join Kiev demonstrations demanding that Kuchma resign.
2004 June - Consortium in which President Kuchma's son-in-law Viktor Pinchuk plays key role buys Krivorizhstal, the country's largest steel mill, for a bargain price.
2004 August - Ukraine ignores protests from EU and Romania by opening canal in the Danube delta which will link with Black Sea, rejecting claims that it will cause environmental damage.
2004 November - Official count indicates presidential election victory for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Western and other independent observers report widespread vote rigging. Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko launches campaign of mass street protest and civil disobedience. Supreme Court later annuls result of poll.
Orange-clad opposition supporters took to Kiev's streets and forced a change of government
2004 December - Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko tops poll in election re-run. Rival candidate Viktor Yanukovych challenges result but resigns as prime minister.
2005 January - Viktor Yushchenko sworn in as president after Supreme Court rejects challenge by losing candidate Mr Yanukovych.
2005 February - President's nominee Yulia Tymoshenko overwhelmingly approved as prime minister by parliament.
2005 Februrary - Court annuls June 2004 sale of Krivorizhstal.
2005 March - President Yushchenko announces that suspected killers of journalist Georgiy Gongadze are in custody. He also accuses the former authorities of a cover-up.
Former Interior Minister Kravchenko, who had been due to give evidence in Gongadze investigation, shot dead in apparent suicide.
2005 September - President Yushchenko dismisses the government of Yulia Tymoshenko. Parliament approves Yuri Yekhanurov as her successor.
2005 October - Krivorizhstal reauctioned. Mittal Steel pays six times the price paid for it when it was originally put up for sale.
Kiev has a long and turbulent history
2006 January - Russia briefly cuts supply of gas for Ukrainian use in row over prices. Moscow says its reasons are purely economic but Kiev says they are political.
Previously agreed changes to constitution shift some significant powers from the president to parliament.
The trial of three former policemen charged with killing opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze begins in Kiev.
2006 March - Viktor Yanukovych's party tops polls in parliamentary elections. Yulia Tymoshenko's takes second place, leaving President Yushchenko's trailing in third.
2006 June-July - After months of bargaining, the backers of the Orange Revolution - the Yushchenko and Tymoshenko blocs and the Socialists - agree on a coalition, but the deal collapses. The Socialists opt instead for a coalition with Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions and the Communists.
Hero of the Orange Revolution was jailed for abuse of power in 2011, but freed after the 2014 revolution
Profile: Yulia Tymoshenko
2006 August - Faced with a deadline to accept Viktor Yanukovych's nomination or call new elections, President Yushchenko agrees that his rival can become prime minister.
2007 February - Boris Tarasyuk, a close ally of the president and a strong advocate of strong ties with Europe and Nato, resigns as foreign minister after a protracted row with parliament.
2007 September - Parliamentary elections. No clear winner emerges, although pro-Russian parties gain a narrow majority.
2007 December - Yulia Tymoshenko is appointed prime minister again, in coalition with President Yushchenko's party.
2008 March - Russia's state-owned company, Gazprom, agrees new contract to supply Ukraine's industrial consumers directly, ending row over gas supply.
2008 October - Global financial crisis leads to decline in demand for steel, causing price of one of the country's main exports to collapse. Value of Ukrainian currency falls sharply and investors pull out.
Viktor Yushchenko spearheaded the Orange Revolution but disappointed in office
Profile: Viktor Yushchenko
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) offers Ukraine a loan of $16.5bn (£10.4bn) to help it weather the storm.
2009 January - Russia stops all gas supplies to Ukraine after collapse of talks to end row over unpaid bills and prices, leading to shortages in southeast Europe. Supplies are restored a week later when Ukraine and Russia sign a 10-year deal on gas transit.
2009 July - Ukrainian security service says a key suspect in the murder of the opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze in 2000 has been arrested and has confessed to the killing.
2009 December - Ukraine and Russia sign deal on oil transit for 2010, allaying fears of supply cuts to Europe.
2010 February - Viktor Yanukovych is declared winner of second round of presidential election. His main rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, refuses to accept the result, alleging fraud.
2010 March - Yulia Tymoshenko steps down from the premiership after a number of her supporters in parliament switch sides and she loses a no-confidence vote. President Yanukovych appoints his long-standing ally Mykola Azarov to succeed her.
2010 April - Ukraine agrees to eliminate its stockpile of weapons-grade nuclear material ahead of the Washington nuclear security summit.
Parliament ratifies an agreement to extend Russia's lease on the Black Sea fleet base at Sevastopol in Crimea for 25 years, in return for cheaper gas imports.
2010 June - Parliament votes to abandon Nato membership aspirations.
2010 July - International media freedom watchdogs criticise a Kiev court's decision to cancel the allocation of broadcasting frequencies to two privately-run TV channels.
2010 August - IMF approves fresh $15bn (£9bn) loan for Ukraine, subject to the government curbing the subsidising of utilities bills.
2010 October - Constitutional court overturns limits on presidential power introduced in 2004.
2010 November - President Yanukovych vetoes a tax reform that had prompted thousands of business owners and opposition activists to protest in city centres nationwide. The reform was part of austerity measures demanded by the IMF as a condition of the bailout approved in August.
Feminist activists started campaigning for women's rights at home but have gone global
2010 December - Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko are charged with abuse of state funds. Both deny the charges and say they are politically motivated.
2011 March - Ex-President Leonid Kuchma is charged over the 2000 murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze. He denies any part in the killing.
The IMF puts its $15bn bailout on hold in response to the government's failure to pass a pension reform bill and its watering down of gas price increases.
2011 April - The main suspect in the Gongadze killing, former interior minister official Olexiy Pukach, goes on trial. He is said to have confessed to strangling and beheading Gongadze.
2011 October - A court jails former PM Tymoshenko after finding her guilty of abuse of power over a gas deal with Russia in 2009. EU warns Ukraine of "profound implications".
2011 May-June - Ukraine postpones summit of Central and East European leaders in Yalta after several leaders boycott it over the mistreatment of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in prison. Others boycott the Euro 2012 football championship.
2012 July - The European Court of Human Rights condemns the detention of former interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko and demands his release and compensation.
Police in Kiev fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters angry at a law pushed through parliament with little debate that gives Russian regional language status.
2012 October - First parliamentary elections since President Yanukovych came to power see a decisive win for his governing Party of Regions and a surprise boost for the far-right Freedom party. OSCE observers, the United States and the European Union express concern at the conduct of the poll.
2012 December - Government resigns to allow a number of ministers, including Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, to take up seats in parliament. Government remains in office on an acting basis.
2013 April - European Court of Human Rights rules unanimously that the arrest and detention of Yulia Tymoshenko in 2011 was unlawful.
2013 July - Russia halts imports of chocolate from one of Ukraine's main confectionary makers, Roshen, saying its products fall below safety standards, in what is seen as retaliation for Ukraine's efforts to integrate further with the EU.
2013 November - Tens of thousands of protesters take to the streets of central Kiev and other cities to protest at the government's sudden decision to abandon plans to sign an association agreement with the EU. They accuse the government of bowing to Russian pressure, as well as being corrupt and unaccountable.
2013 December - Russia agrees to slash price of gas supplied to Ukraine and lend $15bn to mollify protesters.
2014 February - Security forces kill at least 77 protesters in Kiev. President Yanukovych flees to Russia, opposition takes control under interim president Olexander Turchynov and acting prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk. Russia refuses to recognise takeover.
2014 March - Russian forces seize and then annex Crimea, prompting biggest East-West showdown since Cold War. US and European Union begin process of imposing ever-harsher sanctions on Russia.
2014 April - Pro-Russian separatists seize parts of eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions on Russian border. Government launches military operation in response.
2014 May - Leading businessman Petro Poroshenko wins presidential election on pro-Western platform. Signs delayed EU association accord in July.
2014 July - A Malaysian airliner comes down in separatist-held territory, killing all 298 people on board, with all evidence suggesting that it was shot down.
2014 August - Russia sends first of several unauthorised convoys allegedly carrying aid to Donestsk and Luhansk, amid Western and Ukrainian suspicions that they serve an ulterior purpose.
2014 September - Government signs Minsk peace plan ceasefire with pro-Russian leaders in eastern Ukraine. The two separatist regions agree to hold local elections under Ukrainian law in December.
2014 September - November - Cease-fire repeatedly violated before breaking down completely. Nato confirms Russian troops and heavy military equipment entering eastern Ukraine.
2014 October - Parliamentary elections produce convincing majority for pro-Western parties, which begin process of forming a new coalition led by Prime Minster Arseny Yatseniuk.
2014 November - Donetsk and Luhansk separatists hold elections not provided for by Minsk plan. Ukraine rescinds pledge for regional autonomy in response.
2015 January - Separatists capture remains of Donetsk airport in renewed offensive.
2015 February - Germany and France broker new ceasefire deal at talks in Belarus, resulting in a fragile lull in fighting after Russian-backed separatists drive Ukrainian troops out of the transport hub of Debaltseve.
2015 June - Ukraine suspends gas purchases from Russia after talks on the price to be paid for the next three months break down.
2016 April - Dutch voters reject the proposed Ukraine-EU association agreement in a referendum, albeit on a low turnout.
2016 November - A new shelter is moved over the wrecked reactor at the heart of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster to prevent radiation leaks from the ageing "sarcophagus" hastily erected after the meltdown.
2016 October - EU negotiators reach an agreement to grant visa-free travel to Ukrainian citizens; the deal must still be approved by the member states and the European Parliament.2017 January-February - Ukraine accuses Russian-backed rebels of shelling town of Avdiyivka, while rebels accuse Ukraine of shelling their stronghold of Donetsk. | A chronology of key events |
35792948 | Craig Gunn's 20th league goal of the season put the hosts ahead, the forward finishing from Connor McLaren's pass.
The Borough Briggs side dominated the rest of the half but found themselves level again after the break when Ross Campbell struck for the visitors.
Darryl McHardy had a late chance to win it for City but it was saved by goalkeeper Jordan Millar. | Elgin City slipped three points behind Scottish League Two leaders East Fife after drawing with Montrose. |
34442108 | The princes were in Manchester last week to help with a project to turn a derelict street into homes for ex-service personnel.
Presenter Nick Knowles revealed they asked to be called "William and Harry" rather than "Your Royal Highness".
But the show's Billy Byrne referred to them in his usual way - "sausage".
Prince Harry replied: "If you're going to call me sausage, it's going to be a very long day."
Byrne, who learnt his trade as an electrician in the 1960s, is one of the original members of the DIY SOS squad and known as the team clown. | The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry were treated like everybody else on the BBC One show DIY SOS when the resident electrician called them "sausage". |
40383330 | The ward, which has been shut on previous occasions, is to close to in-patients from 7 July.
Children will be assessed and treated in the A&E department at night and at the weekends. The ward will operate on an assessment basis during the week.
NHS Lothian said the closure was not permanent.
Children who to be need admitted will be transferred to Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
Jacquie Campbell, NHS Lothian's chief officer of acute services, said: "The safety of our patients must be our top priority and this is a difficult and deeply frustrating decision to have to make.
"I would again emphasise our on-going commitment to St John's Hospital and the children's ward.
"If we don't make changes now to the operating hours of the children's ward, we run the risk of having to make an unplanned closure at a few hours notice, which would lead to the sudden diversion of patients.
"This reduction in opening hours is the safest option for the children of West Lothian.
"We are committed to reinstating the full service as soon as possible after the summer."
Last year, a study by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) recommended the ward be retained after previous temporary closures for the same reason.
Lawrence Fitzpatrick, West Lothian Council leader, said: "I am shocked and very angry at this decision. It is unacceptable that West Lothian families are being forced to accept a cut in services at the children's ward at St John's once more.
"This is the third time in six years that the ward has been closed to young inpatients, forcing West Lothian families to travel into Edinburgh at what is often already a difficult time for them."
Health Secretary Shona Robison said she has written to the health board "to emphasise the importance I attach to early reinstatement of this vital service".
She said: "NHS Lothian has assured me they will engage again with the Royal College of Paediatricians to identify solutions for sustainable services for patients. The board has confirmed they will reinstate a full service as soon as possible after the summer.
"The chief medical officer and the Scottish government's director of performance will keep progress under review over the coming weeks.
"We are continuing to work with NHS Lothian to ensure the services on offer at the St John's in-patient paediatric ward remains safe and sustainable in the long-term."
Opposition parties said local residents would be "furious" at the latest closure.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Donald Cameron said: "This is another downgrade at a hospital the SNP government used to say it was committed to.
"St John's caters for a huge population centre and is a greatly-appreciated acute hospital. But this decision damages that reputation, and many will be concerned more cuts are to come."
Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: "Nicola Sturgeon promised to support the retention of these services. She has clearly broken that promise.
"It is simply not good enough - the SNP Government and NHS have once again failed to deliver on their promises. Scottish Labour will fight this closure." | The children's ward at St John's Hospital in Livingston is to close to inpatients over the summer as a result of staff shortages. |
38368981 | At Blackfriars Crown Court, James Whitlock, 31, pleaded guilty to escaping from HMP Pentonville on 7 November.
He removed the bars on his cell window and scaled the Victorian prison's perimeter wall.
The breakout is said to have gone undetected for several hours as pillows were used to stuff the beds making it look like he was asleep.
He was arrested six days later at an address in Homerton, east London.
Rope used during the escape was recovered, but whatever was used to cut the cell bars has not been.
Whitlock is due to be sentenced at a later date.
Matthew Baker, 28, has yet to enter a plea on a charge of escaping from the same prison. He is next due in court on 5 January.
His sister Kelly Baker, 21, of Friars Close, Ilford, east London, admitted one count of assisting an offender by buying him hair dye. | A man has admitted breaking out of a north London prison. |
37560868 | AIC Steel Limited was set up in 2013 to buy another steel firm in the city, Rowecord Engineering, which also went into administration three years ago.
Joint administrators David Hill and Huw Powell, from Begbies Traynor, said on Wednesday that 101 posts had been made redundant.
A further 29 staff will stay on to assist with the business.
The administrators said they are looking at the viability of continuing trading.
The company, like its predecessor, has been involved in making specialist steel fabricated structures used in the building of sports stadiums around the world.
One of its recent projects has been the Bristol City football and rugby stadium re-development at Ashton Gate.
Only in 2012, there were 1,000 people working at the factory in Newport, under the shadow of the city's transporter bridge.
Rowecord had supplied materials for the roof of London 2012's Olympic aquatics centre.
The new Saudi owners by late 2014 had 23 orders on books, worth £10m.
Workers were called in on Tuesday lunchtime and 101 were sent home, with the remainder kept on to tide over the business.
One supplier, Dyfed Steel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, said although it had not supplied the company this year, AIC placed an order for steel worth more than £5,000 last Thursday, three working days before going into administration. | More than 100 jobs have been lost in Newport due to a steel firm going into administration, it has been confirmed. |
37295569 | Olds, 73, was given the Academy of American Poets' prestigious Wallace Stevens Award for "proven mastery in the art of poetry".
It comes three years after she received the Pulitzer for Stag's Leap, a sequence of poems about a divorce.
Ex-Pulitzer winner and former US poet laureate Natasha Trethewey was awarded $25,000 (£18,700) and a fellowship.
Lynn Emanuel's The Nerve of It, a selection of "new and selected poems" won the $25,000 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize for the best poetry book published last year.
Other winners of the Academy of American Poets' prizes included Mary Hickman for Rayfish, Ron Padgett for his translation of Zone: Selected Poems by Guillaume Apollinaire and Stephen Sartarelli for his translation of The Selected Poetry of Pier Paolo Pasolini.
Donte Collins, 20, was given an award for most promising young poet.
Previous award winners include Sylvia Plath, Robert Pinsky and Mark Strand.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Pulitzer Prize-winning US poet Sharon Olds has been given a $100,000 (£75,000) lifetime achievement award. |
32981103 | Radio Beca had planned to broadcast mainly in Welsh to Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and north Pembrokeshire.
But it delayed its proposed launch date in April 2014.
Euros Lewis, from Radio Beca, said it had taken three years for the station to be able to "stand on its own to feet".
Ofcom told Newyddion 9 the station was given two extensions before the decision to withdraw its licence was taken.
Elinor Williams, from Ofcom, said: "We issued the licence in May 2012 and they had two years to come on air from that specific date."
The station has failed to obtain Welsh government grant funding and there was uncertainty about a permanent home for it.
There was also concern Radio Beca had only managed to raise £20,000 when it was required to raise £320,000, although the station has submitted a bid for £100,000 in grant funding from the Big Lottery Fund.
Mr Lewis said: "Unfortunately, it's only during the past few months that Radio Beca has been able to raise money through sponsorship and adverts.
"What's disappointing is that it's only now that we have been able to put forward a prospectus that shows that Radio Beca can stand on its own two feet." | Media regulator Ofcom has revoked a community licence given to a new radio station. |
41028790 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The pair, who received a bye in the opening round, reached the last 16 with a 21-15 21-10 defeat of Austrian duo Dominik Stripsits and Roman Zirnwald.
"Once we realise what we needed to do it became quite easy and we dominated," Ellis told BBC Sport.
England's European champion Rajiv Ouseph beat Sameer Verma of India.
But Lauren Smith and Sarah Walker lost in the second round of the women's doubles.
The English pair lost 21-10 21-14 to South Korean fifth seeds Kyung Eun Jung and Seung Chan Shin.
Langridge and Ellis reached the quarter-finals at the last World Championships in 2015 before illness prevented them progressing further.
They know that winning a medal in Glasgow would boost the prospects of UK Sport overturning their decision not to invest in badminton heading towards Tokyo 2020.
"We want to be doing well here and challenging for medals," Langridge told BBC Sport.
"Personally, though, I'm not thinking about UK Sport or any of the external factors as we just need to concentrate on ourselves and hopefully then the success will come later in the week."
Langridge and Ellis' medal bid could yet be helped by a shock on the third day of competition, with top men's doubles seeds Junhui Li and Yuchen Liu losing their opening match.
The Chinese pair lost 19-21 21-18 21-18 to unseeded Polish duo Mohammad Ahsan and Rian Saputro.
Ouseph edged his first-set against Verma 22-20, before a dominant second set (21-9). But the "greatest challenge" of his career awaits in the next round, with the 30-year-old drawn to face two-time Olympic champion and five-time World championship gold medallist Lin Dan of China.
"It doesn't get any bigger," Ouseph told BBC Sport.
"It's very exciting and the pressure is off, but I believe he does have weaknesses in his game now and I can win tomorrow."
Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour, who received a bye in the opening round, opened her campaign with a straightforward 21-16 21-13 defeat of India's Rituparna Das.
She will face 20-year-old rising Chinese star He Bingjiao, who is a two-time world junior champion.
"Today was all about finding my rhythm and I felt good about the way I played," she told BBC Sport.
"It was great to sample the atmosphere tonight as I've lots of great memories from this venue and I'll try to draw on those throughout the week."
Thursday's action will see the return of English Commonwealth champions Chris and Gabby Adcock, who will take on Japan's Kenta Kazuno and Ayane Kurihara for a place in the quarter-finals. | Olympic bronze medallists Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis made a winning start to their World Badminton Championship campaign in Glasgow. |
25823934 | Donations have been pouring in to crowdfunding platforms, and via dogecoin, the internet currency.
The two-man bobsleigh team will be returning to next month's Games in Sochi, Russia, after a 12-year absence.
The team had initially hoped to raise $80,000 to cover various costs including travel and equipment.
Driver Winston Watts and brakeman Marvin Dixon will represent Jamaica.
Mr Watts said he had spent around $150,000 of his own money in an attempt to ensure qualification.
He said that financial constraints had prevented them from flying to Europe to take part in the final qualifying races.
On Monday, the Jamaica Olympic Association said it would cover the teams's travel costs, and the Sochi organising committee will also provide assistance.
However, the team said it still needed money for basic equipment such as "proper jackets" and a second pair of runners for the sled.
The pair launched a funding appeal on their website, which was then picked up by the online community.
Users of Reddit were encouraged to donate to the Jamaican team in the form of dogecoins, a virtual currency with a fluctuating valuation, similar to Bitcoin, and based on the Doge meme.
Liam Butler, who runs the Dogecoin foundation, said he had been inspired by the team's plight.
"As someone who grew up in the 90s, [the 1993 Disney film] Cool Runnings was the ultimate feel-good movie about underdogs out of their element achieving their dreams," Mr Butler told the Guardian.
"We started without a concrete plan in mind. I sent a few emails out… but that was the extent of it," he said.
Lincoln Wheeler, who started the Crowdtilt campaign, said he was thrilled to have helped the team.
"It's wild to harness the power of the internet like this," he told ESPN. "Obviously the movie had some influence, but I think this also became about the idea that we, as fans, could have an opportunity to influence sports."
Jamaica first qualified for the Winter Olympics in 1988 in Calgary, an achievement later portrayed in the film Cool Runnings, and last competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Jamaica did not feature in the 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancouver Games, partly due to a lack of finance. | Jamaica's bobsleigh team has raised more than $110,000 (£67,000) in a series of online fundraisers after qualifying for the Winter Olympics. |
40077463 | The 33-year-old suffered serious facial injuries during the attack, which took place at about 22:00 on Friday in the vicinity of Dick Crescent, Burntisland.
He was taken to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, but was released following treatment.
Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone who recorded the incident on mobile phones. | A man was taken to hospital after being seriously assaulted by a group of male and female youths in Fife. |
12671895 | The body of 22-year-old Ffion Wyn Roberts was discovered in a drainage ditch called Y Cyt in the Gwynedd town in April 2010.
Factory worker Iestyn Davies, 54, also from Porthmadog, denies murdering her.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard that Ms Roberts received two phone calls from her brother Elgan prior to her death.
The care worker was assaulted, strangled and drowned.
The first witnesses in the case were called to court on Monday and included people who were with Ms Roberts the night before she died.
That night she had been out at a birthday party at the Royal Madoc Hotel in the village of Tremadog, about a mile from her home.
People who were at the event told the court that she was there with her mother Bethan, her father Idris and a friend of the family.
After midnight, the party moved to another pub in Tremadog, The Union, a few yards away.
But a friend of Ms Roberts gave evidence and said her brother, Elgan had also contacted her.
Nia Jones said that he called Ms Roberts twice.
The defence barrister, Patrick Harrington QC, asked Ms Jones: "On the second call, did she (Ffion Wyn Roberts) tell her brother to shut up, stop acting like a child and not to be so stupid?"
Nia Jones replied: "Yes, she was cross."
Another friend, Ffion Lydia Roberts, said that Ms Roberts had started to cry while in The Union pub, but had refused to say what was wrong.
The court also heard from Hugh Finlay Williams, who discovered the body.
He said that he and his wife were taking their usual afternoon walk along the banks of Y Cyt on Saturday lunchtime when they bumped into a neighbour who had lost her cat.
He began searching for the cat, but spotted Ms Roberts' body almost immediately and called the police.
The trial is due to last until mid April. | A jury has heard how a young woman from Porthmadog received several phone calls from her brother in the hours before she was found murdered. |
27370457 | Galindo Mellado Cruz is accused of being one of the original members of the Zetas, which first emerged as a group of enforcers for the Gulf cartel.
The two groups later split and became bitter rivals, their fights accounting for much of the violence in the area.
He is believed to be among five gunmen shot dead by the army on Friday.
A Tamaulipas state official told the Associated Press news agency that while Mellado no longer held a command position within the Zetas, he had been one of the 30 ex-special forces members to found the group.
Analysts say the Zetas now control more territory than any other criminal gang in Mexico.
They are infamous for their extremely violent methods, routinely decapitating rivals and hanging their bodies from bridges.
The war between the Zetas and their former paymasters, the Gulf cartel, has turned Tamaulipas into one of Mexico's most violent states.
Mellado was on the run after escaping from prison where he had been jailed after being accused of armed robbery, rape and murder, the official said.
He was killed in a raid on his hideout in the city of Reynosa along with four other armed men. One soldier also died in the fire fight.
It is not clear how the security forces tracked him down.
The security forces have recently landed a series of heavy blows against Mexico's drug cartels.
Earlier this year, they arrested the world's most wanted drug lord, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman. And last year they detained the leader of the Zetas, Miguel Angel Trevino.
But a number of high-ranking security officials have also been killed, including the Tamaulipas state intelligence chief, who was shot dead along with his bodyguards in Reynosa last week. | Mexican security officials say one of the founders of the Zetas drug cartel has been killed in a gun battle in the north-eastern state of Tamaulipas. |
29886986 | The ex-Plaid leader said Lord Barnett, who has died aged 91, was a "lovely, gentle, intelligent colleague".
Wales would get an extra £1.2bn a year if it received the same funding per head as Scotland, Lord Wigley said.
Government spokesman Lord Newby said Wales would get funding in line with "what people think is fair."
The Barnett formula, devised in the late 1970s, determines how much Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland receive if the UK government alters spending on services such as health and education in England.
Under the formula, extra funding - or cuts - from Westminster are allocated according to the population size of each nation and which powers are devolved to them.
However, Lord Newby told the House of Lords that "virtually nobody understands how we've got to where we are today" in terms of funding the devolved administrations.
He added: "For the period ahead Wales will be receiving a figure in line with most definitions, I believe, of what people think is fair."
Lord Wigley said that if Wales received the same funding as Scotland relative to population it would get £1.2bn more.
He asked: "On what possible basis of equity can Wales be denied parity with Scotland in regards to such funding?"
"Would it not now be a fitting tribute to Lord Barnett if the government today pledged to revive the formula to deliver for Wales parity with Scotland in funding matters?"
During the Lords debate on Monday warm tributes were made to the former Labour cabinet minister who died on Saturday.
Lord Wigley said Lord Barnett was among the first to recognise that the funding formula in his name needed radical reform.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Thomas of Gresford said that Lord Barnett was a "delightful person", while Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Labour leader in the Lords, said that Lord Barnett was an "extraordinary" man. | Fair funding for Wales under the Barnett formula would be a "fitting tribute" to the man it was named after, Lord Wigley has said. |
40238472 | He made a strong plea for voters to take part in an independence referendum scheduled for 1 October.
"We will vote, even if the Spanish state doesn't want it," Guardiola told the crowd. "There is no other way."
Surveys suggest Catalan voters would narrowly reject independence, though most favour holding a referendum.
On Friday, Catalonia regional government leader Carles Puigdemont decided to hold the vote later this year, in defiance of the government and contravening a ruling by Spain's Constitutional Court.
It is not clear if the referendum will go ahead.
Guardiola - who is revered in Catalonia for his footballing achievements - also demanded international help against "the abuses of an authoritarian state" at the rally.
Local authorities say that about 30,000 people attended, but a separatist source put the figure closer to 47,000.
The latest polls suggest that most Catalans support the holding of a referendum similar to the one held by Scotland in 2014 - the main difference being that the Scottish vote had the support of the British government.
Polls indicate a tight race, with 48.5% of respondents opposing independence, and 44.3% in favour.
In 2014, Catalonia held a non-binding vote in which people overwhelmingly backed independence. But on that occasion only about 2.3 million out of an electorate of about 5.4 million took part.
Catalonia is one of Spain's wealthiest areas and has its own distinctive language and customs.
Guardiola has spent most of his career with Barcelona, winning the club's first European Cup in 1992, and four La Liga titles. He has been captain and manager of the team. | Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has joined thousands of protesters in Barcelona to call for independence for the Spanish region of Catalonia. |
38460371 | Nicholas McGurk targeted Alex Wong at his Brodie's fish and chip shop in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, in August.
Mr Wong was tied up while a woman working there was forced to go with McGurk in the shop owner's Mercedes.
She escaped when McGurk, of Govanhill, Glasgow, crashed the car but later fainted due to being so scared.
McGurk, 32, admitted charges of assault, abduction and robbery.
A judge was told that Mr Wong's business remained closed and that the raid had "broken his dream of a peaceful retirement".
Mr Wong, who had served with the police in Hong Kong, ran the takeaway for 14 years.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that McGurk entered the shop and pointed a gun at Mr Wong's colleague and demanded money.
When Mr Wong appeared, McGurk pulled out a large knife.
Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie said: "He pointed the knife towards Alex Wong's neck and stated: 'If you do anything, I will kill you'."
Mr Wong handed over money before McGurk shoved him into the kitchen and tied him to a sink with a telephone cable.
The robber rummaged through Mr Wong's pockets and stole another £640 and mobile phones.
McGurk then slapped the female worker and squeezed her face while pointing the gun at her.
The court heard he threatened her with the knife when she refused to go in the car with him.
Once inside the vehicle, McGurk said they were going to his house, but he crashed the car into a parked van.
Mr Ronnie said: "The woman and McGurk then returned to the shop, where she collapsed due to being so terrified."
A person heard Mr Wong banging for help and contacted police.
McGurk was later traced and told officers the allegations were lies.
Mr Ronnie said the incident had had "a very big impact" on Mr Wong and his colleague.
He said: "Alex Wong states he has been feeling depressed, mainly due to having to close his business.
"The woman has not been fit to work and he cannot reopen the business without her help."
McGurk will be sentenced in the New Year. | A man carried out an armed raid on a former police officer's takeaway business a week after his release from jail, a court heard. |
38809678 | The A-lister will still produce and star in the as yet unnamed film but said in a statement he and Warner Bros were looking for a new director.
"It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require.
"There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions. Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give," he said.
Affleck made his debut as the superhero for Warner Bros last summer in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which received mixed reviews from critics.
His statement continued: "I am still in this, and we are making it.
"I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world."
The studio said in a statement said that it "fully supports" Affleck's decision and "remains committed to working with him to bring a standalone Batman picture to life".
The standalone Batman film has no official release date yet but is thought to be scheduled for 2018.
Affleck recently made a cameo as Batman/Bruce Wayne in Warner Bros' Suicide Squad which fared well at the box office but was savaged by the critics.
The Oscar-winner will next appear as Batman in Justice League, which will be released on 17 November.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Ben Affleck has pulled out of directing the upcoming standalone Batman film. |
37331446 | Spurs dominated but did not make the breakthrough until Harry Kane scored with their 22nd attempt on goal.
Papy Djilobodji failed to clear a Dele Alli header allowing Kane to poke home from point-blank range on 59 minutes.
Late on, Kane suffered a nasty ankle injury and Sunderland's Adnan Januzaj was sent off for a second booking.
Relive Spurs's dominant display
A fourth defeat in five games means Sunderland are yet to win in the league under David Moyes.
The scoreline could have been worse for them but for outstanding goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, 22, who made a string of saves to keep his side in the game.
England striker Kane, who scored his second goal of the season, limped off the field after injuring his ankle with three minutes remaining and eventually left on a stretcher.
Aside from losing Kane, there was further injury worry for Spurs as England's Eric Dier and Belgium's Mousa Dembele were both substituted in the second half with what appeared to be hamstring injuries.
Moussa Sissoko was given his first start for Spurs since his £30m move on transfer deadline day and he joined Dembele and Victor Wanyama in a powerful midfield as Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen dropped to the bench.
Tottenham completely dominated the game with 31 shots and 73.8% possession.
In the first half alone, they mustered 19 efforts with Kane, Son Heung-min and Toby Alderweireld going close.
Impressive South Korea winger Son was Spurs' best attacking force with five key passes and seven shots, though only two were on target.
The win was the perfect response after the disappointing midweek Champions League defeat by Monaco at Wembley and moves Spurs up to third in the table.
In contrast to the home side's dominance, Sunderland had just three shots in the first half.
The first came after 22 minutes as Jermain Defoe latched onto a long ball from Pickford but was unable to get his shot past Hugo Lloris.
Steven Pienaar had the best chance of the half just before the break as he met Januzaj's cross but his shot from six yards was cleared off the line by Kyle Walker.
The worry for the Black Cats is that striker Defoe managed just 13 touches in the match and only one of those came in Spurs' area.
Pickford had the most touches and his eight saves were vital in keeping the score respectable.
Moyes will have to do without Januzaj for the next match as the on-loan Manchester United winger was dismissed for a second booking in the space of 10 minutes. Having been cautioned for dissent, he saw red after fouling Ben Davies.
Sunderland manager David Moyes: "Steven Pienaar had a great chance and we probably need to score any chance we get.
"Jordan Pickford is going to be a very good keeper. He has a lot of work to do at the moment, more than I'd like him to get. He will get better, he has a real good future ahead of him.
"We had a chance to clear the ball for the goal. That was a mistake and, of all the chances Tottenham got, that was a soft one and we gifted them that.
"It is a big job. I know how much is going to get better. All we can do is keep getting on the training field and making it better and I enjoy doing that."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino: "Sometimes it's difficult. In the end it was fair.
"We fought a lot and tried to score. I'm happy with the three points and it takes away the feeling from losing against Monaco.
"I want to create chances and play well - sometimes you need a lot of chances to score. Today we always tried to go forward. We feel disappointed because we created a lot of chances in the first half."
Tottenham host League One side Gillingham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday.
Sunderland are at Championship side QPR in the EFL Cup on Wednesday before entertaining Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.
Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Sunderland 0.
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Sunderland 0.
Attempt saved. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Erik Lamela.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Lamine Koné.
Attempt missed. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left.
Substitution, Sunderland. Paddy McNair replaces Jason Denayer.
Attempt missed. Vincent Janssen (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Erik Lamela.
Attempt blocked. Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Papy Djilobodji (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Vincent Janssen (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Papy Djilobodji (Sunderland).
Second yellow card to Adnan Januzaj (Sunderland) for a bad foul.
Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Adnan Januzaj (Sunderland).
Attempt missed. Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Javier Manquillo with a cross.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Vincent Janssen replaces Harry Kane because of an injury.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Dele Alli.
Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur).
Adnan Januzaj (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Papy Djilobodji.
Attempt blocked. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Kane.
Adnan Januzaj (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Duncan Watmore.
Substitution, Sunderland. Wahbi Khazri replaces Jan Kirchhoff.
Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Didier Ndong (Sunderland).
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Ben Davies replaces Eric Dier because of an injury.
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Erik Lamela replaces Mousa Dembélé because of an injury.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Mousa Dembélé (Tottenham Hotspur) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.
Attempt saved. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mousa Dembélé.
Attempt missed. Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Harry Kane.
Attempt missed. Lamine Koné (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Adnan Januzaj with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Kyle Walker. | Tottenham maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a comfortable victory against winless Sunderland at White Hart Lane. |
40421927 | Llanfyllin High School was found to be subsidising transport to almost 200 pupils from outside the catchment area.
An investigation found it had spent more than £460,000 over five years, which should have gone on education.
The public service ombudsman said four governors, who were councillors at the time, did not break council rules.
Councillors Peter Lewis, Aled Wyn Davies, Darren Mayor and Gwynfor Thomas were suspended following the council's investigation.
Mr Lewis said the ombudsman's ruling was "not unexpected" and "vindicated" the councillors.
"It wholly restores integrity of Llanfyllin High School which has been so damaged by this controversy," he said.
"It shows that the previous cabinet decisions were very flawed, made worse by the waste of taxpayers' money on not one but two investigations." | Governors at a Powys school which misused almost £500,000 of funds to pay for transport did not break council rules, the ombudsman has said. |
35452061 | With the match reduced to 10 overs a side, the Scots slumped to 66-7, George Munsey top-scoring on 17.
Matt Machan (10), captain Preston Mommsen (4) and Calum MacLeod (16) were all run out.
The hosts needed just 6.2 overs to reach 72-1, with their top three all posting scores in the twenties and Safyaan Sharif taking the only wicket.
The Hong Kong rain washed out Scotland's Intercontinental Cup match and the visitors were heavily beaten in one of the two planned one-day internationals to beat the wet weather.
A frustrating tour concludes with another T20 clash on Sunday.
"A 10-over game is tricky at the best of times and after being put in to bat we always knew it was going to be tough," said Munsey.
"Credit to the Hong Kong bowlers who made it difficult, restricting us to 67, and it was always going to be a hard total to defend." | Scotland were crushed by nine wickets in their rain-affected opening Twenty20 international in Hong Kong. |
27783329 | Mr Bercow said e-voting in polling stations or at home should not be seen as an "earth-shattering" innovation.
Many people treated their phones and other digital devices as "an extension of themselves" and using them to vote would be a natural step, he argued.
But he insisted the "integrity of the ballot box" must be protected.
Mr Bercow is heading a commission into the future of digital democracy and the implications for Parliament of technological trends, such as the use of social media and e-commerce.
In a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank in London, the Speaker suggested that current arrangements for voting "lack transparency" and are not "conducive to increasing the desire for the citizen to participate or trust the system".
"The argument is that a good citizen should have to make an effort to vote, picking up a postcard posted to them weeks before and dragging themselves down to an empty community hall or primary school on a wet Thursday to put a cross on a tiny piece of paper," he said.
"Sorry but I am not convinced this is the pinnacle of 21st Century democracy in action."
Mr Bercow said that at a time when people think nothing of using the internet to bank or to date, it was not unreasonable to ask why they should not be able to also vote that way.
"Yes, of course, there are well-rehearsed arguments regarding electronic and internet voting and the integrity of the ballot box must be absolutely protected," he argued.
"That said in an era in which many people... treat their mobile phone or tablet as an extension of themselves... would it really be an earth-shattering change for voters to vote electronically in a polling station. Or at home, as they do so now with a postal vote."
Innovations such as postal ballots have been introduced in recent years to make voting easier for people who struggle to get to polling stations on the day of an election.
Supporters of e-voting say that it could help to improve turnout at elections. In last month's European elections, only 34% of eligible voters took part.
Mr Bercow also said the House of Commons should consider introducing some form of electronic voting into its procedures as a way of "reaching out" to the world outside.
He said the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly all used some form of e-voting and, in the case of Wales, this allowed details of votes to be published within half an hour.
"In 21st Century Britain, there is an expectation of openness, a need for flexibility and a greater understanding that people... use and do not use modern technology in a manner that suits them," he added. | Commons Speaker John Bercow has said there is a strong case for people to be able to vote electronically to satisfy changing technological expectations. |
37983476 | Joel Coustrain shot the Fifers ahead on 16 minutes but the home side lost Kyle Benedictus to a second yellow card before the interval.
Ayr dominated thereafter but had Paul Cairney dismissed for a bad tackle.
However, the visitors were rewarded for their pressure when Harkins found the net with a fantastic free kick.
Robert Crawford almost won it for the visitors in stoppage time but Kevin Cuthbert tipped his shot over.
Match ends, Raith Rovers 1, Ayr United 1.
Second Half ends, Raith Rovers 1, Ayr United 1.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Scott McKenna.
Attempt missed. Daryll Meggatt (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Kevin Cuthbert.
Attempt saved. Robbie Crawford (Ayr United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Goal! Raith Rovers 1, Ayr United 1. Gary Harkins (Ayr United) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Kevin McHattie (Raith Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kevin McHattie (Raith Rovers).
Gary Harkins (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Kevin McHattie.
Attempt blocked. Michael Rose (Ayr United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Chris Johnston (Raith Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Chris Johnston (Raith Rovers).
Nicky Devlin (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Declan McManus (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nicky Devlin (Ayr United).
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Conrad Balatoni.
Attempt saved. Gary Harkins (Ayr United) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Iain Davidson.
Attempt blocked. Robbie Crawford (Ayr United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Iain Davidson.
Attempt missed. Andy O'Connell (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Foul by Jean-Yves Mvoto (Raith Rovers).
Gary Harkins (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Gary Harkins (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Kevin McHattie.
Ross Matthews (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gary Harkins (Ayr United).
Substitution, Ayr United. Andy O'Connell replaces Kevin Nisbet.
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Chris Johnston replaces Scott Roberts.
Substitution, Ayr United. Michael Rose replaces Craig McGuffie.
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Rudi Skacel replaces Joel Coustrain.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Scott Roberts.
Attempt missed. Kevin Nisbet (Ayr United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Foul by Conrad Balatoni (Ayr United).
Declan McManus (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Paul Cairney (Ayr United) is shown the red card for violent conduct.
Foul by Paul Cairney (Ayr United).
Ross Callachan (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. | Raith Rovers missed the opportunity to go third in the Championship as Gary Harkins cracked in a late goal for Ayr United at Stark's Park. |
33457305 | The man, said to be in his 60s, slammed the swan into a harbour wall in the Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey according to witnesses.
The swan, known as Nobby and much loved in the village, was left bleeding and battered after the attack on Tuesday.
Police are investigating the offence and "exploring the possibility" the attacker was a German holidaymaker.
Debs Johnston, who regularly feeds the swans, said: "This guy apparently just grabbed him by the neck and was slamming him into the wall."
Miss Johnston went with an RSPCA officer to find Nobby at the nearby beach of Pentewan on Wednesday where they found he was missing all of his flight feathers.
A witness, who did not want to be named, said the man thought to have carried out the attack then got on to a German tour coach.
Devon and Cornwall Police said they wanted to speak to a man in his 60s, around 5ft 8in tall, wearing cream trousers and a red and orange top, in connection with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
A spokesman said: "We received a report of a male offender who seemed to grab an adult swan by the neck and swing it around then throw it to the ground, resulting in injury to the swan's wing.
"This was a cruel offence which has caused unnecessary suffering to the swan." | A man thought to be a tourist grabbed a swan by its neck and swung it around in a "cruel" attack. |
35794124 | Hassan Abdi Mohamed, 48, from Harlow, was found collapsed on a path close to Holly Field in the town last Saturday at 10:45 GMT.
He died from a single stab wound to the chest.
An 18-year-old man from North London was arrested in Edmonton on Friday night.
Magistrates have granted officers an extension for him to remain in custody for a further 36 hours.
Detectives believe Mr Mohammed had been walking along the pathway that leads from Southern Way to Pyenest Road shortly before he was attacked.
His partner, who police have not named, paid tribute to him, saying what happened to "our beloved Hassan" was a "complete shock."
"He was a loving father to our two gorgeous children, who adored him," she added.
Officers confirmed they are still searching for the murder weapon, which is thought to be a large knife. | Detectives have been given more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of murder after a father-of-two was stabbed to death in broad daylight. |
25884260 | The annual count at Pensthorpe, near Fakenham, has revealed 778 birds in total, made up of 58 species, including red-listed turtle doves and corncrakes.
Wardens on the 660-acre reserve, which hosted the BBC's Springwatch, can spend several days completing the stock take.
A spokeswoman said "wild creatures... don't stop and wait to be counted".
The wardens are required to count all the captive bred birds and mammals within the aviaries and lakes on the site, but the job is made harder as many of the species are small and move quickly.
Chrissie Kelley, head of species management at Pensthorpe, said: "Sometimes it can take an hour or two trying to find one elusive bird that is hiding away in the reeds.
"These are wild creatures so they don't stop and wait to be counted. This makes the task quite a challenging one.
"It's also a great time to see the different species of birds, particularly the colourful males, whose plumage is at its most stunning in preparation for spring."
The reserve is also a centre for the East Anglia Red Squirrel Breeding Programme, which includes Banham Zoo and Kelling Heath, in north Norfolk, as part of a co-ordinated effort to reinforce the species' declining population.
"We introduced a new male to our female last year and to be honest, she wasn't that keen," said Ms Kelley.
"But now they look to be getting on OK and I've seen them doing their courtship chasing so I'm hoping they'll produce kittens." | Birds and animals, including some of the UK's most endangered species, have increased by more than 100 at a Norfolk wildlife reserve in the past year. |
35399373 | The Canaries went 3-1 ahead before Liverpool fought back and Adam Lallana scored a 95th-minute winner.
"I think if we'd have had a bit more communication within the team we maybe hold that 3-1 lead longer which makes Liverpool a bit more nervous," debutant Naismith told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"That's probably the biggest thing we will be disappointed with."
He continued: "A lot of people will look at the defence, but it's the whole way through the team. They passed the ball through us far too easily at times and that's something we need to improve on as a team if we want to pick up results."
Naismith marked his first Canaries appearance since his move from Everton with a goal, but Liverpool overcame the two-goal deficit and went 4-3 ahead after James Milner capitalised on a poor Russell Martin backpass, only for Sebastien Bassong to make it 4-4 in injury time. Lallana's dramatic late intervention then gave the visitors all three points.
The defeat left Norwich just one place above the relegation zone.
"When you lose that many goals in a game, [communication] is going to play its part in why it's happening," said Naismith.
"I've only been here a few days, but what I've seen in that short time is there's a lot of quality that can go forward and I think we showed that with the goals scored." | Forward Steven Naismith says Norwich's poor communication cost them dear in their 5-4 defeat by Liverpool. |
38986034 | The 30-year-old was due to defend his title against Jonathan Barros in Las Vegas in January but the fight was called off at 24 hours notice.
Argentinean Barros was not able to meet the medical requirements of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Selby will now face Spaniard Gago at London's O2 Arena, on the undercard of David Haye's fight with Tony Bellew.
"I know the main event isn't going to last too long so I wanted to make sure there was a nice juicy few fights on the undercard," said Haye.
"After his [Selby's] fight fell through, I really felt for him boiling his massive frame down to nine stone and not getting any work that night."
An IBF statement said Selby will remain champion for the non-title fight.
"While the situation with Barros gets clarified the IBF has agreed to allow Selby to fight a non-title bout above the weight limit," the federation said.
Selby is looking to keep his schedule in line with Northern Ireland's Carl Frampton. The duo could meet this summer, especially with doubts surfacing over Frampton's trilogy contest with Leo Santa Cruz.
Media playback is not supported on this device | Wales' IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby will fight Andoni Gago in a non-title bout on 4 March. |
23352758 | The 24-year-old pitcher Misael Siverio is said to have disappeared from the hotel where the Cuban national team had been staying in the US state of Iowa.
The heads of the Cuban delegation do not expect him to return, reports say.
At least two of the American Major League Baseball's rising stars are Cubans who recently defected to the US.
Mr Siverio, one of the 24 players in the US for a five-game series, told the El Nuevo Herald newspaper that he was going to try to make it in the US baseball leagues.
"Leaving behind your country is not easy, but this was a decision that I gave a lot of thought," Siverio reportedly told Miami's El Nuevo Herald.
Siverio was not in the Cuban team list published by the US organisers on Wednesday.
The Cuban delegation has reportedly declined to comment on the situation.
"From their perspective, he's no longer a member of their delegation," US Baseball director Paul Seiler told the Des Moines Register.
Cubans Yoenis Cespedes, from the Oakland A's and Yasiel Puig, from the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defected in the last two years, are considered to be among the US major baseball league's (MLB) rising stars. | A baseball player from Cuba's national team has reportedly defected to the United States ahead of five matches against a US college stars team. |
37083699 | Meurig Raymond, president of the National Farmers' Union, said UK farmers could be globally competitive and played vital public roles.
The union has launched a month-long consultation of its members on the shape of post-Brexit farming policy.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has promised to maintain EU-levels of funding for farming at least until 2020.
Mr Raymond said: "The vote to leave the European Union means that food security must drive a new, bold ambition for UK farmers and growers.
"This is an historic opportunity the NFU is determined to seize."
He claimed farming was worth £108bn to the UK economy, and also played an important role in areas of public policy such as the environment, renewable energy, education, health and nutrition.
"Brexit is also about building bridges, building the industry's influence," he added.
"The NFU's aim, once our members have spoken, is to provide a strong and united voice for the food and farming industry, to ensure that agriculture is seen as strategically and politically important in all future trade negotiations."
Union leaders will appeal directly to NFU members at a series of 50 roadshow meetings, ending on 14 September, designated as Back British Farming Day.
In July, Wales' Rural Affairs Secretary Lesley Griffiths said Brexit offered the chance for a "made-in-Wales" approach to farming, a policy area which is devolved.
Under the current EU Common Agricultural Policy, Wales receives approximately £250m per year in direct payments to farmers in addition to more than £500m between 2014-2020 to run a rural development programme.
Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show, Ms Griffiths said she expected some form of subsidy to continue, but was aware that many farmers supported leaving the EU because of "red tape".
On Monday she was holding a private meeting with officials from the Farmers' Union of Wales to discuss the importance of agriculture to the economy, as well as the impact of bovine TB.
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies welcomed the NFU's consultation, along with the chancellor's promise on funding.
But he added: "Here in Wales farmers want reassurances from the Welsh Labour Government that the money will still find its way to farmers.
"Just last month, Labour MP Ian Lucas called for cuts to the money allocated to farmers and the Welsh Government must allay those concerns at the earliest opportunity." | Brexit should drive a "new, bold ambition" for farmers, a union leader has said. |
38510246 | It is the first time she has topped the list, which is compiled by theatre publication The Stage.
Friedman's recent credits include Dreamgirls, Nice Fish, Funny Girl and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
She is the first number one in the history of the Stage 100 not to own or operate West End theatres.
Friedman, who is only the second woman to top the list as a solo entry, said she was "very grateful" for the honour.
"I feel extremely lucky to do a job I love so much and to have had such a stimulating and creatively diverse year," she added.
Alistair Smith, print editor of The Stage, said: "Sonia Friedman has enjoyed a number of notable hits in recent years - including Jerusalem starring Mark Rylance and The Book of Mormon - but in 2016, she went stratospheric.
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was always likely to be a licence to print money. What has made it really special was that Friedman and her fellow creatives resisted the temptation to treat the production as a cash cow and created something truly magical, original and - above all - theatrical."
The only other woman to top the list was Stoll Moss Theatres boss Janet Holmes a Court in 1998.
In this year's list, Friedman beat Andrew Lloyd Webber - who is at number two.
John Tiffany, who directed the Harry Potter play, is number 15. There were also appearances from actress Noma Dumezweni (at 22), who plays Hermione, and the show's playwright Jack Thorne (50).
National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris and his executive team climbed into the top five for the first time since his appointment.
The highest placed actor this year is Kenneth Branagh (18), after his first programme of shows with the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company at the Garrick.
Last year's list was topped by Sir Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, the co-founders of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG).
The pair had held the top position every year since 2009, making them the most successful entrants in the list's history.
However, they dropped to number 30 this year after stepping down from ATG in May.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Theatre producer Sonia Friedman has topped this year's Stage 100, a list of the UK's most influential people in performing arts. |
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