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Mr Carswell, the party's only MP, has denied trying to stop an honour for ex-UKIP leader Mr Farage. Mr Farage accused the MP of "working for the Conservatives" and called for him to be expelled from the party. But Mr Carswell, who defected from the Tories in 2014, said: "I'm 100% UKIP." The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the decision on Mr Carswell rests with the party's ruling 18-strong National Executive Committee. He added that he had been told the MP's future would depend on his "attitude". On Tuesday The Daily Telegraph reported that in an email about the attempt to get a knighthood the MP had suggested Mr Farage should settle instead for an OBE for "services to headline writers". Mr Farage was asked about his row with Mr Carswell on BBC Radio 4's Today on Wednesday, saying that he was "not particularly" interested in a knighthood. He said: "He (Mr Carswell) has been working against us since the referendum... working with his Tory friends." Mr Farage said that he had wanted to "get rid" of Mr Carswell, who won the Clacton seat at the 2015 election, for a very long time. He said he did not want a seat in the House of Lords and thought it unlikely he could be offered a post with US President Donald Trump. Mr Carswell said he had an "amicable" meeting on Tuesday with party chairman Paul Oakden and was happy to continue to represent UKIP in the Commons. He said: "Contrary to a lot of speculation, we had a very polite and amicable meeting. I think he has done a wonderful job as party chairman." Meanwhile, UKIP donor Arron Banks suggested on Tuesday he could stand against Mr Carswell at the next election. The two have different views about UKIP's future direction and strategy.
The row over whether MP Douglas Carswell blocked an attempt to get Nigel Farage a knighthood is being referred to UKIP's National Executive Committee, the BBC understands.
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Poor weather conditions forced the Solar Impulse craft to head back to Nagoya, Japan, to land. The aircraft, which set off from China on Saturday, had hoped to reach Hawaii by the end of the week. Pilot Andre Borschberg will now wait in Japan for better weather before attempting to continue . The plane will now be tied down and protected from the weather in a hangar, which is a large warehouse where airplanes are kept, while experts look for a new opportunity to cross the Pacific. Solar Impulse is attempting to make the first journey around the globe by an aeroplane powered only by the sun. LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 441km; in 13 hours and 1 minute LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,468km; in 15 hours and 20 minutes LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,215km; in 13 hours and 15 minutes LEG 4: 19 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,398km; in 13 hours and 29 minutes LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,459km; in 20 hours and 29 minutes LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing China - 1,241km; in 17 hours and 22 minutes LEG 7: 31 May. Nanjing (China) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,200km; journey aborted, plane diverted to Nagoya, Japan
A solar-powered plane has landed safely in Japan after being forced to stop its flight across the Pacific Ocean because of bad weather.
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Mark Strachan, 56, from Edinburgh, had denied falsely claiming travel and mileage fees on 341 instances between March 2006 and November 2010. Last year Strachan was sentenced to two years in jail. The latest order came on top of the £11,663.80 which Strachan has already repaid to the Scottish Legal Aid Board. The Legal Aid Regulations set out that if an advocate or solicitor travels more than 60 miles as part of their work (a minimum 120-mile round trip), they are entitled to claim their mileage plus a travel allowance. This is payable only once per day, regardless of how many cases the journey is undertaken. The Crown's position at trial was for many of the occasions when he claimed for travel, Strachan had not in fact undertaken the stated journeys between Edinburgh or Linlithgow and Aberdeen, but instead had only travelled to Aberdeen from his home at Insch, Aberdeenshire. Lindsey Miller, procurator fiscal for organised crime and counter terrorism, said: "Those who think they can profit from criminality should rethink their plans. "Strachan has not only repaid the full sum that he defrauded from SLAB, but his conviction opened him up to a full proceeds of crime assessment, which has led to the confiscation of a further £7,500 of unexplained income. "The confiscated funds will be re-invested in the community by Scottish ministers, through the CashBack for communities programme."
A lawyer jailed after being found guilty of fraud and attempted fraud of almost £50,000 has been made the subject of a £7,500 confiscation order.
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Anthony McCormick, 52, went missing from HMP Leyhill in South Gloucestershire on Thursday afternoon. McCormick handed himself in at a police station in south Wales on Friday night. He was sentenced to life in 1998 after being convicted of rape. A second prisoner who absconded at the same time is still missing. Nicholas Briggs, 28, is serving an 18-month sentence for a domestic assault. Police say he should not be approached and if anyone sees him they should ring 999 immediately.
A rapist who absconded from an open prison has been arrested.
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It blamed increasing urbanisation and unhealthy lifestyles for the rise in cases. The global average for the number of people suffering from the condition was about 40%, the WHO said. High blood pressure was often detected too late and was a silent killer, it added. If lifestyles do not change, more people in Africa could die from chronic illnesses, including diabetes and cancer, than infectious disease by 2030, the WHO said. The report's author, Abdikamal Alisalad, said the level of unhealthy habits in many African nations had come as a shock. "We were surprised because we thought we would not see this kind of situation currently. We were expecting it maybe 30 or 40 years from now," he told AFP news agency. He attributed the rise in non-communicable diseases to changes in developing societies. "People are moving from the rural areas, going to urban, metropolitan areas. The middle-income group is growing, life expectancy is also growing." Of the 34 African countries surveyed, Ghana, Nigeria, Seychelles, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe had the highest prevalence rate of high blood pressure. Treating non-communicable diseases is costly, so it is in the economic interest of every country to support prevention campaigns, says BBC Africa health reporter Anne Soy. Experts recommend eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, quitting smoking, drinking in moderation, reducing salt intake and exercising often.
Africa has the highest rate of high blood pressure in the world, affecting about 46% of adults, a World Health Organization (WHO) study has found.
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The match on Saturday, 22 April kicks off at 12:15 GMT and the TV coverage will also be streamed on the BBC Sport website. The other semi-final between Celtic and Rangers, also at Hampden, kicks off at noon on Sunday, 23 April. As well as live radio commentary, there will also be highlights on Sportscene on Sunday evening. Aberdeen and Hibs reached the semi-final courtesy of wins over Partick Thistle and Ayr United, respectively, while Celtic saw off St Mirren and Rangers thrashed Hamilton Academical. Saturday, 22 April Aberdeen v Hibernian (12:15 GMT) Sunday, 23 April Celtic v Rangers (12:00 GMT)
BBC Scotland will show live coverage of the Scottish Cup semi-final between Aberdeen and Hibernian at Hampden.
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On 22 January, a police officer is injured in a gun attack at a garage on north Belfast's Crumlin Road. Police say automatic gunfire was sprayed across the garage forecourt in a "crazy" attack. The officer was injured in the arm. A 36-year-old man was arrested. Police say the main line of inquiry is "violent dissident republicans". The number of paramilitary-style shootings in west Belfast doubled in 2016 compared to the previous year, according to police figures. The figures do not take into account three shootings in Belfast's Turf Lodge area since the start of January. On 15 January, police say a bomb discovered during a security operation in Poleglass, west Belfast, was "designed to kill or seriously injure police officers". The alert on the Brians Well Road began on 14 January and ended the following day. A judge on 6 January revokes the bail of a County Tyrone man facing trial on charges linked to the murder of prison officer David Black. Damien Joseph McLaughlin, 40, of Kilmascally Road near Ardboe, is due to stand trial in February. The court is told Mr McLaughlin had not been seen by police since November. A 45-year-old mechanic caught at a bomb-making factory on a farm will spend 11 years behind bars. Barry Petticrew was arrested in October 2014 after undercover police surveillance on farm buildings near Kinawley, County Fermanagh. Police found pipes, timer units, ammunition and high grade explosives in the buildings. On 6 December, a 25-year-old dissident republican is jailed in Dublin for five years. Donal Ó Coisdealbha from Killester, north Dublin was arrested on explosive charges in the run-up to the visit of Prince Charles to Ireland in 2015. He was arrested during a Garda operation when explosive devices, improvised rockets, detonators, timing units and Semtex were discovered. A man who admitted taking part in a paramilitary shooting in Belfast is sentenced to five years in jail and a further five years on licence. Patrick Joseph O'Neill, of no fixed address, was one of three masked men who forced their way into the victim's home in Ardoyne in November 2010. The man was shot several times in the legs and groin in front of his mother, who fought back with kitchen knives. The dissident republican group, Óglaigh na hÉireann, claimed responsibility for the shooting shortly after it took place. West Belfast man Joe Reilly, 43, is shot dead in his Glenwood Court, Poleglass home on 20 October. It is understood a second man who was in the house was tied up by the gang. The shooting was the second in the small estate in less than a week - the other victim was shot in the leg. Police later say they believe the the murder was carried out by a paramilitary organisation and there may have been a drugs link. Four men are charged on 26 September after police recovered an armour-piercing mortar during searches in Lurgan. They were arrested on 21 September by police investigating dissident republican activity in the area. Three men, aged 22, 24 and 46, are charged with targeting a former member of the security forces in the Craigavon area. A fourth, aged 22, is charged with the attempted murder of police officers. Dissident republicans form a new political party called Saoradh - the Irish word for liberation. Several high profile dissidents from both sides of the border were among about 150 people at its first ard fheis (conference) in Newry Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell appears in court in England charged with terrorism, fraud and drugs offences. The charges include making explosives and storing them in hides in England and Northern Ireland. He is also accused of possession of an adapted PSNI pass card and items of PSNI uniform. He denies the charges and is remanded in custody. On 6 September, searches in County Antrim linked to the investigation of Mr Maxwell turn up a "significant amount of terrorist material" including explosive devices and bomb-making components, police say. On 24 August serving Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell, who is originally from Larne, is arrested in Somerset. His arrest is connected to the discovery of two arms dumps near Larne earlier in the year. The 30-year-old is suspected of preparing for acts of terrorism. A major arms haul believed to be connected to dissident republicans is uncovered in County Armagh on 5 August. Firearms and munitions were found by police during a two-day search operation in the grounds of a former convent on the outskirts of Lurgan. The weapons that were discovered are believed to belong to the group known to as the New IRA. Police say they are investigating if a bomb found in Lisburn on 31 July had fallen from a vehicle. A controlled explosion was carried out on the object after it was found in Market Place. It was made safe and removed for examination during a security alert which lasted several hours. Police believe that pipe bombs found in Londonderry on 17 June could be linked to "violent dissident republican terrorism". The two devices were discovered in the Highmoor Road area of the city. The discovery of arms in a County Antrim forest on 17 May was one of the most significant in recent years, police say. A "terrorist hide" was uncovered at Capanagh Forest near Larne after two members of the public found suspicious objects in the woods on Saturday. Some of the items found included an armour-piercing improvised rocket and two anti-personnel mines. The threat level from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Great Britain is raised from moderate to substantial. It means an attack in England, Scotland or Wales is "a strong possibility". Home Secretary Theresa May says the level, set by security service MI5, "reflects the continuing threat from dissident republican activity". Fifteen men are arrested in Strabane after paramilitary displays at the funeral of Dublin murder victim Michael Barr. Barr, said to be a member of the New IRA, was shot dead in the Sunset House pub in Dublin on 25 April. A man dies after being shot three times in the leg in an alleyway at Butler Place, north Belfast, on Friday 15 April. Michael McGibbon, 33, was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he later died. Police have said Mr McGibbon had contacted them to say two masked men had arrived at his house on the evening of Thursday 14 April. The men asked him to come out of the house but he refused and the men told him they would come back. Mr McGibbon's murder has been referred to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. Police say his killing carried the hallmarks of a paramilitary murder. A murder investigation begins into the death of murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay, 11 days after he was injured in a booby-trap bomb attack in east Belfast. The device exploded under the 52-year-old officer's van as he drove over a speed ramp at Hillsborough Drive on 4 March. Days later, a dissident republican group widely referred to as the new IRA said it carried out the attack. In the immediate aftermath of the bombing, the Police Service of Northern Ireland say they are "deeply concerned" about the threat posed by dissident republicans ahead of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising later in the month. Mr Ismay was thought to have been making a good recovery from his injuries, but was rushed back to hospital on 15 March, where he died. A post-mortem examination found his death was as a "direct result of the injuries" he sustained in the bomb. In a statement to the BBC, a man claiming to speak on behalf of the Continuity IRA (CIRA) claims its members were responsible for a fatal gun attack on a Dublin hotel during a weigh-in for a boxing match, but Irish police (Gardaí) say they believe the motive for the killing was a criminal feud. The alleged CIRA spokesman claimed to the BBC that its members had shot dead 33-year-old David Byrne because he had been involved in the killing of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan in Dublin in 2012. Days later, police fears of a criminal feud appear to be realised as taxi driver Eddie Hutch is shot dead in a suspected revenge attack in his flat in Dublin's north inner city. In mid-February, The Sunday Times newspaper alleges that a CIRA paramilitary from Northern Ireland is believed to have been among the six gunmen involved in the hotel shooting at the boxing weigh-in. On the last day of the month, Alan Ryan's brother, Vinnie Ryan, is shot dead in Finglas, north Dublin. Irish police say Vinnie Ryan was also a well-known dissident republican, but they say they are not linking his murder to the gangland feud that killed David Byrne and Eddie Hutch. Dissident republicans have been dealt "a significant blow" by a weapons and explosives find in the Republic of Ireland, the Irish police (Gardaí) say. The weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles, mortars, detonators and other bomb parts, were discovered in County Monaghan, close to the border with Rosslea in County Fermanagh, on 1 December. Insp James O'Leary, of Monaghan police station, said the weapons would have posed "a very significant threat to security personnel on both sides of the border". On 15 December, a further arms find, described as a "significant cache" by Irish state broadcaster RTÉ, is made in County Louth. It has reported that the haul included AK47 assault rifles, mortars, explosive material, detonators, other bomb components and at least one revolver. It follows police searches at a home and lands in Jenkinstown, close to the border with Northern Ireland. A gun attack on police officers in west Belfast on 26 November, in which up to eight shots were fired, is being treated attempted murder. A number of shots struck the passenger side of a police car parked at Rossnareen Avenue. Two officers who were in the car were not injured but were said to have been badly shaken. Police describe it as a "mindless, reckless attempt to kill officers". On 23 November, police seize bomb-making components and ammunition during searches at Broom Close in Twinbrook and Glenwood Walk, Poleglass, in west Belfast. The haul includes 700 rounds of assorted ammunition, seven mercury tilt switches, detonator cord, firework powder and an assault rifle magazine. The threat to the lives of police officers from dissident republicans in the north west of Northern Ireland remains severe, a senior officer says on 6 October. Supt Mark McEwan said that from September 2014 there had been 15 bomb incidents in the Derry City and Strabane District council area. They included seven attacks on the police. On 10 October, a bomb is found in the grounds of a Londonderry ahead of a police recruitment event. The police recruitment event was cancelled. Two other police recruitment events in Belfast and Omagh went ahead despite bomb alerts at the planned venues. On 15 October, police said they believe that a bomb found in north Belfast may have fallen from a car belonging to a man with connections to the armed forces. The device was discovered at Linden Gardens, off the Cliftonville Road. It is not clear if the intended target was passing through the area or visiting someone there. Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said a young boy had kicked the bomb while it lay on the street. On 16 October police said a "military-style hand grenade" was thrown at a patrol in Belfast as officers responded to reports of anti-social behaviour. Police say the device, which failed to explode, was thrown at officers near Pottingers Quay. Dissident republicans were suspected of being responsible for the attack. Police say a mortar bomb found in a graveyard in Strabane, County Tyrone, on 1 August was an attempt to kill officers. The device was positioned where it could be used to attack passing PSNI patrols, police said. A bomb is found under a police officer's car in Eglinton, near Londonderry, on 18 June. Police said the attack was a "clear attempt to murder police officers". PSNI District Commander Mark McEwan said the wife of the officer concerned was also a member of the PSNI. Two bombs found close to an Army Reserve centre in Londonderry were left about 20 metres from nearby homes. The devices were left at the perimeter fence of the Caw Camp Army base and were discovered at 11:00 BST on 4 May. The two bombs partially detonated. About 15 homes in Caw Park and Rockport Park were evacuated during the security operation. A device found in north Belfast on 1 May was a substantial bomb targeting police officers, the PSNI said. A controlled explosion was carried out on the device at the Crumlin Road junction with Brompton Park. The PSNI blamed dissident republicans for the bomb and said it could have caused "carnage". Ch Supt Nigel Grimshaw said it was a "fairly substantial cylinder-type device" that was "designed to do one thing - kill". On 28 April, a bomb explodes outside a probation office in Crawford Square, Londonderry. Police said they were given an "inadequate" warning before the device went off. No-one was injured. A prominent dissident republican activist is remanded in custody charged in connection with comments he allegedly made at an Easter Sunday republican commemoration. Damien 'Dee' Fennell, 33, from the Ardoyne area of north Belfast, is accused of encouraging people to commit acts of terrorism. He is also accused of supporting a proscribed organisation. It follows a speech he gave in Lurgan, County Armagh, earlier in the month. A Londonderry man beaten with iron bars by a masked gang blames dissident republicans for the attack. Gerald Lavey, 30, said his children clung to him during the attack by up to six men at his home at Ballymagowan Avenue, Creggan, on 31 March. He said the gang dragged him from his living room to the front garden where he was beaten with iron bars and nails. Hours after the attack, a wheelie bin was set alight next to the house. On 26 March Derry men, William McDonnell, 28, from Culfdaff Gardens in the Creggan area, and Thomas Ashe Mellon, 39, from Rathmore Gardens, plead guilty to having a handwritten note which was being smuggled into Maghaberry Prison for dissident republican prisoners. It was a handwritten note for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism. A neighbour who went to help two men beaten with baseball bats in a paramilitary-style attack in Derry said they were left for dead. The men were beaten with baseball bats and iron bars by a gang of six to eight masked men who broke into a flat at Ederowen Park in Galliagh on 15 March. The victims suffered injuries to their heads, ribs and legs. It is believed one of the masked gang had a gun. A bomb is found is found during a security alert in the Curryneiran estate in Londonderry on 17 February. Police said they believe the bomb was intended to kill officers and that those who had left it showed a "callous disregard for the safety of the community and police officers". Some residents had to be moved out of their homes overnight. The alert started after phone calls claiming an explosive device had been left in a laneway. At least 40 dissident republican prisoners are involved in an incident at Maghaberry Prison on 2 February. Prison management withdrew staff from the landings in Roe House housing dissidents. A protest, involving about 200 people, took place outside the prison in support of the republican prisoners. Two men are arrested by Irish police investigating dissident activity, in Dundalk, County Louth on 13 January. A man in 40s was detained and a rifle recovered after a car was stopped and searched on the Point Road on Tuesday. A man in his late 50s was later arrested during a follow-up search at a house also in Dundalk. Police described the original stop and search of the car as a planned operation. On 8 January, the head of MI5 says most dissident republican attacks in Northern Ireland in 2014 were foiled. Andrew Parker said of more than 20 such attacks, most were unsuccessful and that up to four times that amount had been prevented. He made the remarks during a speech in which he gave a stark warning of the dangers UK is facing from terrorism. He said it was "unrealistic to expect every attack plan to be stopped". On 17 December, an eighth person appears in court charged over an alleged Continuity IRA meeting in Newry. Twelve people were arrested in Ardcarn Park in the city on 10 November. There is a "strong possibility" that dissident republicans will carry out attacks in the run-up to Christmas, a senior police chief warns. Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said violence from such groups posed a "severe threat" in Northern Ireland. "They are dangerous, they could do real harm and we will be working extremely hard over Christmas to tackle this threat," he said. On 22 November, a 29-year-old man is charged with having a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was arrested two days earlier on the Grosvenor Road in west Belfast on Thursday after police stopped a taxi and recovered an assault rifle and ammunition. Dissidents are blamed for shooting a 29-year-old man at a house in Londonderry. It happened at a house in Cecilia's Walk in the Creggan area at about 18:00 GMT 20 November. A baby, a five-year-old child, and the man's partner were in the house when masked gunmen burst into the kitchen. Dissident republicans are believed to have used a home-made rocket launcher in an attack on a police Land Rover at Twaddell Avenue in North Belfast on Sunday 16 November . It struck the Land Rover and caused some damage, but no-one was injured. Police described the attack as a "cold, calculated attempt to kill police officers". Irish police describe the seizure of guns and bomb-making material during searches in Dublin on 15 November as a "major setback" for dissident republicans. An AK47 rifle, a sawn-off shotgun and a number of semi-automatic pistols were found in searches in the Ballymun, East Wall and Cloughran areas of Dublin. The Irish Army carried out a controlled explosion at one search location where bomb components were discovered. Two men in their 50s were arrested. Police investigating "violent dissident republican activity" charge seven men with terrorism offences. On 14 November, Derry City Council holds a meeting over death threats against community safety wardens, believed to have been made by dissident republicans. The men were arrested at a house in Ardcarne Park in Newry, County Down, on 10 November. The men were aged 30, 43, 44, 58, 59, 73 and 75. Five of them were charged with directing terrorism. On 5 November, a Derry councillor and leading dissident republican is given a six-month prison sentence for causing criminal damage to the city's historic walls. Gary Donnelly, 43, from Iniscairn Road in the Creggan area, was charged with painting political slogans on the city's walls in February. Liam Brogan, 51, and Terry Porter, 56, both from Carnhill, also received six-month prison sentences. A device that hit a police vehicle in Londonderry on 2 November is understood to have been a mortar, fired by command wire. Dissident republicans were responsible for the attack, police have said. The attack happened on Circular Road in the Creggan Heights area at about 20:40 GMT. Police foil an attempted bomb attack in Strabane's Ballycolman estate on 23 October. Officers were lured to Ballycolman estate on 23 October to investigate reports of a bomb thrown at a police patrol vehicle the previous night. The alert was a hoax but then a real bomb, packed with nails, was discovered in the garden of a nearby house. Explosives and other weapons found in County Fermanagh on 10 October represented "a threat to the community", Northern Ireland's justice minister says. Police said a "significant" amount of explosives had been found and linked the weapons to dissident republicans. Buildings, vehicles and fields were searched at a farm in Kinawley. Dissident republicans claim responsibility for a device that partially exploded outside an Orange hall in County Armagh on 29 September. In a phone call to the Irish News, a group calling itself The Irish Volunteers admitted it placed the device at Carnagh Orange hall in Keady. Three men and two woman are jailed for taking part in a dissident republican training camp. Sean Kelly, 49, of Duneane Crescent, Toomebridge, was sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison, with an order to serve five more on licence. Sharon Rafferty, 39, of Cabhan Aluinn, Pomeroy, was sentenced to four years in jail and four on licence. Brothers Gavin Joseph Coney, 37, of Gorticashel Road, Omagh, and Terence Aiden Coney, 36, of Malabhui Road, Carrickmore, were jailed for five years and nine months. On 16 June, police investigating dissident republican activity say they have recovered two suspected pipe bombs in County Tyrone. Three men and a woman admit charges over a dissident republican training camp in County Tyrone. It was found at Fourmil Wood, on the outskirts of Omagh, County Tyrone, in March 2012. Sharon Rafferty, 38, from Cabhan Aluinn, Pomeroy, Sean Kelly, 48, from Duneane Crescent, in Toomebridge and brothers Aidan Coney, 35, from Malabhui Road, Carrickmore and Gavin Joseph Coney, from Gorticashel Road, Omagh will be sentenced at a later date. On 9 June, a man appears at Londonderry Magistrates Court on charges linked to dissident republican activity in the city. Thomas Ashe Mellon, 38, of Rathmore Road, Derry, is charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA, and with directing the activities of the IRA. On the night of 29 May, a masked man threw what police have described as a "firebomb" into the reception area of the Everglades Hotel, in the Prehen area of Londonderry. The hotel was evacuated and the device exploded a short time later when Army bomb experts were working to make it safe. No-one was injured in the explosion but the reception was extensively damaged. The man who took the bomb into the hotel said he was from the IRA. Two men jailed for the dissident republican murder of policeman Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon lose an appeal against their convictions. Brendan McConville, 42, of Glenholme Avenue in Craigavon, and 22-year-old John Paul Wootton, from Colindale in Lurgan, are serving life sentences. On 25 March, five men are arrested after a suspected bomb was discovered by police in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. The device was found in Kilcurry, north of Dundalk, near the border with Northern Ireland, as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity. 32 County Sovereignty Movement member Gary Donnelly is elected to the new Derry and Strabane super council. On 8 May, Dissident republican Seamus McLaughlin pleads guilty to charges connected to a foiled mortar bomb attack on a police station in March 2013. He pleaded guilty to having four "ready to deploy" mortars and an improvised explosive incendiary device with intent to endanger life. A substantial amount of explosives are found on 1 May by police investigating dissident republican activity in Northern Ireland. The discovery was made during searches of a flat in the New Lodge area of north Belfast. A 47-year-old man is arrested and later charged over the find. A prominent dissident republican is shot dead in west Belfast on 18 April. Tommy Crossan was shot a number of times at a fuel depot off the Springfield Road. Mr Crossan, 43, was once a senior figure in the Continuity IRA. It is believed he had been expelled from the group some years ago after falling out with other dissidents. On 1 April, dissident republicans are blamed for leaving a viable pipe bomb at Townsend Street in Strabane. Police say that a bomb found at a County Tyrone golf course had the capability to kill or cause serious injury. Bomb disposal experts made the device safe after it was discovered at Strabane Golf Club on 31 March. The operation followed information received by police that a device had been left in the Ballycolman Road area. An undercover surveillance operation is believed to have led to the seizure of an improvised mortar bomb in Belfast on 28 March. Police believe the operation may have foiled an attack. The bomb and a command wire were found in a holdall when police stopped a man at the junction of Shaw's Road and Glen Road in the west of the city. A Belfast man with known dissident republican links died on 28 March a week after he was shot in a Dublin gun attack. Declan Smith, 32, was shot in the face by a lone gunman as he dropped his child at a crèche on Holywell Avenue, Donaghmede. He was wanted by police in Northern Ireland for questioning about the murder of two men in Belfast in 2007. Mr Smith was originally from west Belfast but had moved to live in north Dublin. A bomb explodes inside a car parked at Carrickreagh Gardens in the Creggan area of Londonderry on 26 March. The man who owns the car said he did not believe dissident republicans were responsible. However, SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey said the attack "bears the hallmarks of the dissident group formerly known as Republican Action Against Drugs". On the night of 14 March, dissidents use a command wire to fire a mortar at a police Land Rover on the Falls Road in west Belfast. The device hit the Land Rover, but police said it caused minimal damage. No-one was injured in the attack, but as well as the police patrol, a car containing a Filipino family was caught up in the attack. The dissident group calling itself the New IRA said it carried out the attack and claimed the mortar used contained the military explosive Semtex and a commercial detonator. They claim both were newly acquired - in other words, not from old supplies previously under the control of the Provisional IRA. Earlier that day, an under-car bobby-trap bomb was made safe after being found on Blacks Road in west Belfast. The road was closed and residents had to leave their homes while the device, which is believed to have fallen off a vehicle, was made safe by the Army. Two letter bombs were found at postal sorting offices in Lisburn and Londonderry on 7 March. Both were addressed to the Maghaberry Prison, the largest jail in Northern Ireland. Seven letter bombs delivered to army careers offices in England bear "the hallmarks of Northern Ireland-related terrorism", Downing Street said. The packages were sent to offices in Oxford, Slough, Kent, Brighton, Hampshire and Berkshire. Three men are arrested and "a large sum" of counterfeit money seized on 3 February by police investigating dissident republican activity in Dublin. Four men who were in a car in a which a gun was found are jailed. Mark McGuigan was sentenced to 12 years, Daniel John Turnbull to nine years, Martin McLoone to eight years and Darryn Patrick McCallion to seven years. Each will serve half the term in custody and the rest on licence. During follow-up searches police recovered a sub-machine gun, a hand gun and ammunition from a vehicle belonging to Daniel Turnbull. Police said they believed the weapons were intended to be used in a dissident republican attack. On 9 January, it is announced that more than 1,000 prison service staff in Northern Ireland are to receive special annual danger money payments because of the threat from dissident republicans. An independent pay review body recommended that they should each be paid more than £1,300 a year on top of their normal salary. On 7 January, Old Bailey bomber Marian McGlinchey is given a suspended sentence for aiding dissident republican terrorists. McGlinchey, also known as Marian Price, admitted providing a mobile phone used to claim responsibility for the Real IRA murders of two soldiers at Massereene Army barracks in 2009. She also admitted aiding and abetting the addressing of a meeting to encourage support for terrorism. Shots are reportedly fired at Lisnaskea police station in County Fermanagh on the night of 23 December. Dissident republicans are blamed for the attack. Prominent republican Colin Duffy is one of three men who appear in court in Belfast on 17 December on dissident republican charges. On 16 December a man apparently trying to plant a fire bomb in a golf store in Belfast city centre bursts into flames and runs from the shop with his clothes on fire. On 13 December, a bomb in a sports bag explodes in Belfast's busy Cathedral Quarter. About 1,000 people were affected by the alert, including people out for Christmas dinners, pub-goers and children out to watch Christmas pantos. A telephone warning was made to a newspaper, but police said the bomb exploded about 150 metres away as the area was being cleared. Dissident republican group, Óglaigh na hÉireann, said they were responsible. On 5 December, two police vehicles are struck 10 times by gunfire from assault rifles while travelling along the Crumlin Road, near Brompton Park, in north Belfast. One Kalashnikov-type weapon is recovered after the attack. It is understood those behind the attack built a platform on Herbert Street, from where the shots were fired. On the following night, two shots strike a PSNI Land Rover on patrol on the Suffolk Road between the Stewartstown and Glen Roads in west Belfast. A bomb, containing 60kgs (132lbs) of home-made explosives, partially explodes inside a car in Belfast city centre on 24 November. A masked gang hijacked the car, placed a bomb on board and ordered the driver to take it to a shopping centre. It exploded as Army bomb experts prepared to examine the car left at the entrance to Victoria Square car park. No-one was injured. Old Bailey bomber Marian McGlinchey pleads guilty to providing a mobile phone linked to a Real IRA attack in which two soldiers were murdered. McGlinchey, also known as Marian Price, admitted providing property for the purposes of terrorism. The charge was connected to the attack on Massereene Army barracks in 2009. She also admitted aiding and abetting the addressing of a meeting to encourage support for terrorism. On 21 November, a bus driver is ordered to drive to a police station in Londonderry with a bomb on board. A masked man boarded the bus in Ballymagroarty estate Wednesday and ordered the driver to go to Strand Road police station. The bus driver drove a short distance to Northland Road, got her passengers off the bus and called the police. A former police officer is the target of an under-car booby-trap bomb off the King's Road in east Belfast. The man spotted the device when he checked under his vehicle at Kingsway Park, near Tullycarnet estate on 8 November. The man was about to take his 12-year-old daughter to school. Dissidents are blamed for a number of letter bomb attacks at the end of the month. A package addressed to Secretary of State Theresa Villiers is made safe at Stormont Castle, two letter bombs addressed to senior police officers are intercepted at postal sorting offices, while, a similar device is sent to the offices of the Public Prosecution Service in Londonderry. Five people with alleged links to dissident Irish republicanism appeared in court in Glasgow on 29 October charged with terror offences and conspiracy to murder. On 18 October a "viable explosive device" is found during a security alert in Lurgan. The alert in the Sloan Street area closed two schools, and caused widespread disruption in the County Armagh town. Police said they believe dissident republicans were responsible for planting the device. Kevin Kearney, 46, is found dead in a lake in Alexandra Park, off the Antrim Road, north Belfast, on 9 October. He had been shot dead the previous day. Dissident republicans said they killed Mr Kearney. Four men have been arrested by police following a hoax bomb alert on the M1 motorway on 7 October. The motorway was closed for a time between Belfast and Lisburn after a suspicious object was found on the Kennedy Way offslip. An appeal court in Lithuania overturns the conviction of a man jailed for attempting to buy weapons for dissident republicans. Michael Campbell was found guilty in October 2011 after an MI5 sting operation in 2008 recorded him attempting to buy explosives and guns. He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison. The appeal court judge found that prosecutors failed to prove his ties with the Real IRA. A 45-year-old man is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. The charges are linked to an investigation into dissident republican terrorism in north Belfast. Guns and ammunition are found in separate searches by police investigating dissident republican activity in Dublin and County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. Footage appears to show a dissident republican gunman firing at police during rioting in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast on 12 July. It shows the gunman firing towards police lines from within a crowd gathered at Brompton Park in Ardoyne. After the last of 17 shots rings out, youths clap and cheer. Irish police make what they say is their biggest ever find of dissident republican arms and explosives. Guns, ammunition and 15kg of Semtex explosive are found on land at the Old Airport Road in Cloghran, north Dublin. The arms include former Provisional IRA weapons, according to police. Eight men appear before two special sittings of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin charged with offences linked to a police operation against dissident republicans in the city. Seven arrested at a house in Tallaght on Wednesday were charged with membership of an unlawful organisation and have been remanded in custody. At a separate sitting of the court a 45-year-old Dublin man was charged with IRA membership and possession of ammunition. On 27 June, a 70-year-old man from west Belfast is sentenced to six and a half years for firearms and explosives offences. Thomas Maguire, of Suffolk Drive, was arrested in August 2011, when police stopped his car following a car chase. Dissident republicans issue a death threat against a woman journalist in Northern Ireland, according to a union. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the PSNI had informed the journalist about the threat. A gun and ammunition are found by police investigating dissident republican activity in Cookstown, County Tyrone on 10 June. Two police officers escape injury after two pipe bombs are thrown at them in north Belfast. The officers were responding to an emergency 999 call in Ballysillan in the early hours of 28 May. They had just got out of their vehicle on the Upper Crumlin Road when the devices were thrown. They took cover as the bombs exploded. On 22 May police recover a gun during searches connected to dissident republican activity in the Short Strand area of east Belfast. A bomb is removed from the Foxes Glen area of west Belfast on 17 May - the scene of a gun attack on police officers the previous day. Up to six shots were fired as three officers got out of their vehicle in the area on Thursday afternoon. No-one was injured. Sinn Fein says police warn Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of a renewed threat from dissident republicans Police investigating dissident republican activity seize contraband cigarettes worth £300,000 in south Armagh. A total of £50,000 in cash was also recovered. Detectives investigating dissident terrorist activity uncover guns and ammunition in Craigavon. The weapons and other items had been hidden on waste ground in the Pinebank area. A 50-year-old woman who shot dead an innocent man in Dublin because she mistakenly believed he was involved in the murder of a Continuity IRA leader is sentenced to life in prison on 10 April. Rose Lynch told police she "executed" David Darcy in November of 2011. Lynch described herself as "an IRA volunteer". On 7 April two men from Derriaghy, County Antrim, are charged with possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances. The weapon was recovered during a security alert on the Barnfield Road in Lisburn following a police investigation into dissident republican activity. On 1 April, police vehicles have come under attack from youths throwing stones and other missiles at a dissident republican Easter commemoration in Londonderry. Chief Constable Matt Baggott says dissident republican groups are trying to outdo each other. Mr Baggott said the groups are in competition when it comes to the number of attacks they carry out. He said that the "recklessness of their attacks is beyond measure". Police escape injury after a bomb in a bin exploded on the Levin Road in Lurgan on 30 March. Officers were investigating reports of an illegal parade in when the device went off near a primary school. Petrol bombs are thrown at police during follow-up searches in the Kilwilkie area. Police say a bomb meant to kill or injure officers on the outskirts of Belfast on 9 March may have been detonated by mobile telephone. Officers were responding to a call on Duncrue pathway near the M5 motorway when the bomb partially exploded. On 4 March, four live mortar bombs which police said were "primed and ready to go" are intercepted in a van in Londonderry. The van had its roof cut back to allow the mortars to be fired. Police say they believed the target was a police station. Three men are arrested. It is the first time dissidents have attempted this type of mortar attack. On 2 March, police investigating dissident republican activity charged a 23-year-old man with possessing items likely to be of use to terrorists. It was believed the arrest was linked to a security alert in Larne, County Antrim. On 26 February, the police and Army recover a rocket launcher and a warhead during a search of a house in Hawthorn Street, west Belfast. A PSNI spokesman says the weapons systems were "clearly intended to kill" and the recovery had "saved lives". On 25 February, two Cork men appear before Dublin's Special Criminal Court charged with firearms offences and membership of a paramilitary organisation. Brian Walsh, 43, and Anthony Carroll, 30, were arrested in Togher two days earlier when police stopped a car and recovered two handguns. On 8 February, Irish police find rocket launchers and explosives after they stopped two cars on the N24 in County Tipperary. Garda detectives say they believe the weapons were ultimately destined for Northern Ireland. Three men are arrested at the scene. Two are charged with membership of an unlawful paramilitary organisation while the third man is released without charge. At the end of the month, dissident republicans were blamed for two pipe bomb attacks in north Belfast within the space of 24 hours. On 29 January, the dissident republican group, Oglaigh na hEireann, claimed responsibility for planting a pipe bomb at a community centre on the Shore Road in north Belfast. The following night, a pipe bomb was thrown at a police vehicle at the junction of Oldpark Road and Rosapenna Street. No-one was injured in either incident. On 18 January, postal staff at a Royal Mail sorting office in Strabane, County Tyrone intercepted a suspicious package addressed to a senior police officer. The envelope, addressed to Chief Inspector Andy Lemon, was found to contain a small bomb. During the first week of the new year, a number of media outlets in the Republic report that paramilitaries had publicly issued death threats against Irish people serving in the British Army. The threats were allegedly read out in a statement on behalf of the Continuity IRA during a republican commemoration in Limerick city on 6 January. Irish police declined to comment. An off-duty policeman found a bomb attached to the underside of his car on the Upper Newtownards Road in east Belfast. The officer found the device during a routine check of his family car on 30 December, as he prepared to take his wife and two children out to lunch. Police said it was "clearly intended to kill the police officer". An Irish newspaper reported that a paramilitary plot to murder a British soldier as he returned to the Irish Republic on home leave had been foiled by Irish police. The Irish Independent said the Continuity IRA planned to shoot the soldier when he returned to County Limerick for his Christmas holidays. Four days before Christmas, a 27-year-old man from County Monaghan man was jailed for three years for possession of a car bomb that was left outside Crossmaglen police station in County Armagh. The device had been loaded into a stolen car and left outside the PSNI station on 3 April, 2010, where it failed to detonate. On the first day of the month, a prison officer was shot and killed on the M1 in County Armagh as he drove to work at Maghaberry Prison, Northern Ireland's high security jail. David Black, 52-year-old father of two, was the first prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland in almost 20 years. The killing was widely condemned by all main political parties and police said they believed dissident republicans had carried out the attack. On 12 November, a new paramilitary group calling itself "the IRA" claimed responsibility for the murder. The organisation is believed to have been formed during the summer of 2012, from an amalgamation of previously disparate dissident republican organisations. In a statement issued to the Belfast-based newspaper, the Irish News, the group said it had killed him "to protect and defend" republican prisoners. The following day, a bomb was found close to a primary school in west Belfast. Police said the device "could have been an under-car booby trap designed to kill and maim" and added they believed dissident republicans were responsible. Police investigate possible links to drugs and the involvement of dissident republican paramilitaries in the murder of Newtownabbey man, Danny McKay, who is shot dead at his home in the Longlands area on 25 October. A mortar bomb is found at a house in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast on 4 October. Thirty families are moved out of their homes for several hours after police discovered the device at the back of a house in Jamaica Street. A 21-year-old man is later charged with preparing terrorist acts and having explosives with intent to endanger life. On 24 October, the Home Office confirmed the threat level from dissident republicans to Great Britain had been downgraded from "substantial" to "moderate", meaning the authorities regarded an attack as possible, but not likely. However, on the same day the Home Office said the threat level in Northern Ireland remained "severe" with an attack by dissident republicans still regarded as highly likely. On 27 September, police in Dublin investigating dissident republican activity arrested two men after surveillance equipment was found in a hotel room overlooking a police station. It was believed the equipment was being used to record car registration plates and identify officers involved in operations against dissident activity. Craigavon man Ciaran Martin Collins, 35, from Drumbeg, was charged with having a semi-automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances after being arrested in a car in Lurgan. Two other men were released pending reports to the Public Prosecution Service. Security forces were the target of two bombs left in Londonderry on 20 September. A pipe bomb and booby trap bomb on a timer were both made safe by the Army. The pipe bomb was left in a holdall at Derry City Council's office grounds and the booby trap attached to a bicycle chained to railings on a walkway at the back of the offices. Dissident republicans were blamed for leaving the bombs. On 12 September, a 52-year-old man appeared in court charged with having guns and ammunition. Paul McDaid, of Sheridan Street, Belfast, was arrested after police stopped and searched a car on the A1 near Hillsborough. Leading Real IRA man Alan Ryan, 32, was shot dead in the Clongriffin area of Dublin on 3 September. In 2000, Ryan had been jailed over the discovery of a Real IRA training camp at Stamullen, County Meath. The Dubliner was said to be "very well known in criminal and republican circles both north and south of the border". Three men were subsequently charged over paramilitary displays at his funeral. Eleven republicans, including prominent Lurgan dissident Colin Duffy, were convicted of wrecking their cells at Maghaberry Prison. Each was given a 20-month suspended sentence for causing criminal damage in the jail's Roe House wing. On 31 August, two men appeared in court charged with firearms offences in relation to dissident republican activity in Newtownabbey. At the start of the month, police searched the Glen Road in west Belfast after dissident republicans claimed they fired a mortar at a police vehicle. The attack was claimed to have taken place at the same time as a gun attack on a police patrol on Friday 27 July. Although the gun attack did take place, police found no trace of any mortar and declared their search over on 3 August. On 26 July, some dissident republican paramilitary groups issued a statement saying they were to come together under the banner of the IRA. The Guardian newspaper said the Real IRA had been joined by Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) and a coalition of independent armed republican groups and individuals. However, police say the threat posed by dissident republicans has not been changed since the announcement was made. A gunman fired towards police lines from within a crowd gathered at Brompton Park in Ardoyne on 12 July. After the last of 17 shots rings out, youths clapped and cheered. No-one was injured. Scuffles broke out after dissident republican protesters blocked the Olympic Torch's planned route near the Guildhall in Londonderry on 4 June. It was forced to go a different way in order to reach the Peace Bridge. Two men later appeared in court over the trouble. Republican Action Against Drugs said it was behind a bomb attack on a police vehicle in Londonderry on 2 June. The front of the jeep was badly damaged in what is understood to have been a pipe bomb attack in Creggan. The police described the attack as attempted murder. Four people appeared in court on 19 May on charges linked to an alleged terrorist training camp in County Tyrone. They were Sharon Rafferty, from Cavana Linn in Pomeroy, Sean Kelly from Duneane Crescent in Toomebridge, Terence Aidan Coney, of Malabhui Road in Omagh and Gavin Coney from Gorticashel Road, also in Omagh. The court was told that approximately 200 rounds were heard being fired at the Formil Wood site on Gorticashel Road on 30 March, 2012. Bullet casings had also been recovered from the area. On 19 May three relatives of prominent Lurgan dissident republican Colin Duffy appeared in court in Lisburn charged with terrorism offences. They were Paul John Duffy, 47, from Ailsbury Gardens, Damien Duffy, 42, from Campbell Walk, and Shane Duffy, 41, from Kilwilkie Road. The charges included collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists, conspiracy to murder, and conspiring to cause an explosion. A number of guns found in north Belfast on 15 May were believed to be linked to dissident republicans, police said. They were found at Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area. Police say the find "undoubtedly thwarted attempts of these criminals to inflict death, injury and misery on the community of north Belfast". On 30 April it emerged that five men had fled Londonderry over the course of a week after being threatened by the vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs. A bomb was found under a parked car in a garage on the Ballygomartin Road in north Belfast on 28 April. Police said "the finger of suspicion points towards dissident republican terrorists". On 27 April police found a number of guns and ammunition during an operation at Ardglen Place in north Belfast A pipe bomb was left under a car belonging to the elderly parents of a police officer in Londonderry on 15 April. A number of homes were evacuated while Army bomb experts dealt with the device at Drumleck Drive in Shantallow. The serving PSNI officer does not live in the house. A fully primed 600lb bomb was found in a van on the Fathom Line near Newry on 26 April and made safe the following day. A senior police officer said those who left it had a "destructive, murderous intent". Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Finlay said it was as "big a device as we have seen for a long time". A paramilitary-style shooting in Londonderry was deliberately timed ahead of a rally against a dissident republican group, one of its organisers has claimed. An 18-year-old man was shot in both legs at Rinmore Drive in Creggan shortly after 22:00 BST on 26 April. On 30 March two men were convicted of murdering police officer Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon in March 2009. The 48-year-old officer was shot dead after he and colleagues responded to a 999 call. Convicted of the murder were Brendan McConville, 40, of Glenholme Avenue, Craigavon, and John Paul Wootton, 20, of Collindale, Lurgan. Two men arrested after an Irish police raid on a suspected dissident republican bomb factory were found guilty of possessing explosive substances on 24 February. Conan Murphy, 25, from Dundalk, and Philip McKevitt, 58, from Aghaboys, Louth, were arrested in Dundalk in May 2010.. On 16 February police in the Irish Republic recovered a handgun and three improvised explosive devices. The items were found near Celbridge, County Kildare, on Thursday during ongoing investigations into the activities of dissident republicans. Londonderry man Andrew Allen was shot dead in Buncrana, County Donegal, on 9 February. The 24-year-old father of two was shot at a house in Links View Park, Lisfannon. Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) later admitted it murdered Mr Allen who had been forced to leave his home city the previous year. On 9 February a 43-year-old Londonderry man admitted a car bomb attack at the city's Strand Road PSNI Station. No-one was injured in the August 2010 bombing, claimed by dissident republicans Oglaigh na hEireann, but several businesses were badly damaged. Philip O'Donnell, of Baldrick Crescent, pleaded guilty to causing an explosion likely to endanger life. He also admitted hijacking the taxi containing the 200lb device and falsely imprisoning the taxi driver. Strabane man Martin Kelly was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on 24 January for the murder of a man in County Donegal. Andrew Burns, 27, from Strabane, was shot twice in the back in February 2008 in a church car park. The murder was linked to the dissident republican group, Oglaigh na hEireann. Kelly, from Barrack Steet, was also sentenced to eight years in prison for possession of a firearm. On 20 January, Brian Shivers was convicted of the murders of Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey at Massereene Barracks in March 2009. His co-accused Colin Duffy was acquitted. Police in Londonderry believed dissident republicans were responsible for two bomb attacks on 19 January. The bombs exploded at the tourist centre on Foyle Street and on Strand Road, close to the DHSS office, within 10 minutes of each other. Homes and businesses in the city were evacuated and no-one was injured. A Scottish soldier found a bomb inside his car outside his girlfriend's house in the Ligoniel area of north Belfast. The soldier found the device while cleaning the car before going to pick up a child from school on 5 January. It is understood the device contained a trip wire attached to the seat belt. Police say if the bomb had gone off the soldier, and others in the vicinity, could have been killed. Dissidents admit they carried out the attack. A 59-year-old man was charged with possession of firearms and explosives in suspicious circumstances. He was arrested in County Fermanagh on 19 December. Republican protesters smeared excrement on the doors and windows of the Alliance Party headquarters in south Belfast. Earlier in the year members of the Republican Network for Unity occupied the building in support of dissident prisoners at Maghaberry. Northern Ireland Minister Hugo Swire warned about the possibility of dissident groups using upcoming centenaries for their own purposes. He says Stormont must take the lead to ensure those who sought to undermine the political process were not able to do so. A masked gang tried to shoot a man at a house in north Belfast on 9 November. Three men wearing balaclavas and armed with a handgun entered a property in Ardilea Street off the Oldpark Road. They held a man down and attempted to shoot him, but the gun failed to go off. Dissident republicans later said they carried out the attack. A bomb exploded outside the City of Culture offices in Londonderry on 12 October. A warning with a recognised codeword is understood to have been given less than an hour before the explosion in Guildhall Square. Security sources said the attack had all the hallmarks of dissident republicans, who damaged a door of the same building with a pipe bomb in January. The next day about 250 people took part in a rally in the city centre to protest against the attack. Three men were arrested after a car containing a bomb was stopped on the Buncrana Road in Londonderry on Monday 26 September. The men were remanded in custody after appearing in court later that week. The Real IRA was blamed for two bomb attacks near Claudy, County Londonderry on 14 September. One of the bombs exploded outside the family home of a Catholic police officer. No-one was in the house at the time. The other device was made safe at the home of a retired doctor who works for the police. Londonderry man Thomas Christopher Nash was jailed for seven years for hiding guns and bullets for dissident republicans. Nash, from Iveagh Park, Prehen, Londonderry admitted having a .22 calibre hunting rifle, ammunition and a silencer with intent on 9 August 2010. He also admitted having an imitation AK47 assault rifle and an imitation handgun with intent to cause fear of violence, and a canister of CS spray. Paddy Dixon, a former car thief who gave information to Irish police about stolen vehicles used to transport Real IRA bombs, suffered minor injuries in a pipe bomb attack at his home in County Meath. It is thought dissident republicans may have been behind the attack. It is understood Mr Dixon spotted the device just before it exploded and was able to back away from the full force of the blast. Mr Dixon had never entered the Witness Protection Programme. He is believed to have been living quite openly in Navan. Five men are arrested, by police investigating the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr, during a series of raids, involving 200 officers across three counties on 26 July. Clothing, mobile phones, computers and cars were taken away for forensic analysis following the searches in Coalisland, Toomebridge, Bellaghy and Ballyronan. The men were later released. Prominent republican Marian Price is charged on 22 July in connection with the murders of two soldiers in Antrim in March 2009. She was charged with providing property for the purposes of terrorism. The charge related to the murders of Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey at Massereene barracks. A mortar bomb and a quantity of cigarettes were uncovered during an arrest and search operation in the Etna Drive-Jamaica Street area of Ardoyne in north Belfast. Seventy families were moved from their homes during the security operation on 21 July. Irish police said they believed bomb components found in County Louth on 25 June were to be used for a device in Northern Ireland. The Irish army carried out a controlled explosion at a site in Hackballscross. Police described the find as significant and linked it to the dissident group Oglaigh na hEireann. Police said they believed dissident republicans were responsible after a photographer was shot during violence on 21 June in east Belfast. It happened during a second night of trouble at a sectarian flashpoint on the Lower Newtownards Road. Police said the trouble was orchestrated by the loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF. A pipe bomb exploded after being thrown into a house in Muff, County Donegal. A man who was inside was not injured. Dissident republicans are suspected of being involved. Two masked men throw a holdall containing a bomb into a Santander bank branch in Londonderry's Diamond just after midday on Saturday 21 May. Police cleared the area and the bomb exploded an hour later. No-one was injured. However, significant damage was caused inside the building. A grenade was thrown at police officers during a security alert at Southway in Londonderry on 9 May. The device, which was described as "viable", failed to explode. Two children were talking to the officers when the grenade was thrown. The mother of one of them said he could have been killed and whoever threw the grenade must have seen the children. On 30 April, Michael Patrick Finbar Johnston, 28, from New Lodge Road, in north Belfast, is charged with having articles for the purpose of terrorism and of preparing for acts of terrorism. He was arrested over the seizure of four bomb timers, a find that police linked to dissident republican activity. Three men are charged on 25 April with possession of firearms, preparation for committing acts of terrorism and possession of articles likely to be of use to terrorists. It follows the discovery of what police described as a "substantial amount" of machine guns and rifles in a vehicle in Keady, south Armagh. More weapons were found in separate follow-up searches in south Armagh and east Tyrone. Among them were Semtex explosives, a horizontal mortar, 25 kilos of homemade explosives, an automatic weapon, a silencer, ammunition, three timer power units, booster tubes and a detonator. The dissident republican group, the Real IRA, threatened to kill more police officers and declared its opposition to the Queen's first visit to the Irish Republic. A statement was read out by a masked man at a rally organised by the 32 County Sovereignty Movement in Londonderry on Easter Monday, 25 April. A 500lb bomb was left in a van at an underpass on the main Belfast to Dublin Road in Newry. The alert began on the night of Thursday 7 April and was cleared on Saturday 9 April. Several motorists drove past the vehicle on the Friday. Constable Ronan Kerr was killed after a bomb exploded under his car outside his home in Omagh, County Tyrone, on 2 April. No group claimed responsibility for the attack but dissident republicans were blamed. The 25-year-old had joined the police in May 2010 and had been working in the community for five months. Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott described Constable Kerr as a "modern-day hero". 1. March 2009, Massereene Barracks, County Antrim: Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey are killed as they collect pizzas outside their barracks. The Real IRA said it carried out the attack 2. March 2009, Craigavon, County Armagh: Constable Stephen Carroll, 48, is shot dead as he and police colleagues answer a call for help. The Continuity IRA says it shot the policeman 3. February 2010, Braehead Road, near the Irish border: The naked and bound body of 31-year-old dissident republican Kieran Doherty is found close to Londonderry. The Real IRA says it abducted and murdered him 4. April 2011, Omagh, County Tyrone: Constable Ronan Kerr is killed after a bomb explodes under his car outside his home. Dissident republicans have been blamed Source: BBC News reports (court cases and incidents south of the border not included) The PSNI described a bomb left near Londonderry courthouse as a "substantial viable device". District Commander, Stephen Martin, said a beer keg, left in a stolen car, contained around 50kg of home-made explosives. The alert started on the evening of Sunday 27 March. Irish police investigated possible dissident republican involvement in the shooting of three people in a park in Blanchardstown, Dublin on Sunday 27 March. Two of the injured men were shot in the body, the other in the head. A number of shots were fired at police officers at Glen Road in Londonderry on the night of 2 March. Police said it was an attempt to kill. On 18 February Sinn Fein condemned a threat they said had been made by dissident republicans against the brother of Pat Finucane as "beyond contempt". Gerry Kelly said the threat against community worker Seamus Finucane came from the dissident republican group, Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH). Irish police investigating the activities of dissident republicans discovered items they said could be used to make explosive devices. They were found during a search of a house in Barnstown in County Wexford. On 30 January two men arrested in Galway after police found guns and explosives were charged at a court in Dublin. They were charged with unlawful possession of an explosive substance, unlawful possession of a revolver and unlawful possession of ammunition. The PSNI confirmed two bombs were found in a security alert that started on the Antrim Road in north Belfast on 23 January and lasted several days. The second viable device was found behind a scout hall while the first found, an "anti-personnel device", was found outside a shop. On 22 January, the leader of the Irish Republic's main opposition party, Enda Kenny of Fine Gael, told the Alliance Party conference, if he was the country's prime minister, he would do everything within his powers to combat the threat of dissident republicans. Police in the Republic of Ireland questioned five men arrested in connection with the discovery of a "bomb factory" on a farm in County Kildare. A 22-year-old man appeared in court on 12 January in connection with a dissident republican bomb attack on a police station in Londonderry. A policeman found an unexploded grenade outside his home in County Fermanagh. The device was discovered at the property in Drumreer Road, Maguiresbridge, on 23 December. A terrorism charge against 40-year-old dissident republican Gary Donnelly from Londonderry was withdrawn on 22 December. In the Republic, three men from Northern Ireland were jailed for IRA membership on 15 December. Gerard McGarrigle, 46, from Mount Carmel Heights in Strabane was sentenced to five years in prison. Desmond Donnelly, 58, from Drumall, Lisnarick, Fermanagh and Jim Murphy, 63, from Floraville in Enniskillen, were given three years and nine months. They were arrested in Letterkenny in February after Irish police received a tip-off that dissident republicans were about to carry out a 'tiger' kidnapping. On 10 December, the Police Federation claimed the level of dissident republican terrorist activity in Northern Ireland was being played down by the police and government to make NI appear more normal than it actually is. A 21-year-old woman was charged with having a gun and ammunition with intent to endanger life on 5 December. The arrest followed a search in west Belfast by detectives investigating suspected dissident republican activity. Four men were arrested after an explosive device was found in a car near Dundalk, County Louth on 1 December. The device, described by police as a viable mortar, was made safe by bomb disposal experts. A meeting of the Derry DPP in the Guildhall on 25 November had to be abandoned after republican protesters blew horns and chanted slogans. A military hand grenade was used to attack police officers called to a robbery at Shaw's Road in west Belfast on 5 November. Three police officers were hurt and one of them suffered seri ous arm injuries when the grenade was thrown by a cyclist who then made off. The dissident paramilitary group Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH) said it was responsible for the attack. Two men were shot in the legs in attacks in Londonderry in the space of 48 hours - the first on Sunday 17 October, the second on Tuesday 19 October. A general purpose machine-gun and improvised mortar bomb were among the weapons found in a police search in a wooded area at Togher, Dunleer, County Louth on 11 October. Ten people were arrested after Irish police found weapons and bomb making material in raids in Counties Louth, Wexford and Waterford on 8 October. Two men later appeared in court while files were prepared for the DPP on the others. A car bomb exploded close to the Ulster Bank, shops and a hotel on Londonderry's Culmore Road on 4 October. The area had been cleared when the bomb exploded, but the blast was so strong that a police officer who was standing close to the cordon was knocked off his feet. Masonry and glass from smashed windows were strewn across the Culmore Road. Lurgan man Paul McCaugherty was jailed for 20 years for a dissident republican gun smuggling plot that was uncovered after an MI5 sting operation. McCaugherty was found guilty of attempting to import weapons and explosives. Dermot Declan Gregory from Crossmaglen, was found guilty of making a Portuguese property available for the purpose of terrorism. He was sentenced to four years. A 54-year-old Newry man was charged with seven offences including possession of firearms and ammunition with intent in the preparation of acts of terrorism after police discovered firearms including a "walking stick which could be turned into a gun" in the shed of a house. On 24 September, Home Secretary Theresa May said an attack on Britain by "Irish-related" terrorists is a "strong possibility". She was speaking as MI5 raised the country's threat level. The British and Irish governments again insisted they are not holding talks with the dissidents. The head of MI5 told a meeting of security professionals in London that the threat from dissident republicans is rising. Jonathan Evans said MI5 could not rule out the possibility of dissidents extending their attacks to Great Britain. Three children suffer minor injuries when a bomb exploded in a bin in Lurgan's North Street on 14 August. The bomb went off at a junction where police would have been expected to put up a cordon around the school. The explosion injured the children after it blew a hole in a metal fence. Three other alerts in the town were declared elaborate hoaxes. Chief Inspector Sam Cordner said the attack had "stark similarities" to the 1998 Omagh atrocity. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness told the BBC the British government has talked to dissident republicans in recent weeks, He also said the Irish government had been meeting with dissidents for years. A booby trap partially exploded under the car of a former policeman in Cookstown, County Tyrone, on 10 August. The man was unhurt in the attack, but it is the first time one of the latest series of booby-trap bombs detonates. A bomb is found under the car of a Catholic policewoman in Kilkeel in County Down on 8 August. It is believed the device fell off the car before being spotted by the officer. Irish police investigating dissident republican activity arrest five men in County Louth on the same day. Guns, ammunition and balaclavas are found in two cars during the operation. On 4 August, booby trap bomb was found under a soldier's car in Bangor. It was thought the device could have been planted by dissident republicans close to the base where he was stationed and he drove home without it being detected. It then fell off and he discovered it as he was about to leave his home. A car that exploded outside a police station in Londonderry contained 200lb of homemade explosives. No-one was injured in the attack, which happened on 3 August, but several businesses were badly damaged in the blast. On 28 July, an 18-year-old man was abducted in west Belfast and driven two miles away to the Lenadoon estate where he was shot in both legs. Police said a shooting at a house in Londonderry on 26 July could be linked to the vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs. Three men and a woman were in the property at Dunmore Gardens when four masked men forced their way in and fired two shots. Four men and a teenage boy were arrested on the Falls Road in west Belfast following an attempted paramilitary shooting at a house in the St James' area. The five were later charged with terrorism offences. The remains of an exploded pipe bomb were found in the grounds of a west Belfast police station on 22 July. The device was discovered at Woodbourne PSNI station on the Stewartstown Road. A bomb exploded between Belleeks and Cullyhanna in south Armagh, blowing a crater in the road and damaging a stone bridge on 10 July. Police viewed it as an attempt to lure them into the area in order to carry out a follow-up ambush. Dissident republicans were blamed for organising two nights of sustained rioting in the Broadway and Bog Meadows areas of west Belfast on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 July. Later rioting on 11, 12, 13 and 14 July in south and north Belfast, Lurgan and Londonderry is also believed to have involved dissidents. Scores of police officers were injured during the violence, which featured gun attacks, petrol bombs and other missiles being thrown. Five men were arrested after police stopped three cars near Omeath in County Louth on 10 July. Irish police suspected they were trying to move explosives across the border. One man was charged, while four others were released while a file was prepared for the DPP. Shots are fired at Crossmaglen PSNI station on 2 July. Dissident republicans said they were behind two similar attacks in December and January. On 30 June, two men were convicted of attempting to import weapons and explosives for use by dissident republicans. Paul McCaugherty, 43, of Beech Court in Lurgan and Dermot Declan Gregory of Concession Road in Crossmaglen, were caught in an MI5 sting operation. A Belfast court heard McCaugherty handled over bundles of euros in a specially adapted bag to an undercover agent, saying he needed "explosives, pistols, AK-47s, armour-piercing stuff, snipers, cords and detonators". A report by the Independent Monitoring Commission on 26 May said dissidents "remain highly active and dangerous". It said the threat was "very serious" but they were not able to mount a campaign like the Provisional IRA. Two men were charged with explosives offences after the discovery of an alleged dissident bomb-making factory near Dundalk on 22 May. Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said the find foiled an attack in Northern Ireland. A car bomb exploded outside Newtownhamilton police station, injuring two people. Local residents also reported hearing gunshots before the blast. Police chiefs said the threat from dissident republicans was higher than at any time since the Omagh bomb almost 12 years ago. Senior police officers believed rival factions in the Real IRA and Continuity IRA have increased co-operation and stepped up recruitment. There were five pipe bomb attacks on houses in the west of Northern Ireland in a week - two of them claimed by a group calling itself Republican Action Against Drugs. A car bomb was defused outside Newtownhamilton police station in south Armagh on Tuesday 13 April. A bomb in a hijacked taxi exploded outside Palace Barracks in Holywood, on Monday 12 April - the day policing and justice powers were transferred to Northern Ireland. One man suffers minor injuries. A two-day protest by dissident republicans at Maghaberry Prison ended on Easter Tuesday. The prisoners had barricaded themselves into a dining room. Police say a car bomb left outside Crossmaglen on Easter Saturday night could have killed or seriously injured anyone in the area. The bomb - made up of a number of flammable containers - was made safe by Army experts. On 12 April, the Real IRA leaves a no-warning car bomb outside MI5's Northern Ireland headquarters at Palace Barracks in Holywood, County Down. The blast is timed for the same day that policing and justice powers are devolved from Westminster to Stormont. An elderly man walking near the Army base at the time of the explosion is treated in hospital for minor injuries, but the bomb causes little damage. Dissidents were also blamed for a series of alerts in Belfast, Londonderry and on the railway line in south Armagh, which caused major traffic disruption on Friday 19 March. Shots were fired at police as they investigated the railway alert, although no-one was injured. On 24 February, the naked and bound body of 31-year-old Kieran Doherty was found close to the Irish border near Derry. The Real IRA said it killed Mr Doherty who, it said, was one of its members. Dissidents are also believed to have been behind a number of paramilitary-style shootings in the city in recent months. Two days earlier a bomb damaged the gates of Newry courthouse. Officers were evacuating the area when the bomb went off. Police said it was a miracle no-one was killed. February had begun with Irish police stopping a suspected attack by dissident republicans in County Donegal. A car was stopped at Cooladawson, near Stranorlar, and a man arrested. Three other men who were in the car ran off across fields. A gun was also recovered. In Belfast, 40 families were moved from their homes after a pipe bomb was thrown at a police station. Dissidents were also suspected of being involved in organising rioting in the Craigavon area at the end of the month. In Cork, cash, drugs and a number of suspected imitation guns were seized during a major operation targeting dissident republican paramilitaries. The operation followed a claim from the Real IRA that it shot dead a convicted drug dealer in Cork on 20 January. There was widespread condemnation in Londonderry over a campaign by the 32 County Sovereignty Movement. The group, regarded as the Real IRA's political wing, said it would picket shops that deal with the police in protest at stop and search tactics. A 33-year-old Catholic police officer was seriously injured in a dissident republican car bomb about a mile from his home in Randalstown, County Antrim. A PSNI spokesman said it was too early to say which group was behind the attack. The family of a Londonderry shopkeeper who sells smoking paraphernalia and "legal highs" said they believe he was shot and injured by dissident republicans on 27 January because of his business. On the last day of the month the Real IRA opened fire on a police station in County Armagh. No-one was injured in the attack in Bessbrook, but Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy said he condemned "this act of wanton intent and murder". Shots were fired at Crossmaglen police station on 30 December. No-one wa s injured. The body set up to monitor paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland said dissident republicans were more active than at any time in the last four and a half years. The Independent Monitoring Commission published its 20th report which said dissidents were directing their efforts to kill PSNI officers. Dissident republicans were also blamed for leaving a car containing a 400lb bomb outside the Policing Board's headquarters in Belfast. The car, which had been driven through a barrier by two men who then ran off, burst into flames when the device partially exploded. On the same night, shots were fired during an undercover police operation in the County Fermanagh village of Garrison in what police described as an attempt to kill a trainee PSNI officer. Five men were arrested by police on both sides of the border. Two of the men, a former Irish army reservist and an unsuccessful council election candidate, were later charged with attempted murder. One of Northern Ireland's highest profile judges moved out of his Belfast home over fears of a dissident republican threat against him. Mr Justice Treacy's £650,000 house was bought under the Housing Executive's Special Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings (Sped) scheme. Four men dressed in paramilitary style uniform and black masks fired a volley of shots over the coffin of a dissident republican who died in a Londonderry police station. It was believed that John Brady had taken his own life at Strand Road police station days earlier. The dissident republican vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) claimed responsibility for shooting and injuring a 27-year-old man in Londonderry. One of the police officers who went to the scene of the gun attack was knocked unconscious after he was hit on the head with a lump of concrete. The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr said police had warned him that dissident republicans were planning to murder him. Mr Paisley, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said officers contacted him to inform him of the foiled attack. A police officer's partner was injured when a bomb exploded under her car in east Belfast. The 38-year-old was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway of a house in the east of the city when the device exploded. In the same month a bomb exploded inside a Territorial Army base in north Belfast. The police confirmed that "some blast damage" had occurred inside the base off the Antrim Road and shrapnel from the overnight explosion was found in neighbouring streets. The PSNI said a 600lb bomb left near the Irish border in south Armagh was intended to kill its officers. The bomb was defused by the army near the village of Forkhill. Days later the Real IRA claimed responsibility for placing two explosive devices near their homes of a policeman's relatives in Londonderry. The first device exploded outside his parents' home while a second device, which was found outside his sister's home, was taken away for examination by the army. A group of armed and masked men, believed to be from a faction of the Real IRA, set up a roadblock in the south Armagh village of Meigh. They handed out leaflets warning people against co-operating with the security forces on either side of the border. Sinn Fein blamed the Real IRA for orchestrating rioting in north Belfast. At least one shot was fired at police and two blast bombs were thrown. Dissident republican protesters disrupted a meeting of the District Policing Partnership in Derry. Conor Murphy, a Sinn Fein MP and minister in Northern Ireland's devolved administration, blamed dissident republicans for an arson attack on his home in south Armagh. Dissident republicans were suspected of involvement in a petrol bomb attack on the Derry home of senior Sinn Fein member Mitchel McLaughlin. The Real IRA in Londonderry said it shot a convicted rapist in the legs, one of a series of such attacks in Derry during this time. Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, said dissident republicans had threatened to kill him. Two young soldiers were shot dead as they collected pizzas outside Massereene Barracks in County Antrim. Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey were killed just hours before they were due to be deployed to Afghanistan. The Real IRA was blamed for this attack. Within 48 hours a policeman, Stephen Carroll, was shot dead in Craigavon. He was the first police officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland since 1998.
BBC News NI takes a look at significant events involving dissident republicans since March 2009.
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Matthews, 19, is yet to play a senior competitive game for the Cherries while Close, 20, has played only four times for Pompey this season. The club has also confirmed that defender Reda Johnson, 28, has signed a new deal for the next three seasons. But defender Bondz N'Gala, 27, has left the club by mutual consent. Benin international Johnson joined in August and has scored three goals in 15 league appearances for Eastleigh. The Spitfires are 13th in the National League table, 11 points off the play-off places. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.
National League side Eastleigh have signed midfielders Sam Matthews and Ben Close on loan from Bournemouth and Portsmouth until the end of the season.
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The Portuguese Fado event encourages integration between the different communities in the town and celebrates Portuguese culture. There are an estimated 2,000 Portuguese nationals in Wrexham. Last month, Wrexham council signed a formal agreement with the Portuguese government to build ties. The festival, which has been given Big Lottery funding, is being organised by Iolanda Viegas who moved to Wrexham from Portugal 15 years ago. "The main aim is integration," Ms Viegas, a representative of the Portuguese Council of Great Britain, said. "We try for the Portuguese community to engage in the local community. "It's by going to these events that we realise we are all the same. "It's just one big community," said Ms Viegas who is also a representative on the Race Council Cymru and is director of the Portuguese Speaking Community Group in Wrexham. Wrexham council has been working to develop close relationships across its diverse communities since 2008 when it launched its Together in Wrexham strategy. Earlier this month, it signed a friendship agreement with the Portuguese government, reinforcing principles of "integration and collaboration", according to Councillor Hugh Jones, Wrexham's lead member for communities. "We readily agreed and we saw that as recognition that out community cohesion team has a really successful link with the Portuguese community. "We'd more than welcome similar protocols, if the Polish community came forward, we'd look at that in a favourable way." In spite of the work being done by community leaders, the local authority and the police, there were some hate crime incidents in Wrexham in the aftermath of the EU referendum result. Mr Jones said he felt confident such issues had now died down.
A folk music festival aimed at promoting community cohesion among people from different nationalities is being held in Wrexham on Saturday.
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The 81-year-old told police the haul was taken from his house at Blofield near Norwich between Wednesday evening and Friday morning. The thefts included his 1964 FA Cup medal, 1965 European Cup Winners Cup medal from his West Ham days, and his 1985 League Cup medal when he managed Norwich. "My wife and I feel violated," he said. Norfolk Police said a set of Winston Churchill gold medals, cash and jewellery were also stolen. "I had such a great time with both Norwich City and West Ham United and feel a huge amount of pride when I look back at my medals and to think that someone has entered my home and taken them hurts me a lot," said Mr Brown. "I have grandchildren who play football and I love being able to show them the medals when they visit. "They won't like to see their granddad upset but unfortunately that's how I feel at the moment." He continued: "My wife and I feel violated that someone could take items of such personal significance and I can only hope those responsible for doing this can see how pointless it is to take something that has no value to them and such great value to us." A Norwich City Football Club spokesman said: "Norwich City Football Club is shocked and saddened by the theft. "Hopefully the publicity surrounding the case will tweak someone's conscience and lead to the recovery of the items."
The former West Ham footballer and Norwich manager Ken Brown has had his cup winners' medals stolen in a burglary at his Norfolk home.
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The croft involved is currently under restriction while further testing is undertaken. A Scottish government spokesman said: "The source of the infection is under investigation." Although Scotland has officially been "TB free" since 2009, there are still cases. The designation requires less than a tenth of 1% of herds to have had the condition over the past six years. The cattle involved in Skye have been destroyed. The farmer affected by incident said in a statement through NFU Scotland: "This is an extremely worrying and very difficult time for me. "The cattle that tested positive on the farm have been slaughtered and further laboratory tests are now under way. "Waiting for those results is very stressful but I want to get to the bottom of this, get my herd restrictions lifted and get my TB-free status back as quickly as possible and I will work with the authorities to do that." A spokesman for NFU Scotland added: "This is clearly a terrible time for our member. "We are working with him and the authorities to ensure he gets the support and advice needed to help him get free of current herd restrictions. "Thankfully, such TB cases remain rare." A recent discovery of the disease in a badger in Cumbria appeared to cause concern to grow among farmers in Scotland . NFU Scotland said it would be a disaster if Scotland was to ever lose its Bovine TB-free status. Experts have been urging farmers not to panic, but to exercise high levels of biosecurity. Scotland is officially Bovine TB free, but that does not mean we are free of Bovine TB. Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show that there were 40 "new-herd" incidents in Scotland during the year to April this year. These are usually, if not always, caused by infected animals being imported into Scotland. Farmers who bring cattle from high-risk areas have to test more frequently. The sector is particularly concerned about protecting its valuable TB-free status since the disease was detected in a dead badger in Cumbria. But the risk of it crossing the border through wildlife is still much less than through cattle movements.
An outbreak of Bovine TB has been confirmed in a herd of cattle in Skye.
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The 25-year-old, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was run over and hacked to death by two men, in Woolwich, London, on 22 May 2013. The films show Fusilier Rigby drumming in his full military regalia in Windsor and dancing with his sister. His mother Lyn said she wanted people to remember the "son, brother, father, partner, uncle and comrade". She said: "It's three years since my beautiful son Lee was killed on a London street. I'd like people to remember Lee as his family and friends do. "That's why we've decided to release this footage of Lee filmed by his family, including clips of him smiling and trying to dance with his sister Sara. "Watching it makes me so proud of him." Last year, a memorial was set up for the drummer at the military barracks he was returning to when he was attacked. The two men convicted of his murder, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, told police during interviews after their arrest, that they targeted Fusilier Rigby because he was wearing a Help for Heroes hooded top and carrying a camouflage rucksack. Mrs Rigby has also written a book - Lee Rigby: A Mother's Story - to raise money for the foundation set up in his name. She added: "It is so important to me that people learn more about who Lee was, and not just know him because he was murdered in such a terrible way. "Lee was a normal, loving young man in the Army who had the terrible misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I'd like to use my son's name for good. No-one should have to go through what my family has suffered."
The family of Fusilier Lee Rigby have released home movies of him, ahead of the third anniversary of his murder.
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One baker took the gingerbread challenge a step further, recreating Westminster Abbey in London. The real Westminster Abbey is 69 metres tall and built from stone. Litsa Tunnah's recreation stands at 30 centimetres tall, and is made entirely of gingerbread and icing. Litsa says that the trickiest part was getting the whole structure to stand up, and being sure that the walls could take the weight of the roof pieces. It takes a steady hand, and lots of patience! It took Litsa two nights to finish the creation, and she's selling it to raise money for charity. And it's not her first massive bake - last year she made this spectacular recreation of Somerset House in London.
Lots of us bake gingerbread at Christmas, but have you ever made something as impressive as this?
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Iranian media quoted Adm Afshin Rezayee Haddad as saying the deployment was a response to US vessels in the Gulf. The fleet consists of a destroyer and a helicopter-carrying supply ship. It began its voyage last month and entered the Atlantic though South African waters, the IRNA news agency quoted the admiral as saying. The Iranian ships are reported to be carrying about 30 navy academy cadets for training along with their regular crews. They are on a three-month mission. Correspondents say that the voyage comes amid continuing efforts by Iran to to project its power across the Middle East and beyond. The semi-official Fars news agency said the move was a response to an increased US naval presence in the Gulf. "Iran's military fleet is approaching the United States' maritime borders, and this move has a message," it quoted Adm Rezayee Haddad as saying. A defence official in Washington was quoted by the Reuters news agency as casting doubt on Iranian claims that their ships were approaching US maritime borders. But the official added that "ships are free to operate in international waters". The US and its allies regularly hold naval exercises in the Gulf in order to preserve what it says is freedom of navigation in the waterway, through which 40% of the world's seaborne oil exports passes. The US Fifth Fleet - with about 5,000 personnel - is based in Bahrain, across the Gulf from Iran.
Iranian warships in the Atlantic Ocean are to sail close to US maritime borders for the first time, a senior naval commander has said.
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Both male and female cordon-bleu birds bob up and down while singing to their mates. Now, using high-speed video cameras, a team from Japan and Germany has spotted a remarkable quick-step that the birds perform mid-hop during this display. The research appears in the open access journal Scientific Reports. Because each bird's dance became more vigorous if its mate was on the same perch, the team thinks the vibrations might be adding a tactile element to the courtship ritual. Alternatively, the rat-a-tat flourish might be a musical accompaniment to the bird's song, or a visual display - or it might be a wooing strategy that targets multiple senses. "It's a really rare phenomenon that songbirds produce non-vocal sounds," said senior author Masayo Soma, from Hokkaido University in Japan. "Some species produce non-vocal sounds with their wings, but they usually don't use their feet." Non-singing birds are also known to perform elaborate dances that can include noises from wing or tail feathers - tricks that have, similarly, been unveiled by high-speed video footage. But the cordon-bleu's striking quick-step is something of a first. "It is very astonishing," said Manfred Gahr, co-author of the study, from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany. "Maybe more birds are doing it, but it just has not been seen." It was Dr Soma and her colleagues in Japan, he said, who first suggested turning a high-speed camera on the birds. "We work mainly on the songs. They thought it would be interesting to also study dancing, and they were right. It's a really fascinating feature." The team studied 16 blue-capped cordon-bleus - a species of waxbill native to sub-Saharan Africa. Eight males and eight females were paired up randomly for multiple two-hour sessions, totalling more than 200 hours of footage. "It wasn't very easy to record the behaviours because these birds are very choosy, and they only perform courtship displays to the individuals they like," Dr Soma told the BBC. So she and her student Nao Ota had to try a few different combinations - but eventually they got the footage they were after: nearly all the males and half the females were filmed, at 300 frames per second, performing their bobbing and singing displays. Watching the slow-motion footage for the first time was a big moment, Dr Soma said. "We were so excited! It was really interesting. I just kept thinking, this could be a good paper..." When they picked the images apart, the team established that the birds performed bursts of, on average, three or four very rapid steps. A single step lasted as little as six frames of high-speed video - or 20 milliseconds (0.02 seconds). The dance is all the more remarkable, Prof Gahr explained, because of everything else the birds are doing during the display: they clutch a piece of nesting material in their beaks, tilt their heads upward, bob up and down and sing - all while keeping an eye on their partner. "It's quite complicated, to do all that without falling from the perch - it's very acrobatic," he said, adding that the team wants to do further experiments to tease apart the cordon-bleus' show-stopping performance. "It could be that they do the step-dancing at a particular moment during the singing. That's what we hope to see in the future - whether there is some co-ordinated integration of these different motor activities." The researchers are also keen to observe the animals in the wild. Will Allen, a behavioural ecologist who studies sexual selection at the University of Hull in the UK, said the team had discovered a "very cool behaviour" but was keen to see it explored in more detail. "We already know that several non-passerine birds perform similar elaborate, multimodal duets, and that many passerines duet in song. What's new here is that there's a passerine species - a songbird - that is duetting in both song and dance. "This study is an important first step, but we don't know whether the receiver prefers mates that display these dancing movements, or even that the receiver is sensitive to them. There are some suggestions here that they might, but without an experimental-type design, we can't work that out." Follow Jonathan on Twitter
Scientists have glimpsed songbirds stamping their feet in a rapid-fire "tap-dance" that is invisible to the naked eye.
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16 June 2016 Last updated at 23:53 BST It can be an expensive trip for the fans, but some people have been able to do it on the cheap BBC News NI's Mark Simpson reports.
Thousands of Northern Ireland supporters have travelled to France to see their team take on the rest of Europe at the Euro 2016 tournament.
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Officials at Calgary Zoo are perplexed as to how the aquatic birds drowned in the Penguin Plunge exhibit and called it "devastating news". In recent years a number of animals have died in mysterious circumstances at the zoo. Earlier this year an otter died after becoming entangled in a pair of trousers given to him by his keepers. The dead penguins were discovered on Thursday morning in their holding area. The zoo's veterinary team examined all seven birds to determine the cause of death. There were 22 Humboldt penguins within the colony, though three other species of penguin live in the zoo exhibit. Jamie Dorgan, director of animal care at the zoo, said something may have sparked a frantic panic among the penguins that could have prevented the seven penguins from being able to surface for air. He said the zoo is scouring through camera footage from in and around the penguin exhibit to see if there are any clues as to what may have spooked the birds. The back holding area where the penguins were found is not monitored by cameras. In February, Logan, a 12-year-old American river otter, drowned at Calgary Zoo after being given a pair of trousers to play with by a zookeeper in its enclosure as an "unauthorised enrichment item". The otter became tangled in the trousers and drowned. Two staff members were disciplined for the otter's death. In 2009, a giant capybara was crushed to death in a holding area when a zoo worker closed a hydraulic door. In 2011, a zookeeper resigned after failing to follow animal-handling instructions that resulted in the death of a corn snake from hyperthermic shock. But Mr Dorgan said that despite those deaths, the Calgary Zoo is in line with international standards and passes regular inspections. "I'm very comfortable with our record of animal care and I'm very comfortable to hold it up to any animal organisation on Earth," he said. "If something happens like this, we don't take it lightly."
A zoo in Canada is investigating the drowning of seven of its Humboldt penguins.
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The MSP has questioned whether Mr Corbyn could do the leader job without the support of Westminster colleagues. In July he lost a vote of confidence among Labour MPs by 172 to 40. Mr Corbyn is hoping to retain the leadership by beating challenger Owen Smith. The winner of the contest will be announced on 24 September. Speaking to BBC Scotland, Mr Anderson said senior figures in the party should accept the membership vote if Mr Corbyn were to win. He admitted leading an effective opposition would be harder without the support of Ms Dugdale and most MPs, but he believed it was the duty of the party to make the situation work. Mr Anderson, the MP for Blaydon in the north east of England, became shadow Scottish secretary after Scotland's only Labour MP, Ian Murray, quit the post. The Edinburgh politician resigned days after the EU referendum, saying Mr Corbyn was not the right person to lead a Labour revival. At the time, he told the BBC: "He's a decent human being, a lovely man who I get on incredibly well with. But he just can't lead the Labour Party and I don't think the public think he can be prime minister." On Thursday, Mr Anderson said he would be happy to step down from his shadow position if Mr Murray wanted it back.
Labour's Shadow Scottish Secretary Dave Anderson has urged the party's leader in Scotland, Kezia Dugdale, to back Jeremy Corbyn if he is re-elected.
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Geoff Seggie was found dead at his home in Marylebone Crescent, Mackworth, during the night on 1 December. Mr Seggie, 59, described by his family as a "hero", had suffered multiple stab wounds, Derbyshire Police said. Daniel Seggie, who lived at the same address, admitted murder at Nottingham Crown Court and is due to be sentenced on 31 May.
A 31-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering his father at the house they shared.
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Australia is part of an international military coalition targeting IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. Three air strikes were made on Monday, destroying an IS armoured personnel carrier and a crude oil collection point, the US said in a statement Australia's air force has been bombing IS targets in Iraq for about 12 months. Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott last week confirmed the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) would extend its action from Iraq into Syria at the request of the US, as he also announced that Australia would accept 12,000 Syrian refugees from persecuted minorities. The UK, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and France were some of the other nations who took part in the most recent bombing raids, according to the statement issued by the US Central Command. Fifteen air strikes were carried out in Iraq, using attack, bomber, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft, it said. Australia's Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said two RAAF hornets identified the personnel carrier, hidden in an IS compound. "One of the Hornets employed a precision guided weapon to destroy the target," said Mr Andrews. "This was done from a distance or height that preserved the safety of the Australian aircraft," he said. "We work within very strict rules of engagement, and those rules of engagement are to ensure as far as possible that we don't have unwanted civilian casualties."
The Australian government has confirmed it has launched its first air strikes inside Syria against targets of the so-called Islamic State (IS).
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Mr Michel said talks with Wallonia and two other elected bodies had failed. His comments appeared to dash hopes the Ceta deal could be signed on Thursday but European Council President Donald Tusk said it was still possible. This is the EU's most ambitious free trade deal to date but Belgium needs its regions' approval to sign it. Mr Michel said he had told Mr Tusk that Belgium could not sign Ceta (the acronym for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement). The other 27 EU governments want to sign the agreement, which has been in the pipeline for seven years. The European Commission had set Belgium a Monday deadline to make its decision on the deal. In a tweet on Monday, Mr Tusk wrote: "Together with (Canadian) PM @JustinTrudeau, we think Thursday's summit still possible. We encourage all parties to find a solution. There's yet time." For the deal to pass, Belgium's federal, regional and community bodies (seven in all) must give their approval. Wallonia, a staunchly socialist region of 3.6 million people, has led objections to the deal, demanding stronger safeguards on labour, environmental and consumer standards. But at talks with Mr Martin on Monday, it emerged that two other bodies, Brussels and that of the French-speaking community, also opposed Ceta. The Belgian socialists' fears echo those of anti-globalisation activists, who say Ceta and deals like it give too much power to multinationals - power even to intimidate governments. There have also been big demonstrations in several EU countries against Ceta and the TTIP trade talks between the EU and the US. On Sunday, the European Commission presented a new clarification to Wallonia on the mechanism for settling disputes with investors. The rules for trade arbitration are one of the thorniest issues in the deal. But Belgium's RTBF news reported (in French) that the latest EU document did not satisfy the Walloon politicians. Canada and the EU would eliminate 98% of tariffs under Ceta, which was negotiated over five years between 2009 and 2014. Supporters say this would increase trade between them by 20%, and would especially help small businesses. Critics say the deal threatens product standards and protects big business, allowing corporations to sue governments. Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland was bitterly disappointed on Friday when talks with Wallonia broke down and she flew home, during an EU summit in Brussels. 98% The number of tariffs between the EU and Canada that would be eliminated €500 million The estimated amount that EU exporters would save in duties annually 3.6m The population of Wallonia 36.3m The population of Canada 508m The population of the EU On Monday, Wallonia's regional leader Paul Magnette warned: "We will never decide anything under an ultimatum or under pressure." His counterpart in Belgium's Dutch-speaking Flanders region, Geert Bourgeois, said the blockage was "a real shame". "We're the laughing stock of the whole world," said the centre-right leader, quoted by Reuters news agency. "It's bad for Wallonia, for Flanders, for Belgium, for Europe, for the whole world." Some UK politicians see Ceta as a potential model for a Brexit trade deal with the EU. Ceta does not involve EU-style free movement of labour. But for British services - 80% of the UK economy - the Ceta terms are less favourable than those they have now.
Belgium cannot sign a key EU trade deal with Canada, Prime Minister Charles Michel has said, because of objections led by its Wallonia region.
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Cars carrying Mr Sisi and other officials drove down the red carpet on Saturday as they were visiting projects in 6 October City, a suburb of Cairo. Several commentators questioned the apparent extravagance, just as the president was making a speech about the need to cut government subsidies. The military said the carpet was meant to give joy to the Egyptian people. Criticism of Mr Sisi, a former military chief who led the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013, is rare in mainstream Egyptian media. But media personalities and activists mocked the fact that pictures of the presidential motorcade driving down a road covered in red carpet were broadcast shortly before Mr Sisi gave a speech in which he warned the state could not continue subsidising water and electricity bills for low-income families. Youssef al-Husseini, a presenter on the private ON TV, asked: "How could you reach such a level of hypocrisy by rolling out red carpets on the streets for the president's motorcade? Could we not have spent the money on buying duvets for people freezing in the cold?" Haytham Muhammadayn, a member of the Revolutionary Socialist movement, posted a screengrab on Facebook with the comment: "Sisi is trampling on the people's money." However, the deputy head of the military's moral affairs department, Brig Ihab al-Qahwaji, stressed that the carpet was only made of light cloth and had been used for more than three years. "The carpet is not expensive, and it was used before and will be used in other coming ceremonies," he told CBC TV on Sunday. "We want to give the impression that Egypt is moving in the right direction, and we want to present a bit of joy to our people," he added.
The use of a red carpet for the motorcade of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has provoked criticism in Egypt.
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Desborough Town Council was met with anger when it increased the annual levy from £19.10 to £96.98. More than 250 residents have since backed calls for the vote of no confidence. Councillors argued that the money is needed to fund a "truly wonderful future for Desborough". Kevin O'Brien, who proposed the motion, said residents agreed to formally call for the vote, which will now be submitted to Kettering Borough Council for permission. Should it be approved, the campaigners say they could have a poll as soon as June. Mr O'Brien said: "It will hopefully lead to more consultation with the town council." The town council published a long statement defending the decision.
Hundreds of residents have called for a vote of no confidence in their town council following a 400% increase in council tax.
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He exceeded expectations in his first campaign by securing a Europa League place after finishing third in the league behind champions Dundalk and Cork City. But the 60-year-old former Kilmarnock boss believes Derry should have reached at least one final in 2016 - something he hopes to put right this time around. "We let ourselves down a bit losing at home to Limerick in the League Cup semi-final and we were unfortunate to go out against Dundalk after a replay in the semi-final of the FAI Cup," said Shiels. It has been a mixed bag for Shiels in the transfer market as they get ready to kick-off against Bohemians at Dalymount Park on Friday night. I want to win some silverware and our best hope is probably one of the two cups Defender Niclas Vemmulund and midfielder Conor McCormack have departed to join rivals Dundalk and Cork respectively. On the plus side, Mark Timlin has returned after a year with St Patrick's Athletic and Northern Ireland Under-21 striker Mikhail Kennedy, along with Scottish midfielder Nicky Lowe, have joined on loan deals until the summer. Israeli central defender Alon Netzer has become the latest arrival on Foyleside. Perhaps, Shiels' best piece of business was to retain the services of highly-rated central defender Aaron Barry despite interest from several other clubs. Former Northern Ireland international Rory Patterson will be expected to provide the bulk of their goals. But 20 years on from their last league championship success under manager Felix Healy, Shiels says a tilt at the title is unlikely. "We are trying to grow a team, rather than purchase a team, to win the league," said Shiels. "It is going to be difficult to reach the top four but we will try. I want to win some silverware and our best hope is probably one of the two cups." In some respects, Derry City are about to embark on a season like never before. The re-development of the Brandywell Stadium means the club have had to relocate to Maginn Park in Buncrana, County Donegal for the 2017 campaign. The first game there will be against newly-promoted Limerick on 3 March. When the club does return to the Lone Moor Road in 12 months' time, it will be transformed into a 3G pitch and new stand. The Showgrounds in Sligo would appear the most likely option to stage their Europa League game in July. "The players are really looking forward to playing at Maginn", said 21-year-old former Spurs trainee Aaron McEneff, the driving force in City's midfield. "The surface is unbelievable there and, as it's a tight ground, the fans will be close to the pitch so it should create a good atmosphere. "It is a change and I think we're all excited about it to be honest." The decision by the FAI to go ahead with re-structuring plans for the 2018 season means the upcoming campaign will be fraught with danger for top-tier clubs. The bottom three teams will be relegated automatically this term with only the First Division champions coming up in order to establish a two-division, 10-team structure. It's been a contentious decision - which has not gone down well with a lot of clubs - but it will make for one of the most exciting campaigns in years. Half the division could enter the final weeks of the campaign fighting for their lives. At the other end, the race for the title will most likely be another duel between Dundalk and Cork which has developed into a fascinating rivalry in recent year. Stephen Kenny's Lilywhites are on the brink of equalling Shamrock Rovers' four-in-a-row heroics of the 1980's. European funds have strengthened their position although they have lost Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle to Preston and Ronan Finn to the Hoops from their title-winning side. Derry would do well to match last season's third-place finish but fourth could be enough to ensure another European campaign when they return home to Brandywell in 2018. Bohemians v Derry City will be live on BBC Radio Foyle 93.1FM on Friday night. Coverage starts at 19:30 GMT presented by Dessie McCallion with commentary from Eric White and former City striker Liam Coyle.
Kenny Shiels embarks on his second season as Derry City manager aiming to land a major trophy.
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Some of the 36 denarii were discovered by Eric Soane using a metal detector during a clean up of discarded tent pegs after last year's Belladrum. A dig led by archaeologist Dr Fraser Hunter uncovered the rest of what was the first Roman coin hoard to be discovered in the Beauly area. Some of the coins date from the mid-Second Century. They will be on permanent display at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery from 16 July. Festival promoter Joe Gibbs said: "Left-behind tent pegs can be dangerous to stock and can damage machinery. "We like to get rid of as many as possible. But it was an unexpected bonus to find the coins." He added: "Heavy metal isn't generally a genre we go in for at Belladrum, but perhaps we should revise that as clearly there is a precedent, albeit 2000 years ago."
A Roman coin hoard has been found at the site of a major Highland music festival, it has emerged.
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Media playback is not supported on this device Edmund, making only his second Davis Cup appearance, won 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to give Britain, who were without Andy Murray, an unassailable 3-1 lead. Britain will now play Argentina at home in September as they aim to defend the title they won in Belgium last year. Following Edmund's win, James Ward lost 6-2 3-6 7-5 to Janko Tipsarevic to make the final score 3-2 to Britain. Edmund, 21, was playing as Britain's top-ranked singles player after Murray chose to sit out the tie following his Wimbledon success. It was the first time Britain have won a World Group match in the Davis Cup without their number one player. Facing Lajovic, the highest ranked player in Serbia's squad following Novak Djokovic's decision to miss the tie, Edmund produced one of the best performances of his career, hitting 27 forehand winners and 39 in total. The world number 67 served for the match at 5-4 but Lajovic broke back before the Yorkshireman rallied to take the match on a tie-break. "You want to win for your country," said Edmund. "When you know what is at stake... I'm so pleased that I've won." Edmund had beaten Tipsaveric in the first singles rubber on Friday to give Britain a 1-0 lead. Lajovic then beat Ward in the second singles match on Saturday before Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot put Britain in front again with victory in the doubles. Team captain Leon Smith has now won 14 of his 16 Davis Cup matches since taking the job in 2010. He was full of praise for Edmund's performances this year and last. "I have seen Kyle develop a lot," said Smith. "To get your first Davis Cup win is something, to get two in one weekend is something very special indeed." Former Great Britain Davis Cup captain John Lloyd: "It was a gutsy performance and Kyle had faith in his game. He didn't pull back, he stood firm and withstood Lajovic's best games at the end. "That will mean so much that Kyle came through in that sort of pressure. What that could do for his career is amazing." Former Great Britain Davis Cup player Jamie Baker: "He was rock-solid at the end. He's never been in a situation like that before. "His forehand, in terms of pace and what he can do with it is in the top five, of the world but he can always improve his movement." Britain will face Argentina in the last four after the South Americans completed a 3-1 away victory against Italy. France - featuring Wimbledon doubles champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, as well as singles quarter-finalists Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - beat the Czech Republic 3-1. They will face Croatia, who came from 2-0 down to beat the United States.
Kyle Edmund took Great Britain into the Davis Cup semi-finals with victory over Serbia's Dusan Lajovic in Belgrade.
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He suggested the current set of proposals left too many powers in Westminster. The draft Wales Bill would give new powers to the assembly over energy, transport and its own elections. Critics like the Welsh government have said the bill risks rolling back on the current devolution settlement. The bill was published as a draft so it could be "improved", Mr Crabb said, and there was "bags and bags of time" to make changes before the bill goes through parliament. "I do expect the final piece of legislation that gets Royal Assent to be significantly different from the draft, but let's see how people use this time to come forward with ideas," he told AMs. The bill uses a reserved powers model which lists the powers that will be reserved to Westminster and assumes everything else is the responsibility of the assembly. Asked about the list of reservations, he said: "I think the list of reservations is too long. I think the whole point of having a draft bill is we can have a look at that and do some work together to try to bring that down." Giving examples of things that Westminster would reserve responsibility for, he said he was "surprised to see hovercrafts mentioned". The final list of reserved matters would be "considerably shorter than the one that's in this draft text", he said. But he said the bill was "a big step forward in terms of providing clarity" about which matters were decided in Cardiff Bay and what stayed in Westminster.
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said he expects to make big changes to proposals for the next stage of devolution before they come into law.
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Tries from John Barclay, John Hardie and Tommy Seymour, with Greig Laidlaw kicking 21 points, brought a welcome 36-20 win over Italy in Rome. Scotland next play France at home before an away trip to Ireland. "If we keep the desire to improve, that attitude will move us forward," said Cotter after his first Six Nations win. "We wanted to improve and I think we can improve from this game. We can become better again. "This will give us a bit more confidence to keep working and being a bit more accurate and re-enforcing the things we have done well. "It was an important win. We will enjoy this evening and then next week turn our heads towards the French game. Media playback is not supported on this device "We are certainly getting something from our hard work and stubbornness and desire to get better. For some of these guys it was a first Six Nations win so it will do them some good." Five of the starting team - Finn Russell, Mark Bennett, Jonny Gray, Willem Nel and John Hardie - as well as replacements Stuart McInally, Tim Swinson, Josh Strauss and Peter Horne - enjoyed their first Six Nations victory, plus Cotter himself - at the eighth attempt. "Credit to the players - I thought they put in a good effort," Cotter added. "They were numbers down on a couple of occasions and they battled hard to fight out the win and score a try at the end. "It was by no means an easy game. We got into an early lead but they came back as we expected. I am happy for the players. They prepared well and got the win so it's good." Captain Greig Laidlaw, who was named man-of-the-match after landing eight kicks from nine shots at goal, was relieved to be finally celebrating a Six Nations victory. "There is no happier Scot than me," he told BBC Scotland. "It's been a long time coming, hasn't it? "I really felt we deserved to win - we were the better team. We scored 36 points, but as much as our attacking play was good, we were camped on our line a couple of times and kept Italy at bay, so I am delighted with the character of the side. "There are always going to be times in a game when you are under a bit of pressure, and the most pleasing thing was we were calm and in control in defence. "Credit to the boys in the scrum. The platform they gave us was second-to-none. "For us as a collective, it is brilliant. It gives us confidence in the way we play. We didn't scrape home, we finished the game in style. "We can't wait to get back to Murrayfield now and play at home." Flanker Barclay, who scored the first try, paid tribute to Laidlaw's leadership in the wake of opening defeats by England and Wales. "Greig was great," he added. "He kept the boys together and kept us upbeat. It is a good bunch of boys - the best I have been involved with. "There has been a lot of false dawns over this team so we need to keep working hard and keep improving."
Scotland are showing the attitude that will drive them to improve more after winning their first Six Nations match in two years, says coach Vern Cotter.
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His wife, who was hurt in the incident, was taken to hospital by air ambulance with serious injuries. The incident happened at Finsbury Terrace, Brynmill, on Sunday morning and police are appealing for any witnesses to call 101. The alarm was raised after a neighbour spotted the couple trapped beneath the vehicle. "I immediately rang 999 and told the operator they would need to get all the emergency services here. It looked very serious," the neighbour said. "The couple had just come back from shopping when they were run over by their own car. "It's awful, they were a lovely couple."
The man killed by a runaway car in Swansea has been formally identified as 63-year-old Hazim Ali.
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The Popular Mobilisation (Hashd al-Shaabi) declared it had taken control of the road between Tal Afar and Sinjar after linking up with Kurdish forces. IS militants still control the section of the road between Tal Afar and Mosul. Meanwhile, an air strike reportedly hit another bridge in Mosul, as troops advanced further into eastern areas. There is now only one functioning bridge left spanning the River Tigris, which flows through the city. About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the five-week-old offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. The Popular Mobilisation, which is dominated by Iranian-backed Shia militias, said it had cut the road between the IS-held town of Tal Afar, 50km (31 miles) from Mosul, and Kurdish-controlled town of Sinjar, 45km (28 miles) further west, on Wednesday afternoon. A Kurdish security official told the AFP news agency that PM fighters had linked up with other anti-IS forces, including members of the Turkish Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in three villages in the area. A prominent PM leader, Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, suggested it would now focus on severing the route between Mosul and Tal Afar. But the PM has been warned by the Turkish government not to attempt to storm the predominantly Sunni Turkmen town, from which thousands of civilians have reportedly been leaving. Tal Afar official Nuraldin Qablan told Reuters that about 3,000 families had fled the town, with half of them heading south-west towards Syria, and the other half towards Kurdish-held territory in the north. "We ask Kurdish authorities to open a safe passage for them," he said. Shia militias have been accused of committing serious violations, including abducting and killing Sunni civilians, during previous operations against IS. Also on Wednesday, troops continued to advance further into eastern Mosul, where they have faced fierce resistance from the 5,000 to 6,000 militants estimated to be dug in inside the city. Earlier, the US-led multinational coalition supporting the offensive bombed another of the bridges over the River Tigris that link eastern and western Mosul. An Iraqi military commander told the Associated Press that the strike on the so-called Third Bridge had taken place before dawn, while a report by IS's self-styled news agency, Amaq, reported that it had been "put out of service". There were five functioning bridges over the Tigris in Mosul shortly before pro-government forces launched a major offensive to retake the city on 17 October. A month ago, a US air strike destroyed the Second Bridge, in the city centre. Two weeks later, another strike took out the Fifth Bridge, to the north. On Monday, Amaq reported that the Fourth Bridge, the southernmost, had been damaged. "This effort impedes Daesh's freedom of movement in Mosul," coalition spokesman Col John Dorrian told Reuters news agency on Tuesday, using a pejorative term for IS based on the acronym of its previous name in Arabic. "It inhibits their ability to resupply or reinforce their fighters throughout the city." However, the UN's International Organisation for Migration warned that the destruction of the bridges could hamper the evacuation of the estimated 1.5 million civilians inside Mosul. The UN says 68,000 people have been displaced in the past five weeks, with 59,000 coming from districts surrounding Mosul and the rest from inside the city.
An Iraqi paramilitary force says it has seized a key road west of Mosul, effectively encircling the city controlled by so-called Islamic State.
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The Clacton Pier attraction "buckled in the middle" when the coast was hit by 80mph (129km/h) winds in October 2013. The pier's admin manager Sharon Charters said the process had been slow because they wanted to make sure the ride was "restored to its former glory in the correct and proper way". It is likely to be back up and running at the Essex attraction in September.
A helter-skelter which collapsed on a pier during a storm nearly two years ago has finally been "fully repaired".
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Media playback is not supported on this device The Black Cats led through Jermain Defoe's double before Palace hit back, with Christian Benteke heading in the winner in the 94th minute. "We need our players to assume a level of responsibility that it's not all down to me and my staff," he said. "It's simple - just do the basics well and then you won't concede goals." Moyes, who took over from Sam Allardyce in the summer, said at the start of the season that Sunderland would be involved in a relegation fight. His side are now bottom of the Premier League table with one point from six games. "We're in a similar situation to where the club's been for the last two or three seasons," added the former Everton and Manchester United manager. "To address this, when we go 2-0 up, we don't lose headers and challenges. "The players have got to do their bit, and I'm not sure today in certain situations they did. "Many managers have said similar things to me and maybe the fans are now used to it. I do think the players need to be big enough to play and do the right things." Sunderland's next match is at home to West Brom next Saturday.
Sunderland manager David Moyes blamed his players for failing to hold on to a 2-0 lead in Saturday's 3-2 home defeat by Crystal Palace.
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The Easter Road club lifted the trophy for the first time since 1902 by beating Rangers 3-2 at Hampden. Victory secured the Championship side a Europa League qualifying berth, beginning in mid-July. "We've already identified some players that we would like to bring to the football club to make it stronger," Stubbs told BBC Scotland. "I'm planning for next season. We're not going to rest on our laurels. There's a lot of ambitious people behind the scenes here." Stubbs and his players paraded the trophy through Edinburgh on Sunday - described by the head coach as "a sight to behold". And the Englishman insisted it would have been a "travesty" had his team not earned some reward for their season, having missed out on promotion by losing their Premiership play-off semi-final against Falkirk and losing in the League Cup final. "We missed out on our main target this season," said Stubbs. "We've fulfilled a long-standing target in terms of the Scottish Cup. "It will be all systems go for that promotion next season. We want to try and take the play-offs completely out the equation and we want to try and go up automatically [by winning the Championship]. Media playback is not supported on this device "It's coming round very quickly - 14 July we play [in the Europa League second qualifying round]. The only probably consolation that we get from that is that we miss the first round of the League Cup, which would've been 16 July. "We'll get ready. We'll see who we get in the draw and make the arrangements in which ever country we have to go to. We'll look forward to it. "The most important thing now is that we're looking forward to a rest and a break and then we'll get the players back ready to go again. "The players need to be away from here and switch off." Left-back Lewis Stevenson has played over 250 games for Hibs, having spent his entire career at Easter Road. "I know how much it means to the fans and how much it means to the club," said the 28-year-old. "It's been a massive weight I've felt on my shoulders since I've been here so I can imagine what it's been like for fans who have supported the club all their days." Media playback is not supported on this device John McGinn joined Hibs from St Mirren last summer and won his first Scotland cap in March's 1-0 win over Denmark. And the 21-year-old has been included in Gordon Strachan's squad for the upcoming friendlies against Italy and France. "I'm desperate to [play]," said McGinn. "If I've got the decision then I'll be there on Tuesday [for training] and I'm really looking forward to it. "I don't need a rest. I'm more than happy to be playing games. To have the opportunity to play against two top-class teams is something that doesn't come along too often so it's not something that I want to miss."
Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs is making plans for next season following Saturday's historic Scottish Cup win.
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Kensington Palace said that - as when the duchess was pregnant with Prince George - she was suffering from very acute morning sickness and was being treated by doctors at the palace. Prince William and Catherine's second baby will become fourth in line to the throne, behind older brother Prince George, who is 13 months old. The palace said the Queen and both families were delighted with the news. Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and the Archbishop of Canterbury were among those to offer their congratulations to the couple. For a second time, William and Kate have been forced to announce a pregnancy before the duchess passed the significant 12-week milestone. For a second time it's because Kate is suffering from an acute form of morning sickness - though this time she's being treated behind palace walls and not at a private hospital with representatives of the world's media gathered outside. The pregnancy has generated international excitement and will continue to do so but this impending birth will lack the constitutional significance of Prince George's arrival. As things stand, the as yet unborn girl or boy isn't destined to be a monarch. She or he will occupy the same position as Prince Harry once did. His mother, Diana, used to call him "the back up". Monday's announcement has performed one unintended but useful role for the Windsors. Headlines about the Queen's view of Scottish independence will be replaced by extensive coverage of a royal birth next year. Read more from Peter The duchess's first pregnancy was revealed when she was just a few weeks pregnant with Prince George after she was admitted to hospital suffering from severe morning sickness in December 2012. The sickness - called hyperemesis gravidarum - is a condition that may require supplementary hydration, medication and nutrients. It affects 3.5 per 1,000 pregnancies, causes severe vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine, called ketosis. Catherine had been due to join Prince William in formally opening a £21m China study centre at Oxford University but the palace said her morning sickness meant that she would no longer be attending. The Duke of Cambridge arrived at the new study centre at about 13:30 BST, where he was presented with a bouquet of flowers by a young girl. He told a well-wisher who sympathised with Catherine's condition that she may be over the worst of the acute morning sickness in a "few weeks' time". Kensington Palace said the duchess's attendance at future events would be decided on a "case-by-case" basis. She is scheduled to be among the guests at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in London on Wednesday evening along with Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. On Thursday she is due to attend a Drumhead service at Lee Valley Athletics Centre with William and Harry, and later with William to watch Invictus competitors taking part in matches and heats. The duchess is due to make her first official solo overseas tour, to Malta for two days, from 20 September. The baby announcement came after the couple's first child, Prince George, had his first birthday on 22 July. Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby." Mr Miliband said: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother. Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news." Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the pregnancy was "fantastic news". Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is very happy news for any couple, and on behalf of the people of Scotland, I am delighted to send our best wishes to the countess and our hearty congratulations to the royal couple." The duchess is known as the Countess of Strathearn in Scotland.
The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second child.
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GMB shop stewards unanimously voted for industrial action in protest at the removal of bank holidays from contracts and changes to flexi-time working. The changes include six public holidays being replaced with annual leave days. GMB Scotland will ballot members working for the council over the next month with a view to holding a minimum two-day strike in either May or June. The union claims staff who regularly receive enhanced payments for working the set holidays will lose out by £500 a year on average. GMB regional organiser Benny Rankin said: "GMB Scotland's members have consistently told the council that we will oppose these changes. "This was never an empty threat, and if the council ever thought it was, this will be yet another error in a long line of errors from this administration. "Our members are determined to see this fight through to the end. It is now up to the employer, Glasgow City Council, to come to the table and have meaningful discussions with the trade unions rather than provide sounds bites without any substance." A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "We are disappointed that GMB Scotland has opted for this course of action. "The council is dealing with an unprecedented cut to our budget which means we must find £130m of savings in the next two years. "We will continue to work with the union to find an agreed way forward."
A strike by Glasgow City Council staff over changes to public holiday entitlement has moved a step closer.
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Translink said the average increase on NI Railways journeys would be 4.5%. Ten pence will be added to most Metro fares, while Ulsterbus journeys will go up by an average 4%. Fares had been frozen for the past two years. Translink's group chief executive David Strahan said raising fares was "always a last resort". "However, like many organisations we have seen many of our costs rise and are facing challenging financial pressures in the year ahead," he said. "We now have no option but to increase fares across our bus and rail services." The fare increases take effect from 16 February. The company said it would encourage passengers to use discounted multi-journey tickets. Aodhan O'Donnell, interim chief executive at the Consumer Council said it could not "give passengers the assurance that these fare increases are justified, set at the right level or even if there are more to come in 2015". "There is an agreed fare review process that the department of regional development, Translink and Consumer Council engage in prior to any fare increase but this process has been ignored," he said. "By its actions today, the department has shown disregard for the views of passengers and key stakeholders such as the regional development committee. This means that rail and bus passengers have not had the representation they are entitled to." Mr O'Donnell said the only information passengers had received on Thursday were "headline figures on average fare increases". "This is not enough. There is no detail on how fares on specific bus and rail services will be affected. We know from previous fare reviews that some services increased by three times the overall average." The Consumer Council called on the department of regional development to "state publicly and clearly what the full impact, both in terms of the financial burden and reduced network coverage, will be for consumers". "They must also explain if this will be the only fare increase during 2015," Mr O'Donnell added.
Fares on buses and trains are to rise from next February - by more than three times the rate of inflation.
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The Dutch currently hold the presidency of the EU, but it is not just the prospect of an unprecedented crisis happening on their watch that is causing jitters in the Netherlands. Dutch politicians, especially on the right, regard Britain as a bulwark against the more protectionist tendencies of some of the bigger EU states. As one of the grand old men of Dutch politics, the former leader of the centre right VVD party and former EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein told me: "Holland and Britain look at the seas. "We are maritime people and believe in trade with other parts of the world. "Continental powers, like France and Germany, very important members of the EU, think differently." So, what if Britain left the EU? "The Dutch would feel they've lost an important ally in the balance of powers within the European Union," he said. "Our message is, 'Hang in there, don't leave Holland, support free trade.' "Try to be less Minnie the Minx, moaning on the sidelines, but come in there with both feet and fight." A politician who has been less of a minx and more of a menace to the established parties for the past few years sees things very differently. Geert Wilders is the leader of the populist, right-wing PVV, which currently tops Dutch opinion polls. Overtly anti-Islam and anti-EU, he is hoping that a British vote to leave the EU would start a domino effect; that a Brexit would lead to a similar referendum on a Nexit. "I think it will be a good thing if people from the UK vote to leave this political project," he told me in the Dutch parliament, where he is accompanied by ever-present security guards. "I believe it will mean that other countries, like perhaps my own, will find it an enormous incentive to regain their national sovereignty. "I'm talking about a patriotic spring. "If we want to survive as a nation, we have to stop immigration and stop Islamisation. "We cannot do that inside the European Union." Although the Netherlands is seeing increasing numbers of Central European arrivals, the immigration debate tends to focus on larger communities that originally came from outside the EU - Morocco and Turkey - and their level of integration. It was a debate that had existed in the background for decades, but only reached the forefront of Dutch politics about 15 years ago And now it is taking parts of Dutch society in unpredictable directions. Here is one example. According to the Dutch-Turkish journalist Gulsah Ercetin, who covers integration issues for the state broadcaster NOS, some of the young, third-generation members of the country's large Turkish community are turning away from the Netherlands and towards the country their grandparents left. "I find it interesting that some of them are feeling an emotional connection to Turkey," she told me. "They follow everything there. "When you ask them what's going on in Dutch politics, they're not well informed. "Some of these young Turks who were born and raised in Holland don't feel Dutch. "They feel more Turkish than Dutch. "They say they're floating around between two cultures and two countries. "They're constantly reminded they're from another country and they have another religion." Despite being one of the founding members of the EEC, it is hard to find much love for the European Union in the Netherlands. The VVD party of Prime Minister Marc Rutte calls itself Eurosceptic. But the world-renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who recently chaired a 12-hour debate on "what is Europe?", argues the EU has been a good thing for his country and for the UK, where he began his architecture studies in the 1960s. Sitting in his Rotterdam office, he told me the Brexit camp was full of people who "fundamentally want to change England back to the way it was before" and lamented the way, as he sees it, the EU has been used as a scapegoat. "It is the nations and prime ministers that take the decisions, but because of this myth of Brussels, they are also able to blame Brussels for the decisions they took themselves," he said. But Mr Koolhaas seems to be an increasingly rare voice in a country re-examining its own relationship with the EU and where fears are rising that the club of nations opposed to a more federal, political union is about to lose a member.
The words: "Don't leave me this way," in English, and the Union Jack splashed across the front page of Wednesday's edition of the best-selling daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reflect the general view of the Dutch establishment about a possible Brexit.
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The Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather warning of fog from 17:00 GMT on Wednesday. The warning, in place until midday on Thursday, could see freezing fog patches reduce visibility to less than 100 metres (328ft). The forecaster said driving conditions could make journeys longer than usual and flights could be delayed. The warning covers Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan.
Motorists have been warned to take care on the roads as freezing fog has been forecast for parts of Wales.
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The bejewelled copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard could fetch up to £500,000 when offered for sale at Sotheby's London next month. Rowling originally gave it to Barry Cunningham, who accepted the first Harry Potter book for publication. He now plans to sell it with her blessing and said he will donate some of the profits to her charity Lumos. The Tales of Beedle the Bard was originally released in 2007 as a spin-off from the main Harry Potter series. Cunningham's copy includes illustrations drawn by Rowling as well as a personal inscription. The author wrote: "To Barry, the man who thought an overlong novel about a boy wizard in glasses might just sell… THANK YOU". The book is bound in brown morocco leather and is adorned with semi-precious stones and a sterling silver mounted skull. The editor, who now runs his own publishing house, played an instrumental role in launching Rowling's career as an international best-selling author. The manuscript of the wizarding tales is one of only seven unique copies that exist. Six were personally produced by Rowling for friends while a seventh was made specifically for sale at auction. It was sold for £1.95m in 2007. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
A one-off edition of a Harry Potter spin-off book which was handwritten by JK Rowling is to be sold by its owner.
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The yellow submarine is currently in Punta Arenas, Chile, and is due to sail for the Southern Ocean on Friday. Scientists will use the robot to survey cold, deep waters that help to regulate Earth's climate. The 3.5m-long sub was given the name that a public poll had suggested - but which ministers subsequently blocked - go on the JCR's replacement. No matter - there is still enormous interest in the humorous moniker and the autonomous vehicles that will carry it underwater. Southampton's National Oceanography Centre has built three robots in its new Autosub Long Range class, and all will be branded Boaty when they go out on an expedition. The subs can stay down for weeks on end. They have a depth rating of 6,000m and a range of 6,000km. The robots have proven their capabilities in a series of sea trials and are now open to the general scientific community to use. First up is a mission being run by the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Southampton. Their scientists plan to deploy Boaty to swim through a gap in the ocean floor ridge that extends northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Known as the Orkney Passage, this opening is the main gateway for dense, cold waters formed around the White Continent to move into the Atlantic. It is a key motor in the so-called "great ocean conveyor" - the relentless system of deep circulation that helps redistribute all the heat energy that has built up in the climate system. The passage floor is very rugged, and will challenge Boaty's autonomous systems to keep it safe. Mike Meredith from the British Antarctic Survey said: "Boaty's a very intelligent underwater system; it can sense the environment around it, so it knows the height it is above the seabed and it can map out its trajectory and its position in a very advanced way." Povl Abrahamsen is a co-investigator on the cruise and took the pictures on this page. He added: "This is the first time that Boaty will be used in this type of environment, and it certainly will bring challenges. "We're very much hoping that Boaty will help to give the spatial coverage that we can't really get from other methods." [email protected] and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos
"Boaty McBoatface" has just been loaded aboard the UK's polar ship, the RRS James Clark Ross.
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And as the chart below shows, in recent years it has begun loosening the purse strings - in 2005, the Chinese government and Chinese companies collectively invested about $17bn (£11bn) in global assets, according to The Heritage Foundation. Last year they invested almost $130bn. That sounds like a lot of money, but in the context of global world trade or the economic output of developed economies, it is small change. For example, the total amount of money invested by China into Britain over the past nine years amounts to just 0.7% of the UK's total GDP in 2012. And Britain is one of the more popular destinations for Chinese investment. It is in the top 10 nations globally and attracts more than double the investment of any other nation in Europe. Globally, Australia comes out top, but even here Chinese investment last year equated to just 0.6% of the country's annual GDP. In developing nations, Chinese investment is more significant. In Nigeria, for example, inflows from China equated to 2% of GDP in 2012. Almost half of all the money invested overseas by China and Chinese companies in the past nine years went into the energy and power sector. China's demand for energy is expected to triple by 2030 so countries with abundant natural resources will continue to attract the most money from China. While more Chinese money is invested in the energy sector than in any other in Britain, China holds a number of investments elsewhere, including in Barclays Bank, BP, Diageo and Thames Water. Most are minority stakes, but it does have a controlling interest in some household names. For example, Bright Foods owns a 60% stake in Weetabix, the Wanda conglomerate owns 92% of Sunseeker boats, while Geely Automobile owns Manganese Bronze, the company that makes London taxis. Some of the companies listed below are not British firms, but the investments shown refer to assets based in Britain. For example, last year China Investment Corporation paid Ferrovial $700m to buy a 10% stake in Heathrow airport, and paid $400m to Deutsche Bank to take a stake in the bank's London offices. There are four other UK companies that have received monies from China, but are not included in the list as the money went into divisions based overseas. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOCC) invested almost $1.5bn to take a 33% stake in Tullow Oil's Ugandan operations in 2011. In 2010, CNOCC spent $270m on a 5% stake in BG's energy interests in Australia. In 2008 and 2009, Aluminium Corporation of China (Chinalco) made two investments totalling $14.3bn in Rio Tinto to take a 12% stake in the mining giant's aluminium operations in Australia, and two years later paid another $1.4bn to Rio for a share of its steel business in Guinea. Finally, in 2008, oil trader Sinochem paid $470m for a stake in oil and gas exploration company Soco International for a stake in its oil business in Yemen. Download the full data from the Heritage Foundation.
As the world's second largest economy, the fastest growing economy in the G20 and with more than a trillion dollars sitting in various sovereign wealth funds, China has quite a bit of cash to invest.
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There were fears that the hole in the Daallo Airlines flight, bound for Djibouti, was caused by a bomb. Reports said a person fell out of the hole, which appeared shortly after the plane took off from Mogadishu airport on Tuesday. But Daallo Airlines says all 60 people on board have been accounted for. Security officials say two passengers were hurt in the incident. Some reports say a fire broke out shortly after take-off. Serbian captain Vlatko Vodopivec said he and others were told the explosion was caused by a bomb, though civil aviation authority officials said they had found no evidence so far of a criminal act. "It was my first bomb; I hope it will be the last,'' Mr Vodopivec said. He said the blast happened when the plane was at around 11,000ft (3,350m). "It would have been much worse if we were higher," he added. Darren Howe, who had a colleague on the plane, told the BBC that "it was not an explosion but a fuselage failure at 10,000ft". Mohamed Hassan, a police officer in Balad, an agricultural town 30km (18 miles) north of Mogadishu, said residents had found the body of a man who might have fallen from the plane. Abdiwahid Omar, the director of Somalia's civil aviation authority, told state-run Radio Mogadishu that authorities were not sure if the body was that of a passenger. Daallo Airlines flies regularly from its base in Dubai to Somalia and Djibouti. Somalia is battling militant Islamist group al-Shabab that has been carrying out deadly attacks in its quest to establish an Islamic state. The apparent explosion happened before the Daallo Airlines plane had gained high altitude and before the cabin had been pressurised. This allowed the pilot to bring it back down for an emergency landing. If the plane had been much higher up, its fuselage could have been ripped apart and the passengers sucked out. Photographs of the plane show the seats next to the hole still intact, meaning any explosion probably came from the overhead compartments. This should raise questions about the security procedures for passengers flying from Mogadishu's Aden Adde Airport, in light of the security issues in the country. Local media reported that Turkish Airlines, one of the few flying to Somalia, suspended its flights from Mogadishu in December following a failed al-Shabab attack on the airport. The airline soon resumed operating the route, although a flight expected on Tuesday did not show up, raising questions about whether the Turks had intelligence about a security breach.
Somalia has launched an investigation after a commercial plane made an emergency landing with a gaping hole in its fuselage in the capital, Mogadishu.
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As she is cleared of misconduct in a public office and fraud charges the BBC looks at her political and private life. The title of Nikki Sinclaire's second book, Never Give Up, is a clear indication of her determination. "Because of the things that have happened to me, I have this thing about injustice. I feel I have to stand up whether it's myself, or other people," she told the BBC following its launch. "I hate it when authorities put down ordinary people and I feel the need to stand up for them." Her resolve emerged at a very young age. She was just eight years old when she became interested in politics while watching the news after school. But it was a couple of years later, during the Winter of Discontent, that her interest really peaked. "My father supported the unions and I would question him - why this conflict? I thought the unions were supposed to be for the working man, and also the Labour Party? "He could never answer that satisfactorily to me. Coming from a very poor, working-class council estate, I began to think 'why don't we have these things?' Her "very working class" father was "perturbed" when he learned of her admiration for Margaret Thatcher. As her political obsession intensified in her teens, so did a very private struggle. Since the age of three, she believed she was trapped in the wrong body. It wasn't until she reached 16 that Ms Sinclaire confided her feelings to a doctor, spilling out "16 years of hurt", only to be told it was a "fantasy". Undeterred, she eventually underwent gender reassignment surgery at 23. A staunch Eurosceptic, she became an active member of UKIP and held many positions within the party. After 10 years - and two defeats in UK general elections - she was successfully voted in as the party's MEP for the West Midlands in June 2009. But her success within UKIP was short-lived. Just nine months later, in March 2010, Ms Sinclaire was expelled from the party after refusing to take part in a multi-national group it had joined in the European Parliament, citing some members "homophobic views". It was a blow she was not going to accept easily. In December that year, having taken her former bosses to a tribunal, a judge found in her favour when UKIP failed to file a defence in time. As an independent MEP, Ms Sinclaire continued her tireless campaign for a referendum on Europe. In 2011, she gathered 100,000 names to a petition, which led to a Conservative rebellion of about 70 MPs, and "forced David Cameron to the despatch box", a proud Ms Sinclaire later told the BBC. Again, the joy was short-lived. By February 2012, West Midlands Police had begun their fraud investigation and arrested Ms Sinclaire on suspicion of defrauding the European Parliament. "The allegations at hand are old allegations from a disgruntled ex-employee", Ms Sinclaire said in a statement, adding she had "nothing to hide". The following year, Ms Sinclaire decided to reveal her gender reassignment secret, which she said was the result of threats from UKIP and journalists. She later went on to say she had been "overwhelmed" by the support from members of the public. In June 2014, Ms Sinclaire lost her seat to Labour's Neena Gill and a month later, more than two years after her first police interview, she was charged with money laundering and misconduct in public office. She was accused of making false and dishonest submissions for travelling expenses and transferring the proceeds of fraud through a bank account - something the politician said she "strongly refuted". It took another two years for the case to come to court, ironically, scheduled just days after Ms Sinclaire's British independence dream came true. The day after the referendum, there was not a hint of the impending court proceedings on her Twitter account. Instead, as she celebrated the victory, her doggedness shone through once again. "We did it Maggie," she tweeted. "We did it. We got our country back. I never gave up."
The UK's first transsexual parliamentary politician Nikki Sinclaire has spent much of her life fighting battles - personal and professional.
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If approved by UCI, the world governing body for cycling, the inaugural three-day race would be held on 1-3 May 2015. Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) said it would be a "breathtaking new race in a region made for cycling". UCI is expected to make a decision in September. The route would include areas that are not part of this year's Tour de France, which starts in Leeds on Saturday. The application is for a 2.1 UCI Europe Tour event, which would mean some of the world's leading cyclists returning to Yorkshire on an annual basis. Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Gary Verity said: "When we bid to host the Tour de France we did so in the knowledge that this would be the start of a long relationship with ASO. "Our county is a new cycling heartland of Europe and we look forward to welcoming back some of the world's best riders in Yorkshire in less than 12 months' time." Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, said: "Alongside the public interest for cycling, highlighted by the Grand Départ, Yorkshire boasts beautiful breathtaking scenery worthy of any of the cycling season's major events. "It therefore seems perfectly natural for Welcome to Yorkshire, British Cycling and ASO to continue working together in this new land of cycling, through the Tour of Yorkshire."
Plans for an annual "Tour of Yorkshire" cycle race could see some of the world's top cyclists return to the county.
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David and Kathleen Long, from Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, won their first £1m in 2013. Lottery organisers Camelot said the couple struck lucky again in the 27 March EuroMillions draw. The firm said it was an "extraordinary situation" for someone to be fortunate enough to win twice. "As you can imagine, we see winners who win once who are very, very shocked. It must be even more shocking to win twice," a spokesman said. But former HGV driver Mr Long did not seem too surprised by the windfall. "I always knew I'd win, even the first time," he said. "I just had a feeling it was going to be me." Two years ago Mr Long came close to disaster after his first winning ticket ended up in the rubbish bin after the couple mistakenly thought they had won just £2.70. The pair have since married after being engaged for 12 years. Mr Long said the first win had been "fantastic" and had changed their lives. "Times had been really tough and I had been really ill for three years, unable to work leading up to it," said Mr Long. "I lasted three days at work and then took early retirement. "We've had an amazing 18 months, have been able to treat the family, buy a new car and even finally get hitched," he said.
A couple have scooped a £1m lottery prize for the second time - just two years after their first seven-figure win.
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Polish winger Pawel Wszolek netted his first goal for the Hoops from close range after Olamide Shodipo's run. The lead was short-lived as Williams steered home Garath McCleary's cross. Rangers, who backed manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on Friday following a Daily Telegraph corruption investigation, have failed to win at Loftus Road since the opening day of the season. Ariel Borysiuk shot wide and Sebastian Polter's header was just off target as Rangers threatened either side of half-time. But the Royals, who have lost just once in nine Championship matches, carried the greater threat in the second half. Home keeper Alex Smithies denied Roy Beerens and McCleary, while Yann Kermorgant headed McCleary's cross wide. QPR, who have won just once in eight matches, moved up a place to 13th, while Reading are a point outside the play-off places in seventh. QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: "It's better to win three and lose one than win one and draw three. We really tried to get the three points. "My boys gave everything and we were very positive in our substitutions, and on another day it might have worked. "It's just unfortunate because we started ever so well and for the first 20 minutes we looked the better side and got a deserved goal. "But we stopped doing what made us the better side and that is a pity. In the second half we tried to pick it up again and we did in stages. But it was always going to be a game of not many chances." Reading boss Jaap Stam: "I think we should have won it. If you look at the game and how we played, we should have scored a second goal. "They tried to make it difficult for us by pressing us high up the pitch, but there was still a lot of space for us. "We kept searching for the second goal in the second half but there was always a threat from QPR, who are a strong side and have physical players. "In the second half, though, with the chances we created, and sometimes should have created, we should have scored and that's the thing we didn't do well." Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Reading 1. Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 1, Reading 1. Offside, Reading. John Swift tries a through ball, but Yann Kermorgant is caught offside. John Swift (Reading) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Tjaronn Chery (Queens Park Rangers). Attempt missed. George Evans (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by John Swift. Callum Harriott (Reading) wins a free kick on the right wing. Foul by Joel Lynch (Queens Park Rangers). Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match John Swift (Reading) because of an injury. Substitution, Reading. Callum Harriott replaces Garath McCleary. Offside, Reading. Danny Williams tries a through ball, but Garath McCleary is caught offside. Corner, Reading. Conceded by Steven Caulker. Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Garath McCleary. Attempt missed. Roy Beerens (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by John Swift. Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Ariel Borysiuk tries a through ball, but Sebastian Polter is caught offside. Chris Gunter (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Conor Washington (Queens Park Rangers). Offside, Queens Park Rangers. Karl Henry tries a through ball, but Conor Washington is caught offside. Attempt blocked. John Swift (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Roy Beerens. Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Idrissa Sylla replaces Pawel Wszolek. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match Liam Moore (Reading) because of an injury. Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Joey van den Berg. Offside, Reading. John Swift tries a through ball, but Garath McCleary is caught offside. Substitution, Reading. Jordan Obita replaces Tyler Blackett. Attempt missed. Yann Kermorgant (Reading) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Garath McCleary with a cross. Attempt blocked. Yann Kermorgant (Reading) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Roy Beerens with a cross. Attempt saved. Garath McCleary (Reading) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by John Swift. Attempt saved. Roy Beerens (Reading) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tyler Blackett. Hand ball by Danny Williams (Reading). Attempt blocked. Conor Washington (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tjaronn Chery. Attempt missed. John Swift (Reading) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Tyler Blackett. Offside, Reading. George Evans tries a through ball, but Yann Kermorgant is caught offside. Attempt missed. Sebastian Polter (Queens Park Rangers) header from very close range is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Tjaronn Chery with a cross following a corner. Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Yann Kermorgant. Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Tyler Blackett. Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Conor Washington replaces Olamide Shodipo. Foul by Joey van den Berg (Reading). James Perch (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
QPR's winless home run continued as Danny Williams' equaliser earned Reading a deserved point.
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The University of Strathclyde's Fraser of Allander Institute has revised down its growth forecast for 2016 to 1.4%, whereas in March it expected 1.9%. It has also reduced its forecast for 2017 from 2.2% to 1.9%. It said growth would slow further because of slow investment growth and a worsening demand for Scottish exports. The report also cited the continuing effects of the fall in the price of oil on household incomes and spending, and a general slowing in household spending. Prof Brian Ashcroft, from the Fraser of Allander Institute, said: "The Scottish economy came within a hair's breadth of recession last year and, with little improvement recently, may fail to avoid a recession in the coming months." The quarterly report adds further weight to recent evidence that the Scottish economy is slowing. Last week, the EY Scottish Item Club said the economy was slowing up more than previously expected. It estimated growth of only 1.2% for 2016, whereas last December it expected 1.9%. Scotland's chief economist also warned earlier this month that the economy was set to continue to grow slowly. The Fraser of Allander Institute said Scotland was now relying solely on the service sector for growth as the contribution of construction, driven by infrastructure spending, had now peaked - albeit at a high level of activity. However, it pointed out that even though the service sector registered growth of 0.3% in the final quarter of last year, UK services grew three times faster. It found financial services were "especially weak", while weakness in business services growth had been exacerbated by the effects of the fall in the price of oil. The forecaster also said "manufacturing growth can only be described as weak". The report also gave a bleak assessment of the prospects for Scotland's jobs market. It has revised down its forecast for employee jobs this year. It now estimates that the Scottish economy will add 28,650 jobs in 2016, down by about 8,000 from its March forecast. The institute also revised up its predictions for unemployment - in both levels and rates of joblessness - as a result of the "deterioration in many labour market indicators over the last four months, and the revision downwards of growth performance of Scotland in 2016". The report also warned that future Scottish economic growth could be hit if the UK voted to leave the European Union. It said that could lead to a loss of trade, inward investment and finance which would worsen already weak productivity growth. Prof Ashcroft said: "At a time when there is increasing policy concern about Scotland's productivity and growth performance, a vote to leave the EU would place an unnecessary burden on Scottish companies and economic policy." Paul Brewer, from report sponsors PwC in Scotland, said: "While Scotland has edged away from recession in the fourth quarter, the data suggest that for some sectors Scotland is flirting with recession and, in areas of growth, is struggling to grow at a pace comparable to the rest of the UK. "This has been a difficult trading environment for businesses to operate in and for investors to plan between the oil price, the upcoming European referendum uncertainties and the general tightening of belts in many sectors." Responding to the report, Scotland's economy secretary, Keith Brown, said: "While there are real challenges, including subdued global demand and the impact of the oil price on our offshore industry, Scotland's economy has proven resilient and continued to grow - with recent independent forecasts suggesting further growth this year and next. "Across the world, people are still choosing Scotland as a good place to do business, with record inward investment in 2015 - putting us ahead of all other parts of the UK outside London. "There has also been encouraging news from BP, with more than 500 jobs set to be created in the North Sea oil and gas industry. And the latest Bank of Scotland PMI indicated strong growth in new business in our private sector. "But to build on that position we will maintain a clear focus on creating a competitive business environment in which companies can flourish, creating and protecting jobs and stimulating growth."
A leading economic forecaster has warned that Scotland may fail to avoid a recession in the coming months as the economy continues to slow down.
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The change - for children in reception, Year 1 and Year 2 - could save parents about ??400 a year per child, the government says. The BBC News website has gathered a range of viewpoints. The main response we have got from our parents was, "When are you going to offer them to all children?" Beforehand, the kids were bringing in crisps and bread and butter and not really eating healthy foods. And now going round all the schools the children are not only eating vegetables but some of them are even growing them. In one of our schools in Nunhead they have got a big outdoor oven, which is amazing. The meals are culturally sensitive and I'm told everyone is taking it up - even the teachers are taking part. It's not just health, it's the social interaction of sitting at the table. There's nothing more uplifting than having a table of children from different social backgrounds all sitting around the table together - being told how to use their knives and forks properly. The teachers tell us that in the afternoon the children's concentration level is much better. When the kids were coming to school with crisps and fizzy drinks they used to get a bit hyper, now their behaviour is much better. There is no such thing as free lunch, especially one doled out by a politician. The pilot of this scheme didn't improve pupil health and there are better ways to address child nutrition than yet another universal benefit. This is a party conference gimmick from politicians who love to wade in and pretend they are doing something about the pressure on the finances of struggling families by promising subsidies paid for with other people's money. This announcement means taxing those on low and middle incomes to pay for hand-outs to affluent families. It's incredible to see it proposed by Nick Clegg, who was, until very recently, rightly arguing against universal benefits for wealthy households. If politicians really want to tackle the cost of living, they should scrap the range of regulations that make everything from energy bills to the weekly shop more expensive and cut taxes to leave more money in people's pockets. Vicky: I think it's a good idea - I've got three children in school and at ??2.10 a day it's a lot of money, so mine have packed lunch. My brother-in-law has two kids and they only stay for school dinner twice a week because it's too expensive. When I heard it on the news this morning I thought it would be good for us. I think a lot of parents who struggle to pay for school dinners will be pleased, I think it'll help a lot of parents out. Jo: My children have packed lunches because they're fussy eaters. If they wanted school dinners I would pay ??2 for it. But it's good it's free. It's a good idea and would encourage healthy eating. It would help child poverty too. It's got to help people. We've got three kids and my husband has two jobs and I work here and we just get by on what we earn. I'm all for it because I just feel we're the people who're penalised. Providing free school meals to all children actually improves help for children in poverty. More poor children in working families will now be eligible and fewer children will be put off by worries that they will be singled out as being poor because they have a free school meal. Schools and teachers already make huge efforts to register those eligible for free school meals and reduce stigma but a move towards a universal system will significantly improve eligibility and take-up of free school meals by children in poverty. Taking all things into consideration, the government's child poverty record threatens to be bleak, with over a million children being thrown into poverty by 2020. Today's welcome announcement will make things a little less bleak. Providing free school meals for young primary school children will help put pounds in the pockets of parents struggling to pay for school lunches but it is also a necessary investment for the future that will pay off by improving child health and raising educational attainment. No child should be too hungry to learn. We are absolutely delighted by the announcement that all infant school children will receive free school meals. It also provides a huge boost for the school catering industry and will be very welcome news for school food providers. We hope that funds will be made available to ensure that all schools have the necessary facilities to provide hot nutritious meals to every pupil in England. This is a huge step forward and will make a massive difference for children in terms of health, attainment and social mobility. There have been multiple reports in recent weeks on the financial difficulties faced by families and the impact that this has had on children's diets. This announcement will be a great relief to those across the country who are struggling to make ends meet, with initial estimates suggesting that families will save on average ??400 per year per child. With a deficit of around ??120bn, pressures of an ageing population and a continued squeeze on budgets, it's incomprehensible that the coalition should choose to prioritise a new ??600m scheme to subsidise so-called "free" school meals to all 5- to 7-year-olds. This goes against what the coalition has been doing elsewhere in its reforms of the state, where it has ended universality of, for example, child benefit. The main beneficiaries of this will be middle-class families who do not require, and in many cases do not want, a subsidy for their children's lunches. It's also far from clear that this is the best way of spending ??600m to improve outcomes. The pilot showed improvements in attainment, but didn't compare this outcome to spending elsewhere or even tax cuts. No causal link could be explained and no health benefits were identified. This just further erodes the concept of family responsibility for looking after their children's diets, at a high price. These dinners are not of course free, and as yet we don't know whose taxes will be raised or where spending will be cut for this new universal entitlement. We welcome this announcement and we are sure it will benefit pupils, parents and schools. School leaders and teachers know the benefits to children's learning and development which come from good nutrition, and schemes such as this are good investments for the future. An initiative such as this will also help remove the stigma surrounding free school meals and this will help not only some of the poorest families in society but also parents struggling to provide decent lunches. However, it is essential schools have the capacity, kitchen facilities and staff to provide healthy and nutritious meals to all pupils on a daily basis. We hope schools will be given the help and support they need to deliver such an ambitious and well-meaning project within a relatively tight timeframe, particularly at schools which may need adaptations and equipment to accommodate a meal service. Nevertheless, free school meals for all infant-age children is a bold idea and if properly rolled out we are sure it will be of enormous benefit to schools, parents and pupils. Update 19 September: This story has been expanded to include additional views from the TaxPayers' Alliance and the Centre for Policy Studies.
Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said all infants at schools in England will get free school lunches from next September.
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Media playback is not supported on this device The polished defender advanced to beat keeper Alvin Rouse with a 25-yard right-foot shot to maintain the Blues' 100% league record. Warren Feeney's men have won six out of six and are well clear of north Belfast clubs Crusaders and Cliftonville. It was a fourth successive defeat for Ballinamallard who remain ninth. "Sean has that in his locker and does it a lot in training. It was a fantastic finish. "In the first half I was disappointed with how we moved the ball, but I knew we would get a chance. "We were comfortable but did not do a lot to create things. "I am pleased to come here and get the 1-0."
Irish Premiership leaders Linfield are five points clear at the top thanks to Sean Ward's second-half winner away to Ballinamallard United.
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The new private carrier is called flymojo and would be based out of Johor Bahru in the south and Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia. The deal with Bombardier includes the option to buy 20 more aircraft, taking its value up to $2.9bn. Malaysia has been coping with three aviation disasters in recent months. In the latest incident, a Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia plane crashed into the Java Sea while en route from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore in December, killing all 162 people on board. In July, a Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down over pro-Russian rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people. That followed another plane that vanished shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014. No trace of the plane has been found. The launch of the new airline was announced at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Najib Razak in attendance. Aziz Kaprawi, deputy minister of transport, said the new airline would play a key role in improving air travel between the Malaysian Peninsula and other parts of the region. "As the only airline utilising the southern corridor as its headquarters, flymojo will transform Senai [Johor Bahru's airport] into a key regional aviation and logistics hub - augmenting the government's initiatives in developing Iskandar Malaysia and the southern corridor, he said in a statement by Bombardier. The planes ordered from Bombardier are CS100 aircraft, which seat up to 125 people and would make flymojo the first airline in the region to operate the aircraft. Local reports said the airline was scheduled to start operating from October this year.
A new Malaysian airline has signed a $1.5bn (£1bn) deal with Canadian planemaker Bombardier for 20 new aircraft.
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About 70 people were wounded in the blast at a stadium, general Anthony Rakotoarison told AFP news agency. He said officials considered it a "terrorist act". The political situation remains fragile in the country, with supporters and opponents of President Hery Rajaonarimampianina at loggerheads. It was not immediately clear who or what was behind the explosion. The blast happened during a free concert at the Mahamasina stadium. A military parade had been held there earlier. Prime Minister Olivier Solonandrasana Mahafaly visited the injured at a hospital and said this was a "disgusting and shameful" act. In 2014, a grenade explosion killed a toddler and injured several other people outside the same stadium. No arrests were made in connection with that attack and there was no claim of responsibility, AFP reported.
A grenade explosion has killed at least two people during Madagascar's national day celebrations in the capital Antananarivo, officials say.
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Media playback is not supported on this device More than 150 people have taken part in the Love to Move scheme run by the British Gymnastics Foundation (BGF). And research by Age UK found the scheme to have "demonstrable benefits in the physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of older people". The organisers now aim to train more people to deliver the programme and make it more widely available. "This age and dementia-friendly programme is astonishing people with its life-changing benefits," said BGF manager Patrick Bonner. "So many people involved are seeing their lives improving as a result and it is unthinkable that people are regaining functions which were thought to be lost because of participating in the Love to Move classes." I thought the programme would, at best, just be able to slow down the rate of dementia progressing, but I am finding some participants appear to be regaining functions which were thought to be lost In South Korea and Japan, results have been so positive the programme has been completely state-funded and runs in every care home across the two countries. Exercise in any form can have a multitude of health benefits for those with mental and physical illnesses. Dementia is no exception. When the BGF discovered a chair-based exercise programme was working wonders throughout care homes in Japan and South Korea, it was determined to bring it to the UK. Based on results published in 2016 from the original Japanese programme, it was clear to the BGF that these simple exercises - based around cognitive stimulation, memory arousal and music - could have a huge impact on the lives of dementia sufferers. By taking the core principles of the Japanese scheme and adapting them to suit British culture, the BGF developed the Love to Move programme in a pilot scheme. Can you tap your head and rub your stomach at the same time? Even if you can, it takes a lot of concentration. By practising it, you are increasing your ability for the right and left sides of your brain to process information independently of each other. The Love to Move programme is based on the concept of bilaterally asymmetrical movement (performing different movements with the right and left sides of the body at the same time). By increasing the capacity to perform bilateral movement, the brain increases the number of connections it makes between its neurons, resulting in an increase in cognitive ability. For people with dementia, the Love to Move programme has been proven to increase their capacity to process everyday tasks such as feed themselves, do crafts and play bingo, as well as socialising with friends and family. Do you know a family member, a friend, a co-worker, who has dementia? Chances are you do. Download the booklet here Whether they've just been diagnosed, or have had the illness for a number of years, those close to them would give anything to see an improvement in their health. The BGF understands this and is keen to share its exercises with the public in the hope they can provide those affected, both now and in the future, with a practical and gentle way to improve their health. The BGF has created a downloadable booklet containing some of the key exercises for people to try with top tips from head coach Kim Hall. The guide aims to give an insight into the structure and history of the programme, as well as showing some of the key co-ordination exercises. Over a period of two years in the Cambridgeshire region, the Love to Move programme has delivered sessions focusing on improving co-ordination, posture, movement and core strength. In conjunction with the pilot scheme, staff from one care home were asked to complete feedback forms for a sample of residents who took part in the exercise classes. Two residents involved were keen not to go off with their visitors…they did not want to miss the class, so they got them to join in as well! Key results from pilot scheme feedback: Results from the pilot scheme indicate exercises such as hand rotations, finger and thumb tapping, drawing shapes in the air and nose and ear grabbing, are effective ways to enhance co-ordination, whereas exercises focusing on balance and core have better equipped participants to sit, unaided, in their chairs. Those with more severe cognitive decline were seen to develop a more positive emotional state. By joining the classes, it was visible to the care home staff that participants were visibly enjoying themselves, appeared more relaxed and even remembered the class and looked forward to the next one. Social interaction is often difficult for those with dementia, especially for those who would not normally have the opportunity to mix with other residents in the same home. The pilot scheme gave these residents the opportunity to build bonds with one another, provide encouragement to their fellow Love to Movers, and socialise after the session. As with any pilot scheme, the aim is to learn, adjust and expand; and this is what the BGF hopes for. I feel stronger. I have difficultly moving, but I've started to move more than I have before The findings from Age UK reveal sessions need to take place in a social, fun environment, be lead by confident, patient staff and include time for refreshment afterwards. The BGF aims to replicate Japan's success and offer the Love to Move programme to all care homes up and down the country. They say a large amount of staff training is required, in addition to a nationwide awareness campaign and a group of trained coaches to deliver the sessions.
A new chair-based gymnastics exercise programme has significant benefits for people with dementia, says a report.
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The defence ministry said military police had been sent to Eastern Ghouta on the edge of the capital Damascus, and to an area in the south-west. It is the first time foreign personnel have been despatched to help implement the "safe zones" agreed with Turkey and Iran earlier this year. Rebel groups have not publicly signed up to the de-escalation agreement. A Russian defence ministry spokesman, Lt Gen Sergei Rudskoi, said a contingent had set up two checkpoints and 10 observation posts on front lines between Syrian forces and rebels in the two areas. He said Israel, which borders Syria's south-west, had been informed in advance. Israel is reported to have opposed the idea of Russia policing the zones, fearing it would be used as cover by Hezbollah militants and other Iranian-backed militia to move closer to Israel's front line. A plan for four de-escalation zones was agreed between Russia and Iran, both of whom strongly support Syria, and Turkey, which backs the rebels, at talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, in May. The plan excludes attacks on militants from so-called Islamic State (IS). Lt Gen Rudskoi said military police had been sent to checkpoints and monitoring posts in Eastern Ghouta, in parts of which the Syrian military declared a halt to fighting on Saturday following talks in Egypt between Russia and "moderate" rebel groups. However, the UK-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian aircraft have carried out air strikes there since then. Syria's war has claimed more than 330,000 lives since it erupted in 2011, with millions more displaced.
Russia says it has deployed forces to monitor so-called de-escalation zones in southern Syria.
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In the US, 63% of the population already lives in cities. While this puts a strain on urban infrastructure there is also a large population just outside city borders struggling every day. Sisters Sonya Underwood and Tonya Pinkston are far too familiar with the issue. In April, the housing stipends Ms Underwood used to pay for her home ended when she completed her course in aviation management. She and her three children were forced to move in with Ms Pinkston, her daughter and the sisters' mother. The family of seven are now living in a two-bedroom house in Gwinnett County - part of Atlanta's northern suburb. "We can't keep doing this," Ms Pinkston says of the family's living situation. "We need to find something else even if it's one of those extended stay motels." But finding a place for the family is proving difficult. Ms Pinkston and the sisters' mother are both on disability benefits leaving Ms Underwood as the main earner for the family. Few places that they can afford are large enough to accommodate them all. Even if the family split into two houses their options are limited. Rents, even in the suburbs, are rising and many of the best rental homes in suburban Atlanta are owned by private equity firms. Many of these firms swooped into the market during the recession, buying up foreclosed homes and fixing them up for renters. These houses are typically well-maintained, but come with higher monthly rents and higher credit requirements. These are standards many in the region are struggling to meet. It's forced some to take up long-term residence in local motels that don't check credit and others to move several generations of a family into one home. "The rent stretches your budget a lot and I know I'll have to travel for work," says Ms Underwood. The travel means she'll have to pay for a car and rely on her sister and mother for childcare while she's gone. The sisters are resistant to moving to an even cheaper suburb - for example, to the south of Atlanta - because it would mean forcing their kids to change schools. All four children, including Ms Underwood's youngest who is autistic, have thrived in the Gwinnett school district. But the family knows they are struggling more than their neighbours. "We're just trying to acquire the basic necessities - a good clean place to live, a decent car to drive," says Ms Pinkston. Atlanta has seen a big rise in suburban poverty. Between 2000 and 2012 the rate increased by 159% in Atlanta's suburbs. But the region is not alone. For instance, in Denver the rate rose by 131% and in Portland by 98%. 159% Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 144% Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 131% Denver-Aurora, CO 124% Salt Lake City, UT 115% Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX In the US suburban poverty affects an estimated 16.4 million people and, if the current trend continues, could increase to 24.5 million by 2020. That trend began before the financial crisis, but the recession exacerbated many of the problems and the recovery has not healed them. "That rapid poverty growth in mid-to-late 2000s has levelled off, but we haven't seen improvement, we are still stuck," says Elizabeth Kneebone, a research fellow at the Brookings Institution. Her research points to a number of factors - stagnating wages, a decrease in well-paid full-time jobs, lack of affordable housing and transportation, and poor education and training. Even those who are above the poverty line are affected by the impact of living in a poor community, for example, by crime and underfunded schools. Families that stretch their budgets to escape those neighbourhoods can find themselves trapped and possibly fall further into poverty. "Existing homeowners are underwater," says John O'Callaghan, president of Atlanta Neighbourhood Development Partnership. "They took hits to their credit to keep their homes and now they're stuck." Mr O'Callaghan explains that this has created a housing shortage in the suburbs of Atlanta. Homeowners can't sell their houses because they would lose money. Most also cannot afford to make repairs and some are housing extended families who still can't afford places of their own. In Atlanta's southern suburbs Nkrumah Moore is helping families in just this situation. For the last eight years, he has been buying homes and giving them to homeless families rent-free for three to six months while they get back on their feet. The homes typically cost around $20,000 (£15,500) and while he is fixing them up and preparing to rent them he allows locals who are struggling with poverty to live in them. Often he even gives them jobs in his handyman business, which fund his ability to buy these properties. In Clayton County, where Mr Moore lives, per capita income in 2014 was $18,074, according to the US Census Bureau. It was $35,719 in Atlanta. Mr Moore started letting out his homes for free during the recession when he saw so many empty homes and so many homeless people. He currently has seven houses. "There are a lot of people struggling and there is nowhere for them to go," he says. "Shelters aren't designed for families and a lot of people lose their jobs because they can't get to them on the bus lines." Poor transportation is a major issue for many poor suburban residents. Some people travel for hours each day on several bus and train lines to get to work, while others may lose jobs entirely because they can't get there without a car. Owning a car though adds another strain on many families' budgets. Mr O'Callaghan says many people think they are saving money by moving further out of the city, but the extra cost of transportation and time it takes them to reach jobs exacerbates the problem. "It's a cycle they get trapped in," he says. Taking a job closer to home isn't always an option either. "In the suburbs, there are more jobs in retail, manufacturing and construction that may not pay as well," says Ms Kneebone. "In the early days of the economic recovery we were counting jobs, but it's clear that we need to look at what jobs, how good they are, how much they pay and where are they located." None of these concerns are unique to the US. Globally, as more people move into cities, others will be pushed out. And while the focus will be on city infrastructure for the billions of urban dwellers, suburban poverty will fester if those individuals are left isolated outside the city walls. Twenty years ago, the US overhauled "welfare" - meaning direct cash assistance to poor families. But how does this aid compare to income support programmes in other high-income countries? How US welfare compares around the globe
Cities have always been crowded places, but the number of urban residences is set to double by 2050 to 3.5 billion, according to the United Nations.
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He said the burka did not fit in with Germany's open society and showing the face was essential to social cohesion. "We call on everyone to show their face," he said. The proposal would prevent anyone from wearing the veil in schools, universities, nurseries, public offices or while driving. It requires parliamentary approval to become law. Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition has been divided over the issue after several attacks in Germany claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS) and amid record numbers of Muslim asylum seekers. "We reject the full veil - not just the burka but the other forms of full veil where only the eyes are visible," said Mr de Maiziere. "It doesn't fit in with our open society. Showing the face is a constituent element for our communication, the way we live, our social cohesion. That is why we call on everyone to show their face." He added: "Whoever wants to work in public service cannot do so while wearing the full veil." There are no official statistics on the number of women wearing the burka in Germany but Aiman Mazyek, leader of its Central Council of Muslims, has said hardly any women wear it, Reuters news agency reports. A study carried out by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in 2009, and reported by Spiegel magazine, found that more than two-thirds of Muslim women in Germany did not even wear a headscarf.
The German Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, has called for a partial ban on the burka, a day after saying a full ban might not be constitutional.
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It follows a vote by the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, which met to consider the plans for Wrexham station. The proposed changes could save £1m from its 2019/2020 budget, which the authority says can no longer be frozen due to inflation and pension costs. But the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has warned against the "brutal cuts". Shane Price, secretary of the FBU in north Wales, said: "I understand the financial position the service is in, however losing a further 24 full-time posts within a small service like north Wales will be a devastating loss. "We have already suffered huge cuts over the past few years with one in five frontline firefighter jobs being cut." He said it would be "simply inconceivable" that it could deliver "the same level of service to the public" if the cuts were to go ahead. Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has also expressed "deep concerns" about the proposals. Ms Jones said she feared response times would increase and lives could be put at risk by the "short-sighted" cuts proposed. But Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dawn Docx said there was a variety of money saving options on the table. She said the fire service's budget could no longer be frozen due to the cost of inflation and rising pension costs and the decision to reduce future services was "the least damaging option". Authority chairman Councillor Meirick Davies said: "After careful consideration it was decided that we will consult on the proposed budget strategy which includes the potential removal of a whole time pump from Wrexham by the end of the decade. "We look forward to hearing people's views during the consultation, which will take place in the autumn."
Plans to cut up to 24 firefighter posts and remove one fire engine in north Wales are to be put out to consultation.
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Clarke won eight international caps and was a key member of the Ulster team which won the European Cup in 1999. After retiring because of injury, Clarke moved into coaching and established the Ulster Rugby Academy. He was assistant to former Ulster coach Mark McCall and will join interim director of rugby Les Kiss, Neil Doak and Jonny Bell on the coaching team. As part of McCall's backroom team, he helped guide Ulster to the Magners League title in 2006. The following season he left Ulster to take up a position as High Performance Manager with the IRFU and was responsible for building Irish Rugby's age grade structure and developing young players, many of whom have gone on to become Ireland internationals. Following a successful five years, Clarke returned to his native province in 2012 as Elite Performance Manager. He has further developed the Academy and has expanded the scale and scope of the province's age grade programme. Clarke, who is renowned for his work rate, his attention to detail and his knowledge of forward play, has also coached at international level - coaching Ireland A and more recently the Emerging Ireland team in the 2013 IRB Tbilisi Cup. He will continue to oversee the Ulster Academy in his new role. "I'm immensely passionate and proud to be involved with my home province once again, and look forward to supporting the coaching team and players to be the best we can be.," commented Clarke. "The player movement in the pack has been well documented, however, the players that we have brought in together with those already here have shown a real focus in training and respect for work."
Former Ulster and Ireland hooker Allen Clarke has been named as the province's forwards coach for the 2014-15 season.
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Forty of the best bakers from around the UK tested their culinary skills in the Bake Off tent. They battled to impress judges Allegra McEvedy and 2015's Great British Bake Off winner, Nadiya Hussain. Many biscuits, pastries and cakes later, Nikki has been crowned the champion. Nikki has been baking since the age of 4 and enjoys making the more extravagant bakes. She has a food dictionary which helps her decide what flavours go together and is able to substitute ingredients and find alternatives for high sugar recipes. Nikki follows in the footsteps of Amari, who won the CBBC series in 2015
After weeks of baking triumphs and showstopper challenges, CBBC's Junior Bake Off has crowned its champion of 2016 - it's Nikki!
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Masai Graham won with the gag: "My dad suggested I register for a donor card, he's a man after my own heart." The festival's best jokes were selected by a panel of 10 judges before being put to 2,000 people, who voted for their favourite. Tim Vine, Stewart Francis and Zoe Lyon have previously won the competition, run by TV channel Dave. Graham, from West Bromwich, claimed the victory after making the shortlist in both 2014 and 2015. He said "It's an incredible honour to land Joke of the Fringe. Not bad for someone from West Brom!" Comedian Stuart Mitchell came second in the poll, with the joke: "Why is it old people say 'there's no place like home', yet when you put them in one..." Judges sat through an average of 60 different comedy performances and sifted through more than 3,600 minutes of material before selecting their favourite gags. In a bid to judge only the quality of the joke, the name of the comic or their show is not revealed during the voting process. Steve North, general manager of Dave, said: "The Fringe is renowned for being the best place to spot new and emerging comedy talent, and although there are some returning contenders in our top 10 this year, there is a high volume of new talent which is very exciting to see." Voters also got to select their most "groan-worthy" jokes of the festival. They included Adam Hess' one-liner: "In France, J-Lo is called 'I have water'", and Darren Walsh's gag: "What do you call three members of Abba in a French slaughterhouse? Abba trois."
A one-liner about organ donation has been named funniest joke of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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The Moneysupermarket.com ad attracted 1,513 complaints, with viewers citing its "overtly sexual" content. The ASA did not uphold the complaints. Chief executive Guy Parker said matters of offence can "grab the headlines" but most of their work is focused on "tackling misleading advertising". The body acknowledged some viewers might have considered the TV and web advert, featuring a man called Dave dancing to Don't Cha by the Pussycat Dolls, to be "distasteful". But the price comparison site commercial was not judged to be offensive or in breach of the advertising code. A company spokesman said the public feedback to the ad was "overwhelmingly positive". Three adverts for hotel website Booking.com, where the word "booking" was seen to be used in the place of a swear word, were the second, fourth and seventh most-complained about ads of the year - with 683, 407 and 201 complaints respectively. The complaints were not upheld, with the ASA saying "it was a light-hearted play on words that couldn't be mistaken for an actual swear word". The third most-complained about ad was a campaign for online payment site Paypal, which showed two children concerned their parents had not been shopping for Christmas presents. It received 464 complaints from people who "expressed concern that the ad revealed the truth about Father Christmas". They were not upheld but Paypal independently changed the scheduling of the ad. In fifth place was a poster campaign advertising a Protein World weight-loss product with the slogan: "Are you beach body ready?". The poster, showing a woman in a bikini attracted 380 complaints, and the ASA told the company that due to "concerns about a range of health and weight loss claims" it could not appear in the same format again. The ASA concluded the ad, which was defaced in Tube stations and sparked a petition calling for it to be banned, was not likely to cause serious or widespread offence, however. Mr Parker said: "Our top 10 for 2015 will no doubt get people talking about whether the ads are or aren't offensive, but there are important issues at stake here. "Advertisers must take care not to cause serious or widespread offence, but we don't play a numbers game. "And while matters of offence can grab the headlines, the bulk of our work is the less glamorous task of tackling misleading advertising. That's why we're taking a more proactive approach to address the issues which affect consumers the most before complaints need to be made."
An advert featuring a man strutting down a street in hotpants and high heels received the most complaints in 2015, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revealed.
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Pay-monthly customers can get one share - now worth $43.07 - with the chance of more for referring new customers. "This has never been done before," by a public company, claimed chief executive John Legere. T-Mobile, the third biggest US network after Verizon and AT&T, has a reputation for innovative promotions. It styles itself as the "uncarrier", offering customers free video-streaming options, gifts, tie-ups with ticket agency StubHub, and customer-friendly data plans that have been copied by rivals. The oversaturated US mobile market has sparked a price war with providers fighting for market share. T-Mobile customers qualifying for a free share will be able to earn up to 100 more if they refer new subscribers. The company said in a statement that some long-term customers will qualifying for two extra shares per referral. Mr Legere, known for his boisterous presentations and love of social media, said: "Get ready for a gratitude adjustment, America. This Un-carrier move is all about giving you a good thanking! No strings. No gotchas. Just 'thank you for being a customer'". T-Mobile US chief marketing officer Andrew Sherrard told the Reuters news agency: "Some [free offers] will cost us some money but over time we think it will be a really good investment." The company, controlled by Deutsche Telekom, said it added 2.2 million customers on a net basis in the first quarter ending 31 March.
T-Mobile US is to offer about 10 million of its customers free shares as the fast-growing company attempts to take on its larger rivals.
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Ben, from Sheffield, was 21 months old when he disappeared on 24 July 1991. Searches have taken place over the past 21 days after it emerged he may have been accidentally killed by a digger driver. More than 800 tonnes of soil was dug up, with items of interest sent back to the UK for forensic analysis. Det Insp John Cousins, who is leading the investigation, said: "I've got the confidence that we have done exactly what we can, given the plans we had before we came out here so that I can give an answer, whatever that might be, to Ben's family." He said he was proud of his team: "It has been a difficult job, the conditions have been extremely hot and very dusty and they are long hours they have been working." The Help Find Ben Needham campaign thanked South Yorkshire Police, Hellenic search and rescue workers and the media for their work over the past three weeks. Police are expected to hold a briefing on Monday for a further update on the progress of the search. Ben vanished from a farmhouse, which his grandfather was renovating, in the village of Iraklis. Officers are working on the theory that Konstantinos Barkas, who died of cancer in 2015, might be responsible for Ben's death. Over the past three weeks, digs took place near the farmhouse where he was last seen and a second site 750m away. A team of 19 South Yorkshire Police officers, forensic specialists, an archaeologist and search and rescue personnel have been excavating the area as a result of a television appeal in May, which brought the theory about Mr Barkas to the attention of the force.
Police investigating the disappearance of toddler Ben Needham in Kos have concluded their three-week search for information on the Greek island.
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A first-half penalty from Andy Halliday and a simple finish by Josh Windass gave Mark Warburton's side a half-time grip on the Group F fixture. Substitute Joe Dodoo, on his Rangers debut, made it 3-0 with a late tap-in from Lee Wallace's cross. But Lowland League Shire can be proud of a stuffy performance. Rangers thoroughly deserved their victory but would have expected to score more goals. If anything they stand accused of over working it, the shot from distance a seemingly alien philosophy to their coaching mantra. However, they wasted no time in going about the anticipated onslaught of a team four levels of the Scottish game below them. Windass, son of former Aberdeen favourite Dean, had the ball in the net early but was flagged offside. But the alarm bells were blaring for the Shire. Within moments, Ross Fisher clearly had a fistful of Barrie McKay's shirt as he turned in the box. Halliday lashed home the resulting penalty to prompt what onlookers assumed would be a torrent of goals. Even this early East Stirlingshire's striker David Grant cut a lonely and isolated figure. They could hardly get a touch as the Ibrox side played monopoly with the ball and Kenny Miller should really have scored their second on the end of a fabulous run and cross by Michael O'Halloran, but somehow Fisher nicked the ball off his toe as he prepared for a tap-in. Windass was Rangers' outstanding performer of the first 45 minutes, although there was an element of luck about his goal. McKay fired in a good cross from the left and it seemed to strike Windass and fall at his feet. From there it was a simple tap-in. At this stage it was a King Canute performance by the home defence, yet unlike the great man they did actually stem the tide. Somehow the Lowland League team weathered the storm and retreated to the dressing room just two goals down. Rangers used the second half to introduce Niko Kranjcar - who looked well short of match fitness - and new signing Dodoo, but Shire grew in confidence and actually should have scored when Graeme MacGregor opened his body to shoot over when he really needed to put the laces through the pass from Grant. But into time added on Dodoo had a tap-in from Wallace's delivery to make it three. At times it was too easy for Rangers and curiously it's John Sludden's team, by avoiding a heavier defeat, who may go into the season buoyed by their performance. Match ends, East Stirling 0, Rangers 3. Second Half ends, East Stirling 0, Rangers 3. Goal! East Stirling 0, Rangers 3. Joe Dodoo (Rangers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lee Wallace. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Adam Murray. Substitution, East Stirling. Simon White replaces Conor Hogg. Attempt missed. Niko Kranjcar (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Derek Ure (East Stirling) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Clint Hill (Rangers). Attempt saved. Jordan Thompson (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Andy Grant. Substitution, East Stirling. Gavin McMillan replaces David Grant. Attempt missed. Lee Wallace (Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Substitution, East Stirling. Craig Comrie replaces Graeme MacGregor. Foul by Clint Hill (Rangers). Connor Greene (East Stirling) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Rangers. Jordan Thompson replaces Harry Forrester. Attempt missed. Graeme MacGregor (East Stirling) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Substitution, Rangers. Joe Dodoo replaces Michael O'Halloran. Attempt missed. Harry Forrester (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Niko Kranjcar (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Dylan McGuigan (East Stirling). Foul by Danny Wilson (Rangers). David Grant (East Stirling) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Adam Murray. Attempt missed. Harry Forrester (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Andy Halliday (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Graeme MacGregor (East Stirling). Foul by Harry Forrester (Rangers). Connor Greene (East Stirling) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Attempt blocked. Kenny Miller (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Lee Wallace (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Conor Hogg (East Stirling). Foul by Andy Halliday (Rangers). David Grant (East Stirling) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Ross Fisher. Second Half begins East Stirling 0, Rangers 2. Substitution, Rangers. Niko Kranjcar replaces Josh Windass. First Half ends, East Stirling 0, Rangers 2. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Darren Dolan. Attempt saved. Lee Wallace (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Rangers maintained their 100% Betfred League Cup record with a straightforward win over East Stirlingshire.
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Butterfield produced a fine finish from the edge of the area after the Rovers defence had failed to clear properly. The visitors, with one win in 11 league games, had plenty of possession but struggled to create chances. They went close to equalising in stoppage time when midfielder Jordi Gomez headed against the bar. Having gone eight league matches without a victory, Derby have now won back-to-back games for the first time since December. Blackburn, who are eight points above the relegation zone, had a great chance to equalise before the interval. Danny Graham, a former Derby loan signing, held off Richard Keogh before turning Jason Shackell. But from 10 yards out he spooned the ball over the bar. Derby County head coach Darren Wassall: Media playback is not supported on this device "We challenged the players before the game that we would like a clean sheet and I thought the two centre-halves were magnificent, they headed everything. Blackburn threw everything into the box and I thought we defended magnificently. "That's six points in two games, back-to-back wins home and away and I'm very pleased for the players because they've put in a shift and have been brilliant in the last two games." Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Lambert: "I am proud of the way we played, there's a way to lose a game and I thought we were excellent. We have been playing well for a few weeks, there were some big performances, and I think the lads are starting to play. "We had some great positions and maybe the one thing you could say was we never had the right weight of pass or the right decision. But other than that, for work rate and endeavour, we couldn't ask for any more."
Derby climbed to fifth in the Championship table as Jacob Butterfield's goal against Blackburn earned a first home league win of 2016.
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Faye Parson was on an emergency call in Danbury, Essex when her ambulance struck dentist Dr Michael Daly on a pelican crossing. Dr Daly died following the accident, in February 2016. Ms Parson, 41, of Braintree, denied the charge saying he had stepped out from behind a van. And, a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court found her not guilty. Essex: For more on this and other stories from Essex A data processor fitted to the ambulance showed it was travelling at 29mph (47km/h) in a 30mph (48km/h) limit immediately before the collision, on 4 February 2016. Its blue lights were on and its siren was armed for use, but the device was not capable of recording whether the siren was used, the court was told. Ms Parson put her blue lights on before the collision with Dr Daly, the jurors, who took 41 minutes to reach their verdict, heard. She had pulled into the wrong lane to overtake a queue of traffic as she approached the pedestrian crossing on the A414 Main Road in the village of Danbury in Essex, Peter Clement, prosecuting, said. The court was told how Dr Daly suffered severe brain injuries and was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting, London by air ambulance. His life support machine was switched off four months later, after he contracted the MRSA superbug and suffered a cardiac arrest.
An ambulance driver has been cleared of causing the death of a 77-year-old man through careless driving.
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The 21-year-old Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has played seven games for the Scottish champions this season, including a Champions League group game against Barcelona. "We've had to fight off competition from clubs in England and the SPFL," Saddlers boss Jon Whitney said. Left-back Scott Laird has also extended his loan until the end of the season. The 28-year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan from Scunthorpe, scoring three goals in 22 games. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here.
League One club Walsall have signed Celtic centre-back Eoghan O'Connell on loan until the end of the season.
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Here is what we know. Two men entered the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, a suburb of Rouen, during morning mass on Tuesday 26 July at about 09:25 local time. Inside was the priest - 86-year-old Fr Jacques Hamel - as well as three nuns and two parishioners, according to prosecutor Francois Molins. One of the nuns, Sister Danielle, said the men, armed with knives, forced the priest to his knees before cutting his throat. "They recorded it," she told French radio. "It was like they were performing a sermon in Arabic around the altar. It was horrific." While they were attacking the priest, Sister Danielle was able to escape and raise the alarm. When police arrived they tried to negotiate with the attackers, who Mr Molins said had lined up three hostages in front of the door as human shields to prevent police storming the church. The three - two nuns and one parishioner - exited the church, followed by the attackers, one of whom was carrying a gun, who charged police shouting "Allahu akbar" (God is great), Mr Molins added. The pair were shot dead by police. One of the attackers had fake explosives in a backpack. It would take hours for police to ensure the area was safe. So-called Islamic State (IS) said two of its "soldiers" had carried out the attack. The perpetrators have been named as Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Petitjean, both 19. Both attackers were known to the French security services, having tried to reach Syria to join IS and been turned back. Kermiche was awaiting trial on terror charges. He was barred from leaving his local area and was wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet when he died. However the bracelet was deactivated for a few hours each morning, Mr Molins added. Petitjean had been identified as a potential security threat and the French security services held a so-called S file on him. Kermiche lived in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray with his parents. A schoolmate of his described him as a normal teen who became radicalised after the 2015 attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine. "We tried to reason with him, but every time we tried to reason with him he would reply with some verse from the Koran, he would invent things," Redwan told Reuters news agency. Petitjean was from a town in eastern France near the German border. Little detail has emerged about his radicalisation but sources close to the investigation have told French media that anti-terrorism police had been looking for a man who looked like Petitjean in the days before the attack. They had received a tip-off from a foreign intelligence agency, which had warned of an imminent attack and supplied a photograph, but no name, of the likely assailant. Those who knew Jacques Hamel have described a kind and generous man. He was semi-retired, and was filling in for the regular priest, Father Auguste Moanda-Phuati, at the time of the attack. Born in 1930 in Darnetal, Seine-Maritime, Hamel was ordained in 1958 and celebrated his golden jubilee - 50 years of priesthood - in 2008, according to the parish website. "He was a man who was always there for others," Philippe Maheut, the vicar general who helps oversee the parish, told France 24. "He was not responsible for the parish, but he was always on hand to celebrate baptisms, marriages, funerals and to meet people. He was someone who was very active." Mohammed Karabila, the president of Normandy's Regional Council of the Muslim Faith, who worked with Father Hamel on an interfaith committee, described him as "a man of peace" who "dedicated his life to his ideas and religion". One of the worshippers in the church at the time was also badly wounded. They have not been identified. Tributes paid to priest who dedicated life to church Vowing to fight IS "using all means possible", French President Francois Hollande said: "To attack a church, kill a priest, is to profane the republic." But with France already on high alert following the Bastille Day lorry attack in Nice, his opponents have accused the government of not doing enough to keep French citizens safe. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy, expected to bid again to lead France, said the government needed to "thoroughly change" its strategy against IS. The leader of the far-right National Front Marine Le Pen, who is also expected to run for the presidency, said both men's parties had failed on security, tweeting that it was "revolting" to see them argue. The fact that the attackers targeted a church fulfils grim threats against what IS terms "crusaders", and for some marks a dangerous first for Islamist militancy. "What we have seen is people who are remotely radicalised, becoming remotely operationalised, and selecting targets that hitherto we thought they wouldn't," Haras Rafiq from the think-tank, The Quilliam Foundation, told the BBC. "They have selected a target that is going to be virtually impossible to defend and patrol in the western world."
France has again been stunned by a jihadist attack, after knife-wielding men burst into a church, killed an elderly priest and took hostages.
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A complaint was received about the 21 March programme after host Nick Hewer referred to the Ideal Home Show "at Olympia... until 3 April". Later, guest Mark Foster talked about being an ambassador for P&O Cruises, referring to activities on offer. Ofcom ruled that both references were "unduly prominent" and "promotional". Its spokesperson said: "We found this programme broke broadcasting rules by promoting and giving undue prominence to products and services. "Commercial references by the host Nick Hewer, and guest Mark Foster, were promotional and went beyond what could be justified editorially." Opening the programme, Hewer told the audience the Ideal Home Show would "inspire us on how to improve our homes and make them even more beautiful... there are talks and tips and what-have-you from such experts as Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen and TV architect George Clarke. "If you are going, good luck, get some great ideas, and good luck with the home improvements." Later, former British swimmer Mark Foster made numerous comments about the array of different activities and services that are available on board the cruise ships including "lots of different entertainment on board: dance troupes, coffee shops, restaurants - there's probably about 20 to 30 restaurants on board. A five-a-side football pitch, a basketball court…". Channel 4 confirmed that there was no commercial relationship between it, the programme-makers, or any person connected with either The Ideal Home Show or P&O Cruises. The channel continued that while the programme's producers "believed that the references were editorially justified in context", it accepted, with the benefit of hindsight, that the language used and the manner in which the information was scripted meant "that it could be construed as promotional in tone and it strayed into being unduly prominent". Channel 4 stated that as soon as it was made aware of the complaint it removed this particular episode from its on demand service All 4, and ensured it was not repeated. It explained that this episode was reviewed before transmission by a junior member of the commissioning team; however neither of the two references were picked up and referred on to the commissioning editor to review as "should be the process". In light of this complaint, Channel 4 stated that all commercial references will be signed off by the commissioning editor. Ofcom considered that the commercial references in the programme went beyond what could be justified editorially: the discussion about The Ideal Home Show appeared at the very start of the programme and was not prompted by, or linked to, the programme's editorial narrative; and, the references to P&O Cruises went beyond a discussion about the guest's role as a health and fitness advisor. Meanwhile, the recent episode of EastEnders which featured Dame Barbara Windsor apparently taking an overdose of pills, received seven complaints regarding self-harm and suicide but the BBC programme was not held in breach. There were also 19 complaints about nudity in an episode of Britain's Got Talent that aired on 23 May, but again, Ofcom did not uphold the complaints.
Channel 4 breached regulations on product placement in an episode of its quiz show Countdown, media Ofcom watchdog has ruled.
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Bennett revealed last week that People was inspired by his sense of unease while visiting a National Trust house. Set in a crumbling stately home, the play stars Frances de la Tour as the impoverished owner resisting its sale to the charity. Critics have described the play as "provocative fun". Michael Billington in The Guardian says the play raises the "intriguing prospect of a running war" between two NTs: the National Theatre and the National Trust. The National Trust told the BBC on Thursday that it was "flattered" to be woven into Bennett's play, but it was "not quite the organisation he thinks we are". People, directed by Nicholas Hytner, sees de la Tour in her third new Bennett play at the National following The History Boys and The Habit of Art. She plays ex-model and aristocrat Dorothy Stacpoole, who faces the choice of auctioning off the house, letting the National Trust open it to visitors, or selling it to a shady consortium. Dorothy describes the National Trust as a "pretend England... so decent, so worthy, so dull". In the meantime she allows the house to be used as the set for a porn film. "Bennett's play feels less like a class comedy than an old man's rage against the sterility of today's cautious, over-organised society, where all boxes must be computer-ticked, and all human spirit and oddity processed away," said Ismene Brown in her review for The Arts Desk. "Upending his cuddly reputation, he gives the poor old National Trust a really bloody nose." A National Trust spokesperson said: "We are looking forward to seeing Alan Bennett's play and of course it is flattering to be woven into it, but we are not quite the organisation he thinks we are! "The National Trust has changed a lot over recent years to reach out and engage with as wide an audience as possible across our houses, gardens, coast and countryside. We want everyone to love the special places we look after. "We know we can't always please everyone but we do feel hugely confident we are on the right lines with 4 million members and 17 million paying visits, and the goodwill and enthusiasm of 67,000 volunteers, along with more than 100 million pounds a year spent on conservation." In his introduction to the play, Bennett writes: "Some plays seem to start with an itch, an irritation, something one can't solve or a feeling one can't locate. With People it was a sense of unease when going round a National Trust house and being required to buy into the role of reverential visitor." He goes on express his dislike of being fed information about the room or its furniture by National Trust guides. "Even when I am interested but want to be left alone with the pictures or whatever, I have learned not to show too much interest as this invariably fetches the guide over, wanting to share his or her expertise." "At 78, Alan Bennett has lost little of his mischievous wit and sense of the ridiculous," says Charles Spencer in his four-star review in The Telegraph. "His eagerly awaited new comedy, People, may not be out of the top drawer of his work, lacking the emotional depth and sly subtlety of his best writing, but it is entertaining, funny and touching." In The Mail, Quentin Letts was more reserved. "Mr Bennett's text has strong moments - there is a stinging speech about how the Trust likes to 'maximise our percentage footfall' as a 'growth organisation' - but the dramatic execution lacks political ruthlessness and the lines are delivered without subtlety." He added: "People has a good theme but the production doesn't half plod in places." The play, at the Lyttelton theatre until next February, includes a running joke about the Stacpoole home's collection of chamber pots which still contain the urine of famous visitors over the decades. The National Trust statement added: "A Demos survey at the end of last year showed that the National Trust and Shakespeare were the top two sources of pride in being British. "On top of that, we also look after over 550 chamber pots, though unfortunately most are empty."
Alan Bennett's new play People has opened at the National Theatre, in which the playwright takes a swipe at the National Trust.
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Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital was her destination on 7 July, where she worked as a biomedical officer. The Iranian-born 47-year-old had lived in Finchley for 13 years. And her death on the Piccadilly Line Tube train that morning has devastated her family. Her husband, Nader Mozakka, whom she had met while they were at university in Tehran and married in 1979, said: "She was a very peaceful person and hated violence. She was hugely loved. This has left a big hole in our lives." The family were initially told she had survived for up to 45 minutes after the explosion, but at the inquest in October 2010, it was revealed that she had died instantly. Speaking in court at the inquest five years after her death, Mrs Mozakka's daughter Saba, who was 24 when she lost her mother, said that she, her father Nader and her brother Saeed had been "shattered" by the death. "Following her murder, we were forced to sell our family home, because the reality of living there without her was too painful to cope with. "The three of us now live separately, and while we are still very close to the family and love each other dearly, our glue has been taken away from us," she said. Miss Mozakka said she had suffered post traumatic stress disorder after her mother's murder and missed her every day. "I cannot imagine marrying without my mother being there to plan and share my day. I cannot fathom having a family without her, my mother, to support me." She said although her mother loved her job and was very good at it, her priority was the family and, in 1991, she gave up science to take a job at Save the Children so that she could spend more time with them. "She never thought twice about making sacrifices for her family. My mother was very devoted to us, her family." Eight years later, Mrs Mozakka started work at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Laura Hamilton, who worked with Mrs Mozakka for more than four years at the hospital, said Mrs Mozakka - who was known as Nazy - had started working there a week before her and had helped her settle in. "She really was like the mum of the lab, helping out with any problems, a friendly shoulder when you needed some advice. "She was such a kind and caring person, with something nice to say about everyone." The inquest heard that the hospital created a roof garden in memory of Mrs Mozakka. "This is a beautiful garden which is a tribute to my mum, who loved the outdoors and always felt very passionately that staff did not have enough green space," her daughter said. She said that following the death, Mrs Mozakka's mother became extremely unwell and never recovered. She said she had worked hard to keep her mother's memory alive, working with the government to design and create a permanent memorial to the victims of the 7/7 bombings in London's Hyde Park. "While I am incredibly proud of what we have managed to achieve, I wished every day, during every single meeting, every single board meeting, that I didn't have to be involved in this project. "The horror and brutality of having someone you love so much hurt in this way can never be explained," she said.
The daily commute from Finchley to Russell Square by Behnaz Mozakka was for a job she loved.
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Russell Sherwood, 69, of Cilfrew, Neath, was heading to Ewenny in Vale of Glamorgan as Storm Angus hit in the morning but never arrived. Police divers located the body in the River Ogmore at first light on Wednesday. It has yet to be formally identified but Mr Sherwood's family have been informed, South Wales Police said. Mr Sherwood had left his home in a silver Ford Focus at about 06:15 GMT on Sunday as flooding caused by the storm hit roads in the area around Stormy Down. Police said due to the "treacherous weather conditions" and flooding along the route Mr Sherwood was travelling, it was believed his vehicle went into the river. Registration plates from his car were found on Monday and a vehicle was discovered in the river on Tuesday. Chief Superintendent Stuart Parfitt said: "The search for Mr Sherwood has now concluded, after a car and a body were sadly recovered this morning. "There are no suspicious circumstances and the incident is being treated as a very tragic accident."
A body has been found in the search for a man who went missing in Bridgend on Sunday.
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Cipriani signed a two-year deal last year but is understood to have a break clause this season. The ex-Wasps and Melbourne Rebels number 10 is a target for Top 14 side Toulon as well as Premiership clubs. "The decision on my future is something I'm going to have to make within the next week or so," he told BBC Radio Manchester's Rugby Union Extra. "I've not kept Dimes [director of rugby Steve Diamond] in the lurch with anything, we have a very good relationship. "We talk very openly about a lot of things, so it's not like he doesn't know what the decisions or options are for me. "It's no discredit to Sale or credit to anyone else - it's something that I'm going to have to really think about, whether that be my family or things to do with my mum, or whatever it might be, there is a lot that comes into it." Cipriani was not included in new England head coach Eddie Jones' first squad selection for the upcoming Six Nations. He has revealed he is in regular contact with the Australian but was disappointed to not get more game time under Stuart Lancaster. "I'm going to sit here and say 'I didn't feel like I got a fair crack of the whip', but he chose what he felt was best," Cipriani added. "I can't complain or moan about that. He gave me 20 minutes in France away, I got voted man-of-the-match and that was all I could do really. "That was the only chance I really got and he still didn't decide to include me and I fully understood that because he people in squad that were there at the beginning of his reign and he built camaraderie, trust, respect or whatever it may be."
Sale Sharks fly-half Danny Cipriani has stated he will decide his future at the club in the coming weeks.
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The engineering firm wants access to Alstom's "data room" and "permission to interview the management" for four weeks as a prerequisite for an offer. On Monday, Siemens officials met French President Francois Hollande to discuss a possible deal. The news follows reports that General Electric (GE) wants to buy Alstom, which makes TGV high-speed trains. On Sunday, French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Siemens wanted to offer Alstom half its trainmaking business and some cash. In return, Siemens wants Alstom's energy industry turbines business, according to the report. Mr Hollande and senior French ministers met General Electric and Siemens on Monday in separate meetings. The politicians wanted "to make sure that French companies... do not become prey," France's economy minister Arnaud Montebourg said. Nevertheless, France is "open to alliances that help to equip [it] for globalisation", he said. Siemens chief executive Joe Kaeser also met Mr Hollande and Mr Montebourg, and described the meeting as an "open, trustful and amicable exchange". Alstom has about 93,000 employees in 100 countries around the world, and employs about 18,000 people in France. The engineering giant had to be bailed out by the French government in 2004, and has suffered heavy debts and a fall in orders over the past decade.
German firm Siemens says it will make an offer for France's Alstom if it can see the company's books.
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Abigail Bonney, 18, of Thomas Road in Clacton, lost control of her Renault Clio on the A133 near Colchester. Bonney admitted careless driving at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. One of her passengers was seriously injured. The court heard a "black box" fitted to her car showed her speed increased to 71mph before the crash on 1 March. The legal limit on the stretch of road where the crash happened is 60mph (96kmh). The black box had been fitted by her insurance company, the court heard. Although Bonney was unharmed, the front-seat passenger, an 18-year-old woman, suffered life-changing neck injuries. Two other friends, who were sitting in the back of the car, suffered whiplash injuries and severe headaches. Bonney was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £62 and ordered to pay £90 costs and a £20 victim surcharge. After the case, PC Heidi Lee of Essex Police said: "The court heard that Bonney was a new and inexperienced driver who showed a total disregard for the safety of her passengers and other road users."
A driver who crashed after increasing her speed to more than 70mph (112kmh) into a sharp bend had passed her test just weeks before, it has emerged.
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It published the details on Thursday, but the information only covers about half of those in receipt of payments. Firms that received more than £5,000 have been named. The information includes company names and amounts they were paid up to the end of last month. Those who applied as individuals rather than companies, have not been named. Some of the companies named on the list say they have nothing to hide or to answer for. One with multiple boilers said it had invested £650,000 to switch over from oil. It has been paid back £340,000 since 2015. Another said there had been a "huge hullaballo", adding that there would have been less fuss if it had been selling drugs. The total money paid out to the named RHI companies over the specified period was £27,621,865.02 The Renewable Heat Association, which represents some beneficiaries of the scheme, said the release of the list "is, in no way, evidence of wrongdoing" by the named firms. It added that it hoped the publication would "not lead to an assumption by the public or the media that the participants are acting improperly in any way". "Participants entered a scheme legitimately, which was designed and promoted by the government in Northern Ireland," it said in a statement. The department won a court case earlier this month after some boiler owners challenged the publication plan. A judge said that releasing the companies' names would help prevent abuse of the scheme. But he ruled that details of those who had applied for a subsidy under their own name, rather than in the name of a company, should not be published until data protection checks were completed. Details of those individuals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and may be released later. Northern Ireland Executive documents prepared for an inspection tender show there are about 2,000 boilers on 1,200 sites. Single boilers make up 800 of the installations and a further 200 are twin boilers, while the rest have multiple boilers on site. Former first minister Arlene Foster set up the RHI scheme in 2012 when she was enterprise minister. It was an attempt by the executive to increase the creation of heat from renewable sources. But flaws in setting the scheme's subsidy rate left it open to abuse as claimants could earn more cash the more fuel they burned. The lack of cost controls led to an overspend that could cost taxpayers £490m over the next 20 years. This month's snap Northern Ireland Assembly election was called after a coalition led by Mrs Foster's Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin collapsed after the then deputy first minister Martin McGuinness resigned over her refusal to step aside during an inquiry into the debacle. A public inquiry into the botched scheme is to be led by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin, and a preliminary session will be held next month. It will look at the design and operation of the scheme and allegations of political pressure to delay its closure as it ran into big problems. Cost controls have been agreed to reduce subsidy rates in the coming financial year, but they face a legal challenge from boiler owners.
A list of companies receiving a subsidy from the controversial Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has been released by the Department for the Economy.
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Mr Grunshaw, who did not secure more than 50% of the first round vote, was elected after counting of second preference votes. He polled 152,714 votes compared to his Conservative rival Andrew Pratt who took 118,941. Mr Grunshaw described the post as a "a difficult job" which "wasn't going to get any easier." "The first term has been difficult because of the cuts and establishing the job," he said. In the first round of votes, Mr Grunshaw received 132,261 votes and Mr Pratt 96,746. Voter turnout was 29%. Candidates are listed alphabetically by surname. BBC News App users: tap here to see the results. More information is available on the Choose my PCC website.
Labour's Clive Grunshaw has been re-elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire.
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Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners' Group members and the Neath, Dulais and Swansea Valley Miners' Support Group held a 30th anniversary reunion. Hundreds gathered at the Onllwyn Miners Welfare Hall in the Dulais Valley on Saturday night. The event raised £4,000 for the Mark Ashton Trust, an HIV charity. The charity was founded in honour of Mark Ashton, one of the leading gay activists portrayed in the films, who died in 1987. Mark's brother Lee Ashton, who travelled from Burnley in Lancashire, said: "To have two absolute opposite polars of communities coming together to support each other is really a fantastic story of humanity." The secretary of the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners' Group Mike Jackson, whose character is played by Joe Gilgun in Pride, said they have been overwhelmed by the interest in their story. Swansea East MP Sian James, the secretary of the miners' support group, added: "We wanted to remind ourselves that we could do this sort of thing, and we could gather the community together again, and it's been so successful."
Two groups whose activities during the miners' strike inspired the hit film Pride have reunited for the first time in three decades.
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It was picked out of an ashtray by a nurse while the former prime minister was recuperating from a fractured hip at Middlesex Hospital in 1962. She saved it for her little brother in a bag marked "soiled dressings disposal" where it has been kept since. The butt had been expected to fetch £1,000. Churchill, then 87, was admitted to hospital after falling out of bed while on holiday in Monte Carlo. He was flown to the UK on an RAF VC10 at the request of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, and spent weeks in the private Woolavington Wing. Churchill also contracted bronchitis and pneumonia, which led to thrombosis, but he kept up his smoking habit and eventually recovered. Timothy Medhurst, from Duke's Auctioneers in Dorchester, said: "Churchill had already experienced many injuries, and to have such a devastating injury occur at such an old age was a threat to his stalwart 'British bulldog' image." The winning bid came from an online buyer, although Mr Medhurst said he did not know where in the world they were based.
The chewed end of a cigar smoked by Sir Winston Churchill in a hospital bed has sold at auction for £2,000.
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The caffeine contained in energy drinks can make people feel wide awake and encourage them to drink more than normal. Medics say this could also cause problems sleeping and a raised heart rate, although more research is needed. Charity Drinkaware does not recommend mixing alcohol and energy drinks. Mixing spirits and liqueurs with energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Monster, has become increasingly popular - in pubs and clubs, and at home. But recent research suggests that drinking alcohol mixed with high-caffeine energy drinks could be more risky than drinking alcohol on its own, or with a more traditional mixer. This is because it can make people "wide awake drunk" - a result of the stimulating effects of caffeine and the brain-slowing effects of alcohol. In a review of 13 studies published between 1981 and 2016, researchers at the University of Victoria, Canada, found a link in 10 studies between intake of alcohol mixed with energy drinks and an increased risk of falls, fight and accidents. But they said they were unable to pin down the size of the injury risk because of the varied nature of the studies and the difficulty of comparing results. When it comes to the question of whether mixing alcohol and energy drinks is harmful to health, larger studies are still needed to work this out. At present, the Food Standards Agency and the Committee of Toxicity says the evidence is not clear. Energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine, usually about 80mg in a 250ml can - equivalent to a mug of instant coffee. In comparison, a 330ml can of classic Coca-Cola contains 32mg and a can of Diet Coke 42mg. Energy drinks also contain lots of sugar as well as other ingredients, such as glucuronolactone and taurine, and sometimes vitamins and minerals or herbal substances. Some smaller "energy shot" products can contain as much as 160mg of caffeine in a 60ml bottle. High levels of caffeine can lead to anxiety, panic attacks and increased blood pressure. Pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised not to have more than 200mg of caffeine over the course of a day. There is more information on NHS choices. European advice says that most other adults are safe to drink up to 400mg a day. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning Children should have caffeine in moderation - a daily intake of less than 3mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight in children and adolescents is safe, the European Food Safety Authority says. Under current UK rules, drinks that contain more than 150mg per litre of caffeine (apart from teas and coffees) must carry a warning saying: "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women". But there are currently no legal restrictions on the amount of caffeine that may be present in a food or drink product in the UK. Men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. That's equivalent to six pints of average strength beer or seven glasses of wine. The advice, from the Department of Health, also says that it's best not to save up units and drink them all in one go and to make sure you have alcohol-free days every week. What you need to know about the alcohol guidelines Audra Roemer, study author and doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Victoria, says: "Usually when you're drinking alcohol, you eventually get tired and you go home. "Energy drinks mask that, so people may underestimate how intoxicated they are, end up staying out later, consume more alcohol, and engage in risky behaviour and more hazardous drinking practices." The charity Drinkaware said anything that encouraged people to drink more alcohol was "a very risky thing to do, and a worrying trend". But Gavin Partington, director general at the British Soft Drinks Association, said there was no indication that energy drinks had any specific effect related to alcohol consumption. "The European Food Safety Authority has concluded that it is unlikely that caffeine interacts adversely with energy drinks or with alcohol," he said. "However, anybody drinking alcohol should do so in moderation, whether or not it's mixed with an energy drink." If you're going to mix alcohol and energy drinks, then try to reduce any risks by: Source: Drinkaware
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol could be a risky combination, leading to a greater risk of accidents and injuries, research from Canada suggests.
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A cordon has been put in place around the 50m crack, which was spotted on Wednesday, and people have been warned to avoid the cliff top. Geologists described it as a "landslip in action" and said the cliff was "continuously slipping". The council said "about 2,000 cubic metres" were in the process of falling. Coastguard rescue officer and geologist Daniel Escreet said: "It's a huge danger. It's continuously slipping, it's a landslip in action. "It'll be moving very slowly at the moment. But it could move very quickly at any time." Michael Ball, the council's principal engineer, said: "It's the fastest eroding coastline in Europe. "We've seen a large crack develop and the cliff is unstable. "We've taken measures to make the area safe. We've put up fencing today. It's very likely it's going to give away soon... the next few tides could bring it down. "People have to be aware that it's a dangerous situation to be standing too close to the cliff edge and getting too close to the base of the cliff, because material can fall down at anytime."
A section of the East Yorkshire coastline is beginning to collapse after a large crack appeared in the cliffs at Mappleton beach.
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Petrol bombs were hurled inside the courthouse and a fire broke out in the office of judge Nikolai Didyk, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. Last month the Ukrainian lawyer of one of the two Russians was found dead. He had been kidnapped and brutally beaten. Ukraine has charged the Russian pair with waging war in eastern Ukraine. Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev were captured in eastern Ukraine last May. They are suspected of serving with Russian military intelligence, the GRU. Russia says they were volunteers who had left active service. A shaky ceasefire is holding in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian rebels control large swathes of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Western leaders and Nato accuse Russia of helping the rebels with heavy weapons and regular troops - something Moscow has repeatedly denied. The Kiev fire was quickly extinguished and no vital court documents were damaged, reports say. Ukraine's chief military prosecutor, Anatoliy Matios, was quoted as saying several men had infiltrated the court premises and hurled several petrol bombs, before fleeing the scene in a car, which was later found abandoned. He called it an attempt to intimidate the judge. The trial of the two Russians is a high-profile case - they are accused of "terrorism" and waging a war of aggression against Ukraine. Lawyer Yuriy Hrabovsky was defending Mr Alexandrov but disappeared last month mid-trial. His body was found in a forest 125km (78 miles) south of Kiev. Ukrainian officials say Mr Alexandrov and Mr Yerofeyev confessed to serving in the Russian special services, but later retracted their confessions. The two men deny charges of terrorism. Prosecutors have called for life sentences. During his kidnap, on 6 March, Hrabovsky made a video statement, saying he was giving up defending Mr Alexandrov. Investigators say he appeared to be drugged in the video. A kidnapper asked him "Why? Why?", to which he replied: "I made a mistake." He was last seen rushing into his office and grabbing something from the safe, accompanied by an unidentified man, Anna Nemtsova of BBCRussian reports. Two men have been detained in connection with the murder, but their possible role has not been explained. According to Iosif Bronz, vice-president of the Ukrainian lawyers' union, the murder "looks like a special operation".
An arson attack targeted the office of a Kiev judge shortly before the trial of two alleged Russian special forces soldiers resumed.
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The debris, apparently a wing flap, was found on French-owned Reunion. An aviation security expert said it had "incredible similarities" to a flap from a Boeing 777, the type of plane that vanished in March 2014. But the island is a huge distance from the plane's search area and there have been other crashes much closer. No part of the Malaysian Airlines flight has ever been found. It disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Aviation expert Xavier Tytelman said a code on the plane would be examined, promising a "definitive answer" on whether there was a link in a few days. Australian investigators, who are leading the hunt, are also reported to be in touch with manufacturers over the find. But a member of the French Air Force cautioned it was "way too soon" to say if it was from the missing flight, according to CNN. Search teams have been focusing on a 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq mile) area off the coast of Western Australia, where it is believed to have crashed. Reunion lies some 6,000 km (3,730 miles) to the west, off the coast of Madagascar. It remains a mystery what happened to the plane, which vanished after turning away from its north-bound route from Kuala Lumpur.
French officials are investigating whether plane wreckage that washed up on an Indian Ocean island is from missing flight MH370.
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Mr Corbyn attacked Mr Cameron's government for cancelling a scheme in Leeds and turning down applications to improve protection in York and Cumbria. But Mr Cameron said flood relief had improved and spending on protection had increased to £2bn in England. He said it was "laughable" to suggest Mr Corbyn would have responded to the Christmas floods more quickly. December was the wettest month on record in the UK, with about 16,000 homes in England flooded, and Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire among the worst affected. Parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland also saw flooding and damage from a series of storms, including Desmond, Eva and Frank. More heavy rain is expected overnight and on Thursday and could cause further flooding, the Environment Agency for England and Wales is warning. It comes as MPs on the Commons Environment Committee were told by Environment Agency bosses that flood defences saved lives and did not fail during December's storms. Mr Corbyn questioned whether the government had learnt from flooding in January 2014. Mr Cameron said "a number of lessons have been learnt", adding: "This time the military came in far faster than ever before, the Bellwin Scheme [financial assistance scheme] was funded at 100% not 85%, more money got to communities more quickly." He said there was "always" more to learn, adding: "That is why we will review everything that's been done. But let's be clear as we do that that we will make money available." Mr Corbyn attacked the government for cancelling funding for flood protection schemes. "One thousand homes and businesses in Leeds were flooded in recent weeks [and] the government is still only committed to a scaled-down version of the project worth a fraction of its total cost - when the prime minister claimed that money was no object when it came to flood relief," said the Labour leader. He pressed the prime minister to guarantee full funding for a £190m project on the River Aire in Leeds that was cancelled in 2011. And he called for a cross-party approach which would back "properly funded" flood protection schemes and upland management to make homes more resilient. Mr Cameron said: "We are spending more on flood defence schemes and are stacking up a whole series of schemes that we'll spend more on... "If you are going to spend billions of pounds on renationalising our railways, where are you going to find the money for flood defences? "The idea that this individual would be faster in responding to floods when it takes him three days to carry out a [shadow cabinet] reshuffle is frankly laughable." The Labour leader later wrote to David Cameron to seek further assurances on funding for key schemes. In the letter, Mr Corbyn claimed Mr Cameron's remarks during Prime Minister's Questions had been "simply disingenuous" and to assert more was being spent than five years ago was a "misrepresentation" of the facts. "As we face billions of pounds worth of flood damage, we can now tangibly see the effects of the false economy that is your government's austerity," Mr Corbyn wrote. Over the current parliament, £2.3bn will be spent on flood defences in England. Last year £802m was spent on flood defences, according to Defra, but the amount spent in 2015-16 is expected to decrease to £695m. In Cumbria, £45m was spent by the government on flood defences during the last parliament, Environment secretary Liz Truss has said. A new £4.4m flood defence scheme was constructed in Cumbria in 2013, which included the UK's first "self-closing" flood barriers.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has clashed with the prime minister over funding for flood defence schemes.
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The Dumfries and Galloway festival is staging its biggest ever programme when it gets under way later this month. It is now opening a campsite in Duncan Park, which will have portable toilets and showers and a cooking area, and will cost £12 a night. A total of 236 authors are set to take part in talks, workshops and signings between 23 September and 2 October. Last year, organisers said 10,000 people visited the town during the festival but accommodation was hard to organise. EventScotland is supporting the organisation of the site, while extra ferries are also being put on from Northern Ireland. Artistic director Adrian Turpin said: "In 2015, around 22,000 tickets were issued for our events and over 10,000 people visited the Wigtown Book Festival; normally the town's population is 900. "We've been very lucky to work with EventScotland and introduce a campsite connected to the book festival in the area for the first time to help the town accommodate the population swell." He added: "Wigtown is Scotland's National Book Town, it's a great place to come and discover books, meet people and see the area that inspired some of Robert Burns's best work. "As one of the world's best natural beauty spots, Dumfries and Galloway is famed for its incredible green landscape, rolling hills and views of the Milky Way. "I hope that the new camping and ferry crossing opportunities encourages more people to come to the area and the 2016 Wigtown Book Festival."
Wigtown Book Festival is setting up a campsite for visitors to help with accommodation pressures.
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Rehana Sultan, a 20-year-old debutante fresh out of film school, is playing the role of the prostitute. She's sprawled on a bed in a blood-red chiffon sari after fixing herself a whiskey, and is trying to coax her unwilling customer to join her in bed. "I like what I do. Come to me, and I am sure you will like it too," she says, her eyes fluttering. Sultan stands up on the bed, and drops her clothes. (The hairdresser on the set has given her a long wig, so the thick, fake tresses cover her upper body.) Then the camera frames her legs in an inverted V, with the man, faintly out of focus, staring at her from the end of the room. The image becomes India's most talked about cinema scene and poster of the year. It was the early 1970s, and time moved slowly in India. Not long ago, censors had banned Lady Chatterley's Lover to stop "prurient minds which take delight and pleasures from erotic writings". Bollywood was better known for its mawkish song-and-dance fare. Heroines, as filmmaker Shyam Benegal said, were "required to be pure and virginal". Chetna, an uneven and gutsy film on the rehabilitation of a prostitute, was a rash outlier. The film, directed by BR Ishara, a chain-smoking maverick, appeared to shock India. One critic wrote that Sultan "gives a shockingly bold portrait (sic) of the undercover, high-priced whore". She was called a "trailblazer who ushered in a sexual revolution with her boldly-defiant portrayal of the assertive woman". Sultan, chimed another critic, "shatters every canon of the industry by accepting the role of a call-girl and mouthing bold dialogue". Most appeared to have forgotten the film. They revelled in calling the debutante, the daughter of an electrical goods contractor and a homemaker mother from the sleepy northern city of Allahabad, a "new, bold sex phenomenon". They believed audiences were flocking to the film to "see more of her legs". Pioneering Indians is part of the India Direct series. It looks back at men and women who have helped shape modern India. Other stories from the series: At the end of the year, another film starring Sultan hit the screens. Dastak (Knock), directed by respected Urdu writer Rajinder Singh Bedi, was about the travails of a struggling newly-wed couple who unwittingly rented an apartment, previously occupied by a dancing girl, in a red light district in Mumbai. Sultan played a lonely and tormented woman, trapped in her apartment, while her husband, played by the versatile star Sanjeev Kumar, is away at work. They both suffer knocks on their door from unruly clients of the previous tenant. Again, the posters showed a scene in the film where Sultan lies on the floor, ostensibly naked. The papers called it a "second-long nude flash" even though she merely bared her shoulder for the scene. The fact is Dastak was not a salacious film. It is a story, writes Avijit Ghosh in a book on Bollywood classics, of the "dilemmas and choices that often confronted millions of lower middle class Indians in the 1970s". In the beginning, Sultan became the toast of tinsel town. Some critics called her the "original superstar of new wave cinema for her two unconventional films". Her work was appreciated by the iconic Indian director Satyajit Ray. Most importantly, Sultan even picked up the prestigious national award for the best actress for her debut outing. (Dastak was shot before Chetna, but released a few months later.) But, again, the chatter about her work veered to her "hot scenes" in the dark, unsettling film which was shot in bleak black-and-white. Well-known critic Firoze Rangoonwala wrote that the "suggestive scenes meant that Indian cinema had reached adulthood at last." What was conveniently forgotten was that Sultan picked up the prestigious national film award for her debut film. She even made the cover of India's most popular film magazine. Sultan soon found herself inundated with what Bollywood loved to call "daring and bold roles". Producers offered her scripts full of "rain and bathing scenes", a ruse to show skin. She literally ran away from a film because the producer gave her a "shocking" script. "The lines that I had to speak were not bold, but filthy. It made me sick," she told a film magazine. Sultan rejected most of the scripts. She continued to work fitfully in largely unremarkable roles for over a decade, never reprising her early success. There were few interesting roles. After her marriage to Ishara in 1984, she slowly faded out. "I was typecast for sure. The audiences thought I equalled sexuality which I found risible. Producers came to me with rain scenes, bath tub scenes. I would scoff and tell them, how many Indian homes had bath tubs, why are we being so unrealistic? So I refused a lot of roles," Sultan told me, when I met her recently in her modest apartment in an upscale Mumbai neighbourhood. Now 67, she is touchy about being described as a "discard". "I made mistakes too, I chose the wrong films. People didn't discard me, I am still welcomed," she says. "They ogled at her and dumped her," says filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, who cast Sultan in a small cameo in a film five years ago. "She was a pioneer in many ways, one of our earliest and rare professionally trained actresses. She was way ahead of her time. The tragedy is that she's now completely forgotten. It tells us something about India, about how we typecast people and obliterate history." At 18, Sultan had applied on a whim for the two-year acting course at India's Film and Television Institute of India, whose alumni include some of the country's most stellar film talent. Two weeks and a screen test later, she was in. She waded through books by method acting guru Konstantin Stanislavski, watched hundreds of films, became a fan of Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren and counted Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thief and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow among her favourite films. She also acted in dozens of campus films, shot by students. "She was a very fine, natural actress. She was not coy, and didn't fit the popular female stereotype of the demure, the seductress,' says film critic Rauf Ahmed. A journalist who met her wrote that she is a "mature person, who doesn't giggle like the other overgrown kids in filmdom". Sultan's two-film curse is the stuff of an actor's worst fear: typecasting. But it also underlines the difficulties actresses have always faced in the largely male-dominated and what many say is misogynist world of Bollywood. Arthouse directors fared little better: when Sultan went to a leading auteur to ask for a role in his film, he told her: "You are a good actress, but you are a commercial cinema heroine". "The heroes always had the opportunity to right their wrongs and redeem themselves in our movies," says Benegal, "Heroines had no second chances, and can get typecast very quickly". A critic presciently wrote in the 1970s that the Chetna image has "near-fatally run" over Sultan's indisputable talent. "To her audiences - mostly males - Rehana is a three-letter word: sex. She is nothing if she is clothed. Which explains very simply why every film after Dastak and Chetna was greeted with polite and respectful yawns." Bollywood has grown up a little over decades, and a bunch of young filmmakers, including a few women, are bravely trying to smash the jaded blockbuster formula. Feisty young actresses like Kangana Ranaut are speaking their minds and taking on the "establishment". Far away from the klieg lights, Sultan yearns to return to the studios and says she is open to offers. "I miss everything about acting. I miss the camera, the atmosphere. I wonder why I stopped acting. I am open to acting again. But will anybody take me now?"
"I have seen so many naked men," a young prostitute tells a hesitant client in a 1970 Bollywood film called Chetna, "that I hate clothed men now."
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The first-half strike was typical Keane, an audacious flick and volley to move level with German legend Gerd Muller's record 68 international goals. Keane received a rousing ovation when he was substituted after 56 minutes on his 146th and last Republic appearance. Robbie Brady and Jonathan Walters (2) also scored in the warm-up before the World Cup qualifier against Serbia. Walters was named man-of-the-match but the night belonged to skipper Keane as he retired after 18 years in international football. Media playback is not supported on this device The LA Galaxy striker had an early shot blocked and then saw his lob land on top of the net before his low finish on 29 minutes. That made it 2-0 after Brady's curling free-kick for the opener and the impressive Walters headed in before slotting home the fourth in the second half. Keane told Eir Sport: "It was very tough - it was an emotional night for me. "I just want to thank everyone who came along to support me and tell them that I've enjoyed every minute of my 18 years with the team. "Everyone wanted me to score and I'm delighted to finish off in this way. "I look forward to now sitting back and watching the team as a fan." Keane's goal tally leaves him joint fourth with Muller as Europe's best marksman in international football and behind Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Miroslav Klose. Who impressed O'Neill? Despite being a friendly against an limited Oman side ranked 107th in world, it as an energetic and flowing Irish display for boss Martin O'Neill to digest. Serbia will offer tougher opposition on Monday in the Group D opener but Walters stood out in a central striker role, hitting the woodwork to go along with his two goals. Marc Wilson and Harry Arter missed out on the Euro 2016 finals and they put in solid displays while Wes Hoolihan was creative as Keane's replacement. Callum O'Dowda shone as a second-half substitute, his power and pace evident as he won just his second cap. Match ends, Republic of Ireland 4, Oman 0. Second Half ends, Republic of Ireland 4, Oman 0. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match Ahmed Salim (Oman) because of an injury. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Nadir Awadh Bashir Bait Mabrook. Substitution, Oman. Saeed Abdulsalam replaces Abdulaziz Al Muqbali. Attempt missed. Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Wes Hoolahan with a cross following a corner. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Faiz Al-Rushaidi. Attempt saved. Wes Hoolahan (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Marc Wilson. Foul by Marc Wilson (Republic of Ireland). Abdulaziz Al Muqbali (Oman) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Corner, Oman. Conceded by Ciaran Clark. Foul by Jeff Hendrick (Republic of Ireland). Raed Ibrahim (Oman) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. James McClean (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ciaran Clark. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match Raed Ibrahim (Oman) because of an injury. Foul by Stephen Ward (Republic of Ireland). Husam Al Shuabi (Oman) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt blocked. James McClean (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. James McClean (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Wes Hoolahan (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Husam Al Shuabi (Oman). Attempt saved. Harry Arter (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Faiz Al-Rushaidi. Attempt saved. Jeff Hendrick (Republic of Ireland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by James McClean. Foul by James McClean (Republic of Ireland). Salaah Al-Yahyaei (Oman) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Substitution, Oman. Husam Al Shuabi replaces Hussain Al-Hadhri. Ciaran Clark (Republic of Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Abdulaziz Al Muqbali (Oman). Marc Wilson (Republic of Ireland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Marc Wilson (Republic of Ireland). Mataz Saleh Abd Raboh Bait (Oman) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Abdulaziz Al Muqbali. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Abdul Salam Amer. Substitution, Republic of Ireland. Callum O'Dowda replaces Stephen Quinn. Corner, Republic of Ireland. Conceded by Raed Ibrahim. Goal! Republic of Ireland 4, Oman 0. Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Harry Arter. Attempt saved. Jonathan Walters (Republic of Ireland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Stephen Ward with a headed pass.
Robbie Keane ended his Republic of Ireland career in style by scoring in a 4-0 friendly win over Oman.
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Cerberus Capital Management will invest $605m (£406m) in Avon. As part of the agreement, the North American division will be separated from the rest and mostly controlled by Cerberus. Avon's North American business has been struggling, while its growth in emerging markets has been strong. Avon's sales in North America accounted for just 14% of the company's revenue in 2014. Sales in Latin America made up nearly half of the company's total sales during that year. "We believe that the separation of Avon North America is the best way to ensure that both businesses have an unencumbered path to profitability and growth," said Sheri McCoy, chief executive of Avon Products. Cerberus will pay $170m for an 80% stake in Avon North America and will appoint a new chief executive. The investment firm said it will focus on creating new product lines and new incentive structures for its sales representatives. The firm will also make a separate $435m investment for a minority stake in the international brand, Avon Products. The company has turned down previous offers from would be buyers. In 2012, beauty brand Coty made a $10bn offer to buy Avon that was rejected. With the company's stock price falling 55% over the year, the executive team appeared to be changing their minds about buyouts. Shares rose 1.2% following the deals announcement. Avon, known for its catch phrase "Avon Calling" was set up in 1886. The company relies on a direct door-to door sales method rather than selling products in stores. Most of Avon's sales representatives are women and the company prides itself on female empowerment. "We are strong believers in the direct selling model, the principle of empowering Representatives, and the growth that direct selling can generate when Representatives are appropriately supported and incentivised to build their businesses," said Ms McCoy.
International cosmetic brand Avon said it had reached an agreement with a private investment firm designed to boost the company's performance.
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The accident occurred on Wednesday morning while the boat, which had broken down, was being towed by a second Chinese fishing boat. Five people were rescued but one later died. The accident happened close to where the Sewol ferry sank in 2014, killing more than 300 people in South Korea's biggest maritime disaster. Divers believe at least four people are still inside the fishing boat, which did not have approval by South Korean authorities to fish in the area, an official from South Korea's Ministry of Public Safety and Security told AP news agency. The boat overturned 85km (50 miles) north-west of the island of Gageo. South Korean maritime police based in the port city of Mokpo later withdrew divers after they failed to locate those thought trapped, AP reported. It was unclear whether Chinese coastguard officials would continue search and rescue efforts or tow the boat away, a ministry official was quoted as saying.
A Chinese fishing boat has capsized off South Korea's southern coast, with four people believed to be trapped inside.
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As legislation in England and Wales allowing gay couples to marry comes into force on Saturday, the BBC Radio 5 live survey also found men were nearly twice as likely to stay away as women. The poll of 1,007 people found 68% agreed gay marriage should be permitted, with 26% opposing it. One gay rights charity said people's attitudes were "incredibly positive". A spokesman for lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall said it was important to highlight the fact that four in five people would accept an invitation to a gay wedding. But Catholic Voices, which represents the Catholic Church, said the findings of the survey reflected the reality that people remained "deeply uncomfortable" with being honest about their true feelings on the meaning of marriage. Father Edmund Montgomery, a member of the organisation and a Catholic priest in Greater Manchester, said: "As the Church, we love those seeking a same-sex union, but our love for them requires we tell them the true meaning of marriage, something which that fifth of respondents find difficult but have the integrity to do by turning down the invitation. "In our modern culture it is increasingly difficult to have an open debate without being labelled as bigoted or intolerant." By Robert PigottReligious affairs correspondent, BBC News As gay Britons celebrate their new status as married couples for the first time in England and Wales their legal status will be little changed. Civil partnerships - available to them since 2005 - confer virtually all the legal benefits of marriage. But for many it was never enough. The distinction between the modern invention of civil partnership, and marriage, an institution dating back for centuries, left the impression in some minds that gay relationships were inferior. For them, only full, visible, equality would do - and politicians agreed. Most religious groups remain opposed - and Radio 5 live's poll shows they are not alone in deeply held objections to gay marriage. However, with support in wider society growing strongly, faith groups are feeling the effects of internal divisions about an issue that arouses passionate opinions. He continued: "It is a great irony that those seeking to increase tolerance do not extend that to those who disagree with them." Fr Montgomery, who at 29 is the youngest priest in the diocese of Shrewsbury, said he thought more people might turn down an invitation to a gay wedding were they not concerned they might be regarded as extreme. He added that, as marriage predates "the State", it should not be the government's place to change its meaning. With same-sex weddings in England and Wales permitted for the first time from Saturday, the research suggested a substantial proportion of the population had reservations about the issue - with 42% disagreeing that gay marriages were no different from heterosexual marriages. Of the 1,007 British adults polled by ComRes for the Stephen Nolan Show, 22% said they would spurn an invitation to attend a same-sex wedding ceremony. Some 29% of men asked said they would not attend, compared with 16% of women. The research also found that younger people were more likely to support same-sex marriage, with 80% of 18 to 34-year-olds backing it, compared with 44% of over-65s. Of those polled, women were more likely to support gay marriage than men, with 75% of women for it compared with 61% of men in favour. Gay marriage: How many will wed? A majority of 59% of people asked agreed a person should not be considered homophobic for opposing the legislation permitting gay marriage. Stonewall said the organisation recognised that not everyone would support same-sex marriage, but that the legislation permitting it should not affect them. "Same-sex couples are living in committed, loving relationships and people have realised that the sky has not fallen in," the spokesman said. He said the prevalence of civil partnerships had been an "incredibly important factor" in paving the way for same-sex marriage. "This is a landmark moment and for the first time ever, someone young growing up knowing they are gay can have the exact same avenues open to them, [and know] that their relationship will be valued the same way their parents' was," the spokesman said. "As campaigners and MPs have said in the past, the first thing a parent says to their son or daughter when they tell them they are gay is, 'Oh, you'll never be able to get married.' Well now they can." John Coffey, who is marrying his partner Bernardo Marti at midnight in London, said he believed the institution of marriage would be strengthened by the new law. He told the BBC: "We are changing one of the absolute most fundamental building blocks of our society - marriage. "And that's quite daunting, actually."
About one in five British adults would turn down an invitation to a same-sex wedding, research suggests.
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East of England Ambulance Service bosses must also take more responsibility and be "accountable for their actions", their report said. Among 25 recommendations, it also said the process of handing over patients to hospitals is not "sufficiently robust". The ambulance service said it would review the findings of the independent report and submit a formal response. Chairman Dr Geoff Harris, said many of the issues raised were being tackled in the "turnaround plan", which was published in April. "The Trust's turnaround plan has recognised many of the issues we need to address and we are focussed on implementing this, together with recommendations from the governance review to improve services for our patients," Dr Harris said. The document was commissioned by NHS managers after major concerns were raised about the East of England Ambulance Trust. Dr Anthony Marsh, who wrote the report, said the trust's board and senior management team had "developed a sense of helplessness". The management structure is "overly layered" and there is a feeling the board does not listen, Dr Marsh said. The ambulance service started in 2006 when three trusts merged and has since been criticised for response times and the quality of care of patients. Dr Marsh criticised internal and external communications and disparate plans to improve the service, saying "it still feels like three trusts".
Sickness levels are too high among ambulance staff in the east of England, inspectors have said.
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The Food Standards Agency said food poisoning was a real danger of outdoor cooking, with 94% of people admitting to at least one bad barbecue habit. In a survey of 2,030 adults, 21% said they believed they had been ill due to something they ate. And nearly a third admitted to not checking if food was properly cooked. The FSA warned that food hygiene risks could lead to illnesses like campylobacter, which affects more than a quarter of a million people every year. Ahead of the late summer bank holiday weekend - a popular time for barbecues - the government body issued tips to help people avoid food poisoning. Among the FSA's tips was advice to pre-cook food before putting it on the grill. It warned that "charred doesn't mean cooked", that meat should be steaming hot throughout - not pink - and any juices should run clear. It also warned that disposable barbecues took longer to cook food, that raw meat should be stored and handled separately, and raw chicken should not be washed as it splashes germs around. FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said: "Food poisoning is a real risk at barbecues and so we are reminding people to take good care of their families and friends by paying attention to simple food safety rules." The FSA survey, which polled 2,030 people online in July, also showed that 24% of those who described themselves as the main cook at a barbecue did not usually cook at home. One in five admitted to not keeping raw and cooked meat on separate plates, and more than half risked cross-contamination by using the same tongs throughout the process. Campylobacter, which can result from cross-contamination, causes food poisoning in around 280,000 people every year.
People are being urged to pre-cook food in the oven before barbecuing it after research found most Britons make risky hygiene mistakes at the grill.
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it was very unlikely that there was a risk to public health. However, 11 products containing egg - including sandwiches and salads - have been withdrawn from supermarkets. Dutch police have now arrested two people suspected of using the insecticide fipronil. The FSA said the 700,000 figure represented 0.007% of eggs eaten in the UK each year. What do we know about the Europe egg scare? It added that in the UK, the Dutch eggs were not sold as shell eggs but used in foods with many other ingredients - mostly sandwich fillings or other chilled foods. It said traces of fipronil - which can be harmful to humans - were mixed with other eggs so chemical residues would be "highly diluted". The British Egg Industry Council said shell eggs on sale to consumers in the UK were not affected. It said: "All major UK retailers stock British Lion shell eggs and tests have shown that there is no risk from British eggs." Source: FSA (10 August) Twenty tonnes of insecticide-tainted eggs have been sold in Denmark, the country's food safety authority says. Denmark is believed to be the tenth country to be affected, with Romania and Luxembourg among the latest to report finding contaminated products. Supermarkets in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have withdrawn millions of eggs from sale. In the UK, processed foods containing eggs, including sandwiches and salads, have been recalled from Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda. The FSA initially thought far fewer eggs - 21,000 - had been distributed to the UK from implicated farms between March and June this year. Prof Chris Elliott, of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's University Belfast, said it was not surprising that the figure had increased by so much - and warned "the scandal isn't over yet". "Often when these food scandals start to break, you start to get dribbles of information," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "And as the authorities in Belgium and Holland get more information they pass that onto our own Food Standards Agency. "The potential is that number of 700,000 could increase quite a bit yet," he added. By James Gallagher, health and science reporter, BBC News Fipronil should not be allowed anywhere near food. But the risk from eggs is thought to be low, because the number of contaminated eggs is also low. While 700,000 eggs sounds like a lot, it is worth remembering we eat 34 million every single day in the UK. It is why the Food Standards Agency says it is "very unlikely" there is any health risk. Many of the affected eggs will have already passed through the food chain before anyone was aware of the scandal. And the FSA has now pulled egg sandwiches and egg salads off the shelves that were made while contaminated eggs were still being imported. It insisted there is "no need" for people to stop eating eggs. Fipronil, which is used to kill lice and ticks on animals, can damage people's kidneys, liver and thyroid glands if eaten in large quantities. Heather Hancock, FSA chairwoman, said it was not "something to worry about" and that any health impact was unlikely. "These aren't eggs that are in people's fridges in the UK, these are eggs that have gone into the food chain and the level of risk to public health is very low," she told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme. In an update on Thursday, the FSA said: "Some of the products made from these eggs will have had a short shelf life and will have already been consumed, however, we identified some that were still within the expiry date." The FSA said decision to withdraw the products was not due to food safety concerns but based on the fact that the pesticide is not authorised for use in food-producing animals. It added: "While in some European countries eggs containing fipronil residues have been sold as fresh eggs, in the UK this is not the case." Aldi and Lidl stores in Germany are among the supermarkets to remove eggs from their shelves, in a move Aldi described as "purely precautionary". Eggs sold in its UK stores were British, Aldi said. It follows a joint investigation by Dutch and Belgian police of several premises thought to be using the substance, which can harm humans and is banned in food production. The Netherlands is Europe's biggest egg producer - and one of the largest exporters of eggs and egg products in the world. The problem first surfaced earlier in August, when Aldi withdrew all its eggs from sale in Germany. It has since emerged Belgian officials knew about the contamination in June, but did not make the information public. More than 100 poultry farms have been closed during the investigation, and 26 suspects identified and evidence seized from their companies. It is thought that fipronil was added to disinfectant used on some chicken farms. The UK produces 85% of the eggs it consumes but imports almost two billion annually, the FSA said. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning
About 700,000 eggs have been sent to the UK from potentially contaminated Dutch farms, up from an early estimate of 21,000, the food watchdog has said.
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Khanna, also an active politician, had been suffering from cancer and was admitted to hospital earlier this month as his illness became more serious. He acted in more than 100 Bollywood films and was widely seen as a counterfoil to the "angry young man" played by Amitabh Bachchan. He was elected to parliament four times and was once a junior foreign minister. Khanna began his career in 1968 and was a household name in India, particularly during the 1970s and eighties when he played the starring role in a number of Bollywood hits. Tributes have been pouring in for Mr Khanna who died after a long illness. The hashtag #VinodKhanna was trending on top of Twitter India on Thursday afternoon. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee led tributes from politicians while many Bollywood celebrities also paid homage.
One of India's most well-known Bollywood actors Vinod Khanna has died aged 70, his hospital has confirmed.
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Kim Jong-nam was killed in an apparent poison attack in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday. No motive has been confirmed and the attackers have not been identified. South Korea's acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn said if North Korea was found to be responsible, it would show its "brutality and inhumane nature". If confirmed, it would be the most high-profile death at the hands of the North Korean leadership since Kim Jong-un's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, was executed in 2013. Mr Kim appears to have been attacked with a chemical while preparing to board a flight home to Macau from in Kuala Lumpur's airport on Monday. His death was made public only on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, his body was released from hospital. A post-mortem examination was expected to be conducted. A Malaysian police official, Fadzil Ahmat, told Reuters that so far there were no suspects, "but we have started investigations and are looking at a few possibilities to get leads". Police are studying security camera footage from the airport. Images circulating in the media have focused on two women seen alongside Mr Kim, who were later seen leaving the scene in a taxi. Unnamed US government sources have said they believe he was poisoned by North Korean agents, but there has been no official comment from the White House. Kim Jong-nam was attacked at about 09:00 (01:00 GMT) on Monday while waiting at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport for a 10:00 flight to Macau, Malaysia's Star newspaper reports, quoting police. Exactly how the attack unfolded is still unclear. Officials and witnesses have variously said he was splashed with a chemical or had a cloth placed over his face. Earlier reports spoke of a "spray" being used or a needle. He died on the way to hospital. South Korean media named the victim early on Tuesday but the Malaysian authorities initially reported only the sudden death of an unnamed North Korean national who had fallen ill at the airport. Police then released a statement which quoted the victim's travel document identifying him as "Kim Chol", born on 10 June 1970. Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been born on 10 May 1971. It was not the first time Mr Kim had travelled under an assumed identity: he was caught trying to enter Japan using a false passport in 2001. He told officials he had been planning to visit Tokyo Disneyland. Bypassed in favour of his youngest half-brother for succession when their father died in 2011, Kim Jong-nam kept a low profile, spending most of his time overseas in Macau, mainland China and Singapore. The Tokyo Disneyland incident is thought to have spoilt his chances of succeeding Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011. He later spoke out against his family's dynastic control of North Korea and in a 2012 book, was quoted as saying he believed his younger half-brother lacked leadership qualities. But he had said he was not interested in assuming the leadership himself. Mr Kim was reportedly targeted for assassination in the past. A North Korean spy jailed by South Korea in 2012 was reported to have admitted trying to organise a hit-and-run accident targeting him. The secretive state has a long history of sending agents overseas to carry out assassinations, attacks and kidnappings.
South Korea has confirmed the killing of the brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, saying it could be a sign of the brutality of Pyongyang.
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It said its GTR franchise - the UK's biggest rail franchise - was operating in "a very challenging operational and industrial relations environment". The GTR franchise operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services. Go-Ahead shares closed 18%, or 438p, lower at £19.95. Govia - a joint venture between Go-Ahead and France's Keolis - was awarded a seven-year franchise to run the services in 2014. Thameslink services have suffered problems because work to rebuild London Bridge station has caused significant delays. Passengers have rated its services as the worst in the country. On its other routes, employees on Southern services are in dispute over plans for new trains with driver-operated doors. Go-Ahead said "as previously reported, the additional resources being invested in GTR to support service delivery are depressing margins on that contract in the current year and will also impact on next year's margins". "While we do expect margins to improve in the longer term; given the very challenging performance and industrial relations environments, we no longer expect to recover the profit shortfalls and as a result margins, on an adjusted basis, over the life of the contract are now more likely to be nearer to 1.5% than the 3% previously expected." However, Go-Ahead - which is also one of the UK's largest bus operators - said its full year expectations for the group "remain unchanged". It is due to report results in September and it said 2016-16 would be a "another year of strong profit growth".
Shares in transport group Go-Ahead have plunged after it warned of lower-than-expected profit margins for its Govia Thameslink rail franchise.
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They have claimed dirty streets, poor amenities and local authority spending cuts could affect business. Hoteliers and industry representatives have insisted facilities should not suffer even if "money is tight". But local councils in the region said they are doing their best with limited budgets. Toby Tunstall, chairman of Conwy Chamber of Trade, said the popular quayside area of the town is suffering from dirty litter bins and weeds. "When the tourists come, we want to give them the best experience we can - to show Conwy off," he said. "To my mind, not everything in town shows Conwy off for the best. The street cleaner whom we have does a good job, but sadly because of the cutbacks, his hours have been reduced. "So there are times when the town looks as if it needs some work doing." Jon Merrick, tourism and enterprise manager at Conwy council, said they are constantly looking at detail and prioritising the areas to improve. He added: "The public sector is going through difficult times, but we also realise the importance of tourism to the local economy. "Keeping our towns clean is a never ending task, but we do what we can to get the balance right." The Welsh Government estimates tourism contributes £8.7bn to the Welsh economy and supports around 242,000 jobs directly and indirectly. Jim Jones, managing director of north Wales Tourism, said: "Obviously there's a lot of pressure on public sector budgets at this time. "But in the main tourist hotspots, it's still vital that we have good facilities in place. "Tourist information centres and public toilets are still fundamental basics to the tourism infrastructure." In Gwynedd, councils have said spending cuts may lead to the closure of public toilets and tourist information centres. Steven Bristow, who runs a family attraction Greenwood Forest Park, said: "It's still important to invest in tourism facilities, even when money is tight. "It affects repeat business. People may come once, but if they don't have a good experience, they won't come back, and they'll tell their friends." A spokesman for Gwynedd council said the authority is currently looking to try and keep toilets and information centres open by working with other organisations, including private businesses and community councils.
Senior figures in the tourism industry have said north Wales needs to improve the basics it offers visitors if it wants them to return.
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PC Paul Sharp, from North Tyneside, was dismissed after receiving a suspended jail term by magistrates last month. The 34-year-old admitted two counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography. In a statement, the force said it "completely condemned" PC Sharp's actions, which had been dealt with by its Professional Standards Department. The statement added: "Both we and the public quite rightly expect the highest standards from our police officers and staff. "When the behaviour of one of our officers falls below our high standards we investigate thoroughly and take appropriate action, which in this case led to Paul Sharp being dismissed from Northumbria Police."
A Northumbria Police officer has been sacked after downloading indecent images of children, the force said.
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The funeral service for Mrs Dorrian, 59, took place at St Comgall's Catholic church in Bangor on Tuesday. Lisa Dorrian was last seen at a party at a caravan site in Ballyhalbert on 28 February 2005. Despite land and sea searches, her body has never been found. Rev Adrian Dorrian, a Church of Ireland minister, delivered the eulogy at his aunt's funeral. He said his aunt, who died last week, was a "devoted family woman" and the loss of her daughter "took an unbearable toll". "While the day-to-day of life went on, the reality of having had her daughter taken from her so brutally would weigh on her (as on all of Lisa's family) and the pain of a heartbroken mother would be hers from that day on," he added. "That is not to say there were no moments of celebration, no family events at which Pat with the rest of us could not count blessings, but the injustice of Lisa's disappearance would cast a shadow over the rest of her mother's life. "Recent media coverage has spoken of the wish Pat shared with her family that one day they might have the opportunity to give Lisa a proper Christian burial. "That may not be a wish Pat would see fulfilled in this life, but it is one that can still be fulfilled for her family." He said those with information about Lisa Dorrian's disappearance should come forward. Police have previously made several arrests, but no-one has been charged with the 25-year-old Bangor woman's murder. Last year, Mrs Dorrian joined other family members on the tenth anniversary of her daughter's disappearance to appeal to those who knew where her body was hidden to end their anguish.
The nephew of Pat Dorrian, the mother of missing County Down woman Lisa Dorrian, has told mourners that her daughter's disappearance "cast a shadow" over the rest of her life.
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Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said action would be taken after the checks while an MP described the film as "shameless propaganda of sin". The live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast features Disney's first ever gay character and love scene. A Russian law prohibits the spreading of "gay propaganda" among minors. The 2013 legislation, which has angered human rights activists and the international gay community, describes homosexuality as "non-traditional sexual relations". Homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia in 1993 and the country officially removed it from a list of psychiatric disorders in 1999. However, homophobic attacks have been documented in recent years. Director Bill Condon has spoken of an "exclusively gay moment" in Beauty and the Beast. It involves LeFou, who is a sidekick of the film's main antagonist Gaston. LeFou, played by US actor Josh Gad, tries to come to terms with feelings for Gaston that swing between lust and admiration, as a side-plot to the main story. The movie is due to be released in Russia on 16 March. But Vitaly Milonov, an MP of the governing United Russia party, urged the culture minister to hold a screening of the film before it was released to see if it complied with the law and to "take measures to totally ban" it if he found "elements of propaganda of homosexuality". His colleague Alexander Sholokhov said that if the scenes violated the law, the film should be banned from cinemas. "As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law," Mr Medinsky said. Meanwhile, Russian actor Pavel Derevyanko told state-run TV Russia 24, "I will not take my kid to this movie." When the first Beauty and the Beast trailer was released last year it had almost 130m views in 24 hours. Emma Watson plays Belle, the young girl who falls in love with a monstrous beast with a dark secret. Her suitors - the Beast and Gaston - are played by Brit stars Dan Stevens and Luke Evans. The cast includes Ewan McGregor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci. In another groundbreaking moment, the film is to feature the first interracial kiss in a Disney live-action film. The animated version of Beauty and the Beast came out in 1991.
Russian officials are coming under pressure to check if Disney's new film Beauty and the Beast breaches the country's law against "gay propaganda".
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Paver, along with joint-boss Gavin Cattle, has spent time with Super Rugby sides in New Zealand this summer. "We've been out to different high-performance environments. We've come back, and grown a lot," Paver said. "We've accelerated, and this group has, but this is a results-based business so sometimes you can be better." He told BBC Radio Cornwall: "What I thought I was like as a coach two years ago and what I think of myself looking back, we are miles away from that." Pirates have largely retained the squad which missed out on the play-offs by three points last term. They have bolstered their ranks with four signings, including Argentina sevens player Nicolas Coronel and ex-Nottingham lock Toby Freeman. "There are so many factors that you have to take into play, but the one thing I can guarantee is that all of us collectively will be better."
Cornish Pirates coach Alan Paver says he and his side "will be better" this season as they look to improve on their sixth-placed Championship finish.