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38,999,363 | 16 February 2017 Last updated at 19:24 GMT
Pupils from St Paul's High School in Bessbrook are currently visiting Rome, to mark the school's 50th anniversary.
On Thursday, they sang at a Mass in St Peter's Basilica, Rome, which Catholics believe is the burial place of Saint Peter.
Headmaster Jarlath Burns who is on the trip said it was an "amazing opportunity" for the children. | Children at a County Armagh school have been given the opportunity to sing in one of the world's most historic venues. |
36,290,344 | 14 May 2016 Last updated at 03:11 BST
The intricately crocheted and knitted city includes landmarks such as Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol Zoo and SS Great Britain.
More than 250 volunteers have contributed - making everything from felt foxes to tiny boats and blue squares for the river.
It is the first time Briswool has been displayed as a completed model and will be on show at M Shed until 12 June. | A giant woolly version of Bristol which has taken more than three years to create is going on show. |
32,344,944 | Nigel Dodds, of the DUP, Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt, the SDLP's Mark Durkan and Alliance leader David Ford participated.
They discussed social affairs, tactics, and who each party would support in the event of a hung parliament.
There was discussion around same sex marriage and Asher's Bakery cake case.
The debate was broadcast as part of the BBC Newsnight programme and hosted by Evan Davis. | Five political parties from Northern Ireland have taken part in a television election debate in Belfast. |
36,388,491 | The top-seeded team of Jamie Burdekin and Andy Lapthorne claimed wins in their singles matches in Toyko.
They will face Australia in Friday's final as they chase a fifth title in the event for players who have impairments in three or more limbs.
The GB men's and junior teams will play off for a bronze medal after losing their semi-finals.
Burdekin, the world number eight, beat Shota Kawano - ranked one place below him - 6-1 7-6 (7-4), before world number four Lapthorne overcame Mitsuteru Moroishi 4-6 6-1 6-4, meaning the doubles encounter did not need to be played.
"Tomorrow is going to be big," said Lapthorne, who was part of the winning GB team with Burdekin in 2009 and 2014.
"This match has been brewing for a while; there's a bit of spice between the two sides. I'm sure we want to win more than them.
"Hopefully Jamie can put us 1-0 up and I can go out and have a really good shot at world number one Dylan Alcott and wrap it up before the doubles."
In the men's semi-final, Britain's Alfie Hewett and Marc McCarroll lost their singles matches to higher ranked players in two-time Paralympic gold medallist Shingo Kunieda and Takashi Sanada from Japan.
GB men will face Australia and GB juniors, who lost 2-0 to the USA in their semi-final, will play the Netherlands in their respective bronze medal play-offs. | Great Britain's quad wheelchair tennis team beat hosts Japan 2-0 to reach the final of the World Team Cup. |
34,764,417 | It is thought to have been flown in from outside HMP Manchester, formerly known as Strangeways, on Friday before being "successfully intercepted".
Police believe it was carrying mobile phones, SIM cards and drugs.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "All contraband was seized and handed to the police to investigate".
"Incidents involving drones are rare, but we remain constantly vigilant to all new threats to prison security," he added.
"We are strengthening our powers to ensure those found using drones to smuggle material into prison are punished."
Anyone convicted of the offence faces a prison sentence of up to two years.
Further inquiries are expected to be carried out later, said a police spokesman.
The MoJ reported nine attempts to use drones to infiltrate prisons in England and Wales in the first five months of 2015 - among them was a drone carrying mobile phones and drugs into Bedford Prison which was caught by prison officers.
It is already a criminal offence to throw drugs and other items over a prison wall.
HMP Manchester is a high security prison, which houses around 1,200 inmates. | A drone being used to smuggle contraband into the grounds of a prison has been recovered by guards, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said. |
40,835,052 | After being frustrated by Rovers' spoiling tactics in the first half, the Stags grabbed the lead six minutes into the second as Danny Rose headed home a Joel Byrom corner at the far post.
The home side doubled their lead on 57 minutes as Paul Anderson, chasing a long forward ball, beat the offside trap to stride through on the left and, although Bradley Collins stopped his first effort, he tucked away the rebound into the empty net.
Rovers keeper Bradley Collins came up with two massive saves to make sure his side went in all square at the break.
After just five minutes he stood up tall to get in the way of Lee Angol's finish after he had robbed Lee Collins to run clear.
Then on the half-hour mark he got a good right hand to a powerful Paul Digby header from Byrom's corner.
Home keeper Conrad Logan had only one save to make all game in stoppage time.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Mansfield Town 2, Forest Green Rovers 0.
Second Half ends, Mansfield Town 2, Forest Green Rovers 0.
Attempt saved. Liam Noble (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Christian Doidge (Forest Green Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Hayden White.
Attempt blocked. Shamir Mullings (Forest Green Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Emmanuel Monthe (Forest Green Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Alfie Potter (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Emmanuel Monthe (Forest Green Rovers).
Attempt blocked. Omari Sterling-James (Mansfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Alfie Potter (Mansfield Town).
Daniel Wishart (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Mansfield Town. Alfie Potter replaces Will Atkinson.
Attempt blocked. Jimmy Spencer (Mansfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Mansfield Town. Conceded by Jack Fitzwater.
Dale Bennett (Forest Green Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Paul Digby (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Charlie Cooper (Forest Green Rovers).
Attempt saved. Shamir Mullings (Forest Green Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Will Atkinson.
Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Daniel Wishart replaces Scott Laird.
Foul by Paul Digby (Mansfield Town).
Charlie Cooper (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Shamir Mullings (Forest Green Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Paul Digby (Mansfield Town).
Charlie Cooper (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Paul Digby (Mansfield Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Omari Sterling-James (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Charlie Cooper (Forest Green Rovers).
Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Paul Anderson.
Foul by Paul Digby (Mansfield Town).
Shamir Mullings (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Hayden White (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Shamir Mullings (Forest Green Rovers).
Attempt missed. Omari Sterling-James (Mansfield Town) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution, Mansfield Town. Jimmy Spencer replaces Danny Rose.
Malvind Benning (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Dale Bennett (Forest Green Rovers).
Attempt missed. Paul Anderson (Mansfield Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Luke James replaces Drissa Traoré. | Two goals in six second-half minutes finally saw Mansfield take control as Forest Green lost their first Football League away match. |
33,003,058 | Public Health England (PHE) said the confirmed case of psittacosis, which is normally an infection of birds, can cause severe health issues in humans.
The birds were taken to a pet shop when the owner was unable to look after them.
Symptoms in humans include fever, chills, cough, fatigue, muscle and chest, pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Other symptoms include headaches, sweating and abnormal intolerance to light.
Sick birds may show signs of sleepiness, shivering, weight loss, breathing difficulties and diarrhoea but not all will show these signs.
PHE said psittacosis is caused by the bacterium chlamydophila psittaci and spread either by airborne transmission or by handling infected birds.
It is found particularly in parrots, parakeets, budgerigars and cockatiels but can affect other birds and some poultry.
As a precaution, people with concerns relating to birds they have purchased between 28 May and 3 June are advised to contact their vet to discuss their birds' health.
Between 25 and 50 cases of psittacosis are laboratory confirmed in England and Wales each year.
But Mike Wade, from PHE, said instances of people suffering severe illness as a result of infection from this bacteria are rare.
He said in humans symptoms usually appear after 10 days but can take up to 30 days to present themselves. | A man from Bristol contracted a rare disease from his pet birds. |
34,468,388 | Matthew Eteson is on trial at Preston Crown Court for the manslaughter by gross negligence of Kelly Webster, 36, and Lauren Thornton.
The pair died in their sleep aboard a boat on Windermere in April 2013.
Mr Eteson, 42, from Hale in Greater Manchester, denies the charge.
The family had gone to the Lake District for the Easter bank holiday weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday.
But on the afternoon of 1 April, Mr Eteson removed the generator from the deck and used it to power a 1kW fan heater to heat the sleeping quarter, prosecutor Mr Graham Reeds QC said.
The court was told that there had been no warning to the build-up of the toxic gas because the carbon monoxide sensors had previously been disabled.
Mr Reeds said the mother and daughter, both from Leyland in Lancashire, were found dead in their sleeping positions aboard the the second-hand Bayliner 285 motor cruiser Arniston, with fatal levels of carbon monoxide in their bodies.
Mr Eteson, who had been sleeping in a separate compartment further away from the generator also succumbed to the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning but did awake to find the bodies.
The court also heard Mr Eteson, a qualified gas fitter, had made some amendments to the generator and its exhaust, which experts subsequently deemed to be "dangerous".
Ms Webster's mother, Nia Webster, had previously asked Mr Eteson about carbon monoxide sensors.
He told her they were not working and his partner would unplug a portable detector whenever she was cooking.
The trial continues. | A gas fitter caused the deaths of his partner and her 10-year-old daughter by using a generator to heat their boat while carbon monoxide sensors were disabled, prosecutors claim. |
35,884,011 | Rovers, currently sixth in the National League, are keen to address a run of three draws which has seen them drop two points adrift of a play-off place.
Fenwick, 25, has scored 12 goals in 49 games for Pools since moving from non-league side Dunston in November 2014.
He is in contention to make an immediate debut in Friday's game at home against Lincoln City.
"Scott is someone we have kept a close eye on this season," said Tranmere manager Gary Brabin. "He is a strong lad, a willing runner and has an eye for goal."
Fenwick's arrival comes within 24 hours of another Rovers striker Jonny Margetts being allowed out on loan to relegation-threatened National League neighbours Southport. | Promotion-chasing Tranmere Rovers have signed Hartlepool striker Scott Fenwick on loan for the rest of the season. |
32,319,144 | Kerrigan, 25, conceded 53 runs from eight overs in his only England Test appearance, against Australia in 2013.
Giles, a former left-arm spinner, took 143 wickets in his England Test career.
"It can't do any harm having someone like Ashley in charge for me and the other spinners, passing down his knowledge," said Kerrigan.
He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "So far he's been quite hands off and I'm sure during the season I'll be able to pick his brains."
Former England limited over coach Giles was appointed cricket director and head coach at Old Trafford last October, after the Red Rose were relegated to Division Two.
Lancashire are looking for an immediate promotion this season and have brought in South African batsman Alviro Petersen and Australian bowlers Peter Siddle and James Faulkner.
"I had the option to maybe go to Australia or South Africa in the winter," added Kerrigan. "But I thought it would be good to have a little bit of a break and then work with Ashley and the rest of the lads in the indoor school.
"He's (Giles) quite relaxed and lets the lads get on with it. He wants it to be player-led but obviously has his own input when something needs highlighting.
"If you look at his record at Warwickshire they were really successful under him, so I think he'll be great to have around." | Lancashire left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan is hoping to use the international experience of new cricket director Ashley Giles this season. |
39,394,071 | The Irish Labour party leader said almost one million drink-driving tests recorded by police in the Republic of Ireland did not actually take place.
Brendan Howlin called for the head of the force to be replaced.
Senior Gardaí (police) conceded it was likely some of the 937,000 non-existent tests were simply made up by officers.
In addition, they have admitted a separate error that caused almost 15,000 wrongful traffic convictions.
Gardaí have apologised to those affected, but fixing that mistake alone could cost Irish taxpayers millions of euros.
Ms O'Sullivan said on Saturday that the police service was on a journey of radical reform and "it is inevitable that we will identify more examples of bad practice".
Earlier, Taoiseach (prime minister) Enda Kenny said the revelations over discrepancies were "not acceptable".
Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, said the scale of the error was "appalling and staggering".
The details of both problems were released by senior officers on Thursday, when a lot of media attention was being devoted to the Westminster attack and the funeral of Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.
The force revealed that about 14,700 people had been prosecuted without a fixed-charge notice first being issued - which was required to bring them before the courts.
Officers now have to appeal all those convictions; have the court-imposed penalties removed; and the state has to cover all costs.
Ms O'Sullivan said she has written to the Policing Authority seeking further review by the garda inspectorate of the discrepancies between real and claimed breath tests.
She said it is a problem that goes back more than a decade and that new processes for gathering and collating statistics have been in place since April 2016.
Ms O'Sullivan said that the Policing Authority and Garda management are of the same mind that the discrepancies identified in the systems are a "matter of individual and collective ethical behaviour and not one of occasional systems failure".
She was already facing questions over her leadership because of allegations of a smear campaign against a whistleblower, Sgt Maurice McCabe.
Sgt McCabe was one of two officers who raised concerns years ago about the alleged deletion of penalty points from the driving licences of well-connected offenders.
The leader of the Labour Party said the latest controversies were "beyond belief" and had seriously undermined trust in An Garda Síochána.
In its statement on Thursday, An Garda Síochána said a review of its breath tests data was carried out after concerns were raised in 2015.
Data recorded on the Garda computer system - known as Pulse - was compared against data recorded by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and a "significant deficit" was identified.
Officers said the Pulse system recorded 1,995,369 breath tests while the Medical Bureau of Road Safety Data recorded only 1,058,157 tests over the same period.
"There is no one single reason that may account for the discrepancy," the Garda statement said.
It is not the first time in recent months that Garda figures have been dismissed as lacking credibility and trust.
Last September, the Central Statistics Office said that up to one in six crimes were not being recorded by Gardaí on their Pulse computer system, which meant - either intentionally or unintentionally - inflating their crime detection rate.
The Policing Authority, an independent body that oversees the performance of An Garda Síochána said this latest controversy over figures "is not just an academic statistical matter, it is an ethical one".
It also said the controversy "raises serious questions of integrity" for the force.
In 2012, Sgt Maurice McCabe was banned from using the Pulse computer system after he accessed records of penalty point cases.
Last month, it emerged under parliamentary privilege that senior Garda officers are accused of spreading a false smear that Sgt McCabe had been liked to a case of child sex abuse.
Commissioner O'Sullivan strongly denies allegations that she was involved in any smear against him.
The accusation against her force is now the subject of a public inquiry, headed by the Supreme Court judge, Peter Charleton. | Irish police commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan has said revelations over penalty points and breath test discrepancies are "unacceptable". |
30,637,608 | Joe Schofield and Malcolm Brown tied the knot at a humanist ceremony at the Trades Hall in Glasgow, while Susan and Gerrie Douglas-Scott married in private in the city.
The new law on gay marriage came into effect in Scotland earlier this month and these first weddings were held at 00:01 on Hogmanay.
The couples were joined by guests including the first minister.
Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie MSP acted as witnesses at the marriage of Susan and Gerrie, while Scotland's national poet Liz Lochhead and Scottish government minister Marco Biagi MSP attended the ceremony for Mr Schofield and Mr Brown.
Susan, 54, and Gerrie Douglas-Scott, who is 59, live in Glasgow where they first met 18 years ago and have five grown up children.
They had a civil partnership in March 2006 and decided to convert it through a full marriage ceremony.
The couple said: "We are delighted that, at long last, after 18 years together, our love finally has the same recognition in law and society as all other married couples.
"As humanist celebrants ourselves we have had the privilege of marrying many hundreds of people over the last few years and so we know how special and important marriage is.
"Having Nicola Sturgeon and Patrick Harvie as our witnesses has been wonderful and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts not only for tonight but for everything they have done and will continue to do in support of LGBTI people.
"We are excited to be the first lesbians to have a legal marriage ceremony in Scotland. 2014 has been quite a year."
Mr Schofield, 42, a public health worker, and Mr Brown, a former DJ who is also 42, have been together for nine years and are from Tullibody in Clackmannanshire.
They said: "Today we are finally recognised as a married couple. We are very proud to be one of the first couples in Scotland to be able to officially call ourselves husband and husband.
"This is an amazing chapter in Scotland's history which we are all witnessing and can be proud of.
"Scotland is leading the way in fairness and equality for all, and we would like to thank all those who campaigned so tirelessly for this change."
A total of 250 couples have converted their civil partnerships to marriage since the new law - the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill - came into effect on 16 December.
Following the usual 15-day notice period for marriages, Hogmanay was the first day same-sex weddings could take place.
Same-sex marriage was legalised in England and Wales earlier this year and the first weddings took place in March.
Scotland's first minister said: "This a momentous day for equality in Scotland, one where same sex couples have the right to marry the person that they love.
"This will send a powerful message to people about the kind of country we are."
According to the Scottish government, a total of 17 same-sex couples were expected to marry on Hogmanay.
Tom French, from the Equality Network charity - which campaigns for the rights of Scotland's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities - said: "It was an honour to be invited to one of Scotland's first same-sex weddings, which really showed what this new law is all about - love, family and equality.
"This is a big day for many couples and their families, but it is also a milestone moment for Scotland as a whole."
Tourism body VisitScotland and charity Stonewall Scotland welcomed the first same-sex weddings.
VisitScotland said the new law would further promote Scotland as a friendly tourist destination for the LGBTI communities, and could enhance the country's already burgeoning market for marriage tourism.
Colin Macfarlane, director of Stonewall Scotland, said: "This historic change in the law is the result of a tireless campaign by many organisations, including Stonewall Scotland, parliamentarians and individuals to ensure that same-sex couples can enjoy full equality before the law.
"While there is still lots to do before the lived day-to-day experience of many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is truly equal in Scotland, this is a day of celebration and what better way to celebrate Hogmanay by saying I do to equal marriage." | Scotland's first same-sex weddings have taken place. |
32,796,857 | In an interview with BBC News, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud described the remittance industry as "a lifeline" for millions of Somalis and for others across the region, and said "the massive closing of accounts, the closing of remittances" was counter-productive.
Following the massacre of 148 students at Kenya's Garissa University in April, the authorities shut down 13 Somali money transfer agencies, arguing that they were channelling funds to terrorists.
Asked if Kenya was mishandling the security threat posed by al-Shabab, President Hassan Sheikh said: "I would not say [they're doing it] the wrong way. But I would say there are better ways to do it. I would have suggested that the Kenyan government change their strategy."
It is estimated that an astonishing $1.3bn (£840m) is sent to families in Somalia every year by relatives who fled the country during two decades of conflict, to join the diaspora.
That is roughly half of Somalia's gross national income - and 80% of total investment - easily eclipsing all international aid to the country. The World Bank estimates that 40% of all Somalis depend on remittances for their basic needs.
"We were getting money from relatives in Kenya. It was helping to pay for school and university fees. Now we're even having to cut back on meals," said Moalim Mohamud, a Koranic teacher in one of the crowded makeshift camps for families displaced by conflict in Mogadishu.
And it is not just Kenya's actions that are causing hardship here. Banks in the US and Europe, seeking to avoid the risk of potential fines from regulators, have also been closing the accounts of some Somali remittance companies.
This is happening despite precious little evidence that money sent to Somalia has ended up in the hands of militant groups like al-Shabab.
"It's very difficult. My daughter didn't go to school now for two months," said a woman named Hawa, emerging empty-handed from a branch of the Dahabshil remittance company on a narrow street in Mogadishu's old quarter. "My brother in America [used to] send me $100 every month," she said.
Although the remittance business has not stopped altogether, some speculate that some Somalis abroad - who have often struggled for years to raise the money to send back home - may be taking advantage of the new restrictions to ease off on a burdensome obligation.
But Somalis are famously entrepreneurial, and some businessmen in Mogadishu are already looking for ways to turn yet another challenge into an opportunity.
"We're forced to come up with solutions. We're resilient people. Finding ways around problems - that is a necessity," said Liban Egal, showing off a new machine that he hopes will convince US banks to keep the remittance industry afloat.
The handheld device, dubbed Camelcash, combines a fingerprint scanner with wi-fi, a card reader and printer.
It is a way of confirming someone's identity in a turbulent country, which - after decades without a functioning government - still lacks a proper national ID system.
"The banks' concern is who's picking up the money in Somalia - they don't want to be penalized if the money goes to the wrong hands. So this device can authenticate the customer. You swipe your card here, and put your finger right here," said Mr Egal, before swiftly moving on to talk about Somalia's extraordinarily successful cashless mobile phone banking system - another example of an entrepreneurial society finding ways to flourish. | Somalia's president has lashed out at the government of neighbouring Kenya - accusing it of a "heavy-handed" approach to regional security, and specifically criticizing Kenya's recent decision to clamp down on money transfer companies allegedly linked to the militant group, al-Shabab. |
35,540,027 | The Hearts legend led Caley Thistle into the Scottish top flight in 2004 and also had a short spell at County.
Inverness have finished in the top five for three years running while Staggies are fourth and in the League Cup final.
"People have this stigma about the Highlands as a footballing outpost; it is not," Robertson told BBC Scotland.
"There are a lot of good players up here. Both clubs deserve tremendous credit for the work they have done over the last four or five years."
As well as their highest-ever league finish of third last season, Inverness won the Scottish Cup for the first time, a year after reaching their first League Cup final in 2014.
After promotion in 2012, Ross County have finished fifth, seventh and ninth, but currently lie fourth in the Premiership ahead of Wednesday's visit of third-placed Hearts.
The Staggies have also have a League Cup final against Hibernian on the horizon after beating Celtic in the last four, and a home Scottish Cup quarter-final against Dundee United.
"People still seem surprised," Robertson said. "We have been saying for years the talent was up here. The Highland clubs have made tremendous progress. They are both really well run and both have quality players.
"Inverness have been hamstrung by injuries this year but they are still going well in the Scottish Cup and will fancy their chances of retaining that [Caley are away to Hearts or Hibs in the last eight].
"Everything is going fantastically well at Dingwall at the moment. County have rarely been out of the top six.
"They have been well backed by the chairman, spent really well and have just added a bit more quality and experience with David Goodwillie to bolster their attacking options.
"They are in the League Cup final and have a wonderful chance of reaching at least the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup." | Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle still face a 'Highlands stigma' despite their recent success, says ex-manager of both clubs John Robertson. |
35,814,895 | 15 March 2016 Last updated at 16:40 GMT
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton told the BBC Adrian Ismay suffered "horrendous injuries" when the booby-trap device exploded under his van on 4 March but said police will await the results of a post-mortem before deciding if his death was due to the bomb. | Northern Ireland's most senior police office has said he is saddened by the death of a prison officer days after a bomb attack in east Belfast but said he will not make assumptions about what caused his death. |
40,750,071 | At least three Republicans - John McCain, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski - voted against the bill, which needed a simple majority to pass.
President Donald Trump said the three had "let the American people down".
The so-called "skinny" repeal, which would have scaled back some of the more controversial provisions, is the third failed attempt to repeal Obamacare.
It would have resulted in 16 million people losing their health insurance by 2026, with insurance premiums increasing by 20%, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The vote was delayed after Senate Republicans kept a procedural vote open before the actual Obamacare vote while they attempted to persuade their members to vote for the repeal.
Vice President Mike Pence was seen talking to Mr McCain for more than 20 minutes. But Mr McCain then approached a group of Democrats, who appeared happy to see him.
The bill was eventually voted down by 51 votes to 49 in the Republican-dominated Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, described the result as a "disappointing moment".
Democrat Chuck Schumer said his party was relieved that millions of people would retain their healthcare.
The arc of history is long, but it bends towards revenge.
Just over two years after candidate Donald Trump mocked John McCain's Vietnam War record, noting that he prefers heroes "who weren't captured", the Arizona senator stuck a dagger in President Trump's healthcare reform plans.
There were gasps when Mr McCain, after being furiously lobbied by Vice-President Mike Pence, joined two other Republican senators in voting against the so-called "skinny" repeal plan, considered the bare minimum Senate Republicans could agree on.
Instead of a big step toward becoming law - either in its skinny form or after further negotiations with the House of Representatives - the future of Obamacare repeal has been thrown into doubt.
The reality is, for now, there is no minimum level of change on which Senate Republicans can agree. They either have to work with Democrats or resign themselves to stalemate and move on to other topics, like taxes or infrastructure spending.
It will take some time for the enormity of this late-night Senate drama to sink in. No one really expected Mr McCain to be the decisive vote, but the man who once had a reputation as a Republican "maverick", now facing a dire brain cancer diagnosis, had at least one more surprise in his pocket.
The bill - officially known as the Health Care Freedom Act - would have eliminated parts of Obamacare - the Affordable Care Act - including the individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health insurance coverage, as well as a tax on medical devices.
The stripped down bill came after earlier Senate defeats for proposals to replace Obamacare and then to partially repeal it.
Sen McCain said he had voted against the skinny repeal because it did not amount to meaningful reform and would not have improved care for Americans.
He added that House Speaker Paul Ryan's assurance that the House would be willing to send the bill for further consideration by committee "did not ease my concern that this shell of a bill could be taken up and passed at any time".
There are not thought to be any further plans for a new bill to repeal Obamacare because the skinny repeal was seen as the bare minimum that Republicans could agree on.
President Trump has said he now plans to "let Obamacare collapse, then deal".
In his statement, Mr McCain said Obamacare was in a state of "collapse", with healthcare premiums "skyrocketing" and providers "fleeing the marketplace".
He criticised the way Obamacare had been passed by Democrats using their Obama-era majority and called for senators to "return to the correct way of legislating" with input from both parties.
"We must do the hard work our citizens expect of us and deserve," he said. | The latest attempt to repeal the Obama-era healthcare act has failed after a dramatic night in the US Senate. |
38,292,393 | Mr Trudeau said he and his cabinet members make themselves available to a broad range of Canadians.
Critics say the "cash-for-access" events allow special access to cabinet ministers. The Liberal Party says it is following political fundraising rules.
But Conservatives say the practice goes against the Liberal party's own "open and accountable" ethics code.
Last week the opposition party asked the federal ethics and lobbying watchdogs to look into whether any of the events potentially broke federal conflict of interest and lobbying rules.
Trudeau faces 'cash-for-access' criticism
Mr Trudeau fielded numerous questions from journalists on Monday over the Liberal Party practice of charging people up to CA$1,500 ($1,140; £900) to attend fundraisers with him and senior cabinet members.
"I can say that in various Liberal Party events, I listen to people as I will in any given situation, but the decisions I take in government are ones based on what is right for Canadians and not on what an individual in a fundraiser might say," he said.
Mr Trudeau said he is "always open to discussions and suggestions on how we can improve the confidence people have in our political system".
In Canada, political contributions to federal parties were capped at CA$1,525 in 2016.
Union and corporate donations to political parties are banned. Only Canadian citizens can donate.
During Monday's wide-ranging, year-end news conference, Mr Trudeau also spoke emotionally about his personal "low point" over the last 12 months, which was his first full year as prime minister.
He said it was the death of two Canadians held in the Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants.
Robert Hall and John Ridsdel were killed by the Abu Sayyaf group after a multi-million dollar ransom deadline expired.
The two men had been kidnapped by the Islamist group in September 2015, along with Filipina Marites Flor and a Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad. Both were later released.
It is official Canadian government policy not to pay ransoms for Canadians kidnapped abroad.
Mr Trudeau said it was "personally difficult" to have the responsibility of "directing and articulating the Canadian position" and to speak with the bereaved families. | Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has defended his practice of attending fundraisers with wealthy donors. |
30,532,518 | Revised plans were submitted after Jersey's planning authority rejected an earlier proposal in August 2013.
Co-op management said the £12m scheme will be a major boost to tourism and a gateway to the centre of town.
After a campaign to save six listed buildings, the Co-op gave four to the Jersey National Trust.
Colin McLeod, Channel Island Co-op chief executive, said he was "relieved".
"People who have followed the Charing Cross story - or tome - will have seen the very difficult competing demands on that site.
"To deliver a solution that's based on consensus with planning officers and the National Trust emphasises the lengths we have gone to." | The Channel Islands Co-op has won approval for a 91-bed budget hotel and new supermarket at Charing Cross. |
36,241,574 | Competitors aged 14 to 19 hiked distances of up to 55 miles (89 km) and visited 10 nominated tors.
The 56th event started on Saturday morning, with some 2,400 teenagers - many from school and youth groups from across the South West - taking part.
The first team to cross the finish line was Torbay Scouts who took part in the 35-mile (56 km) route.
Source: BBC/Ten Tors
The event is organised by the Army and assisted by the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the Dartmoor Rescue Group.
Each team has a GPS tracker, so safety teams can find out where each group of teenagers is. The tracker also has an emergency button if help is needed. | Teenagers who trekked across Dartmoor in the Ten Tors challenge have crossed the finish line. |
35,673,274 | Gary Reilly, 45, is accused of stabbing 49-year-old Paul McCarroll at Westmuir Street, in the Parkhead area, at about 00:40 on Tuesday 23 February.
Mr McCarroll died a short time later in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Mr Reilly made no plea or declaration during an appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court and was remanded in custody.
He will return to court next week for a full committal hearing. | A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of another man who died after being found seriously injured in a Glasgow street. |
37,715,366 | Mr Rosales was arrested on charges of corruption on his return to the country a year ago after six years of self-imposed exile in Peru.
The Supreme Court announced the decision late on Wednesday.
Mr Rosales's wife called for his unconditional release and his son posted a photo of his father.
In a brief statement, the Supreme Court said: "This less onerous measure will permit the continuation of the legal process through which his possible responsibility for the acts alleged will be verified."
A number of other opposition leaders, including Leopoldo Lopez, Antonio Ledezma and Daniel Ceballos, are in jail on charges of inciting anti-government violence.
Mr Rosales ran against the late President Hugo Chavez in 2006 but lost.
Mr Rosales fled to Peru in 2009 amid corruption allegations related to his term as governor of Zulia state between 2000 and 2008. He says the allegations are politically motivated.
The US government and the United Nations have called for the release of the opposition politicians.
Venezuela is facing a serious economic crisis, which the opposition blames on failed socialist policies of Mr Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro. | Key Venezuelan opposition figure and former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales has been released from jail and placed under house arrest. |
32,252,058 | Kristen Brekke, 19, of Grangetown, Cardiff, Forhad Rahman, 20, of Cirencester, and Adeel Ulhaq, 20, of Nottingham, all appeared via videolink for the hearing at the Old Bailey.
They are charged with preparation of terrorist acts.
They will next appear at the Old Bailey on 25 June for a four week trial.
The three men are all charged with preparation of terrorist acts with the intention of assisting an individual - who cannot be named for legal reasons - to commit acts of terrorism.
Mr Rahman is also charged with two counts of possessing a document likely to be useful for terrorism.
In addition, Mr Ulhaq is charged with entering into or becoming concerned in a terrorist funding arrangement. | Three men accused of helping a 17-year-old Cardiff boy leave the UK to join fighters in Syria have pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges. |
30,638,564 | Bernard Jenkin, the Tory MP who chairs the Commons Public Administration Select Committee, suggested the leaks looked like a "political stunt".
The Sunday Times first mentioned the names of Tower of London poppy creators Paul Cummins and Tom Piper in November.
The head of the civil service, Sir Bob Kerslake, said he was "concerned".
Sir Bob, who oversaw the honours list, said they were "highly regrettable".
He said: "There have been leaks in the past but there was, on this particular occasion, a significant number and that's the point we will look into."
Mr Jenkin said: "The pre-briefing on honours before they are announced makes the whole thing look more like a political stunt than the reward for outstanding public service that it ought to be.
"There should be a formal leak inquiry."
In November, the Sunday Times reported that Mr Cummins and Mr Piper would be appointed OBEs. In fact, the pair became MBEs.
But soon afterwards, other papers carried correct stories that actors Joan Collins, Sir John Hurt, James Corden and Sheridan Smith would be on the list when it was officially issued on 30 December.
Damian McBride, who was political press adviser to Gordon Brown, told BBC News an early draft of honours nominations was prepared for the prime minister by the cabinet secretary, and was then sent to the Queen.
He said it would be seen "widely by a lot of people" who are not doing any legitimate job connected to the honours list.
"That is very high commodity information to trade for a front page story," said Mr McBride.
"That's the way it's done between spin doctors and the political editors."
Before 2005, political advisors were allowed to recommend names for the honours list, but the system was changed. Committees of appointed individuals, chaired by civil servants, now make the nominations.
Mr McBride said it appeared spin doctors had become "very casual" about secrecy during the process.
"It does appear to be worse than ever, even when it was [Tony Blair's former communications director] Alastair Campbell doing this," he said.
One newspaper reported last week that the former England rugby union star Jonny Wilkinson was in line for a knighthood, when he was not.
Mr McBride suggested this may have been the result of a briefing from an adviser who was not being entirely clear. He said journalists may have been told that a world cup winning rugby player was being rewarded.
Honours have, in fact, been given to Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark, members of the England women's team who won the World Cup this summer.
The former spin doctor admitted that he would frequently brief journalists in such a way.
"I used to hum the themes from television programmes, and journalists would ask, 'Is it the main star?'" | A senior MP has called for a formal inquiry after the names of some New Year Honours recipients appeared in the press before the formal announcement. |
34,523,085 | Cardiff's The Clink, run by low-risk inmates from Prescoed and Cardiff prisons, was ranked 10th in TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Favourite Fine Dining Restaurants UK.
Restaurants run by celebrity chefs Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux Jr also made the list.
The Clink aims to reduce reoffending.
Opened in 2012, The Clink Cardiff is now one of four restaurants run by prisoners across the UK through The Clink Charity.
It offers 30 category D prisoners full-time work in the kitchen and restaurant, who gain catering and hospitality qualifications to help them gain employment upon their release.
Other inmates work at the farms and gardens at HMP Prescoed in Usk, Monmouthshire, where they plant, maintain and harvest crops while working towards horticultural qualifications.
The idea was created by award-winning chef Alberto Crisci, who set up the first restaurant at High Down prison in Surrey in 2009.
Meet the prisoners behind the success here.
TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Favourite Fine Dining Restaurants UK 2015: | A restaurant staffed by prisoners has been named alongside Michelin-starred eateries in a list of the UK's 10 best rated. |
28,086,002 | Under its constitution, Japan is barred from using force to resolve conflicts except in cases of self-defence.
But a reinterpretation of the law will now allow "collective self-defence" - using force to defend allies under attack.
PM Shinzo Abe has been pushing hard for the move, arguing Japan needs to adapt to a changing security environment.
"No matter what the circumstances, I will protect Japanese people's lives and peaceful existence," he told journalists after the change was approved.
The decision must be passed by parliament, which the ruling bloc controls. But by reinterpreting rather than revising the constitution, Mr Abe avoids the need for a public referendum.
The US - with whom Japan has a decades-old security alliance - will welcome the move, but it will anger China, with whom Japan's ties are already very strained.
The decision is also highly controversial in a nation where post-war pacifist identify is firmly entrenched.
On Sunday a man set himself on fire in central Tokyo to protest against the change.
Mr Abe first endorsed the move in May, after a panel of his advisers released a report recommending changes to defence laws.
Japan adopted its pacifist constitution after its surrender in World War Two. Since then, its troops have not engaged in combat, although small numbers have taken part in UN peace-keeping operations.
It has long held the view that under international law, it has the right to collective self-defence, but - until today - said it could not exercise that right because of constitutional limits.
Mr Abe emphasised that the change would not lead to involvement in foreign wars.
"There is a misunderstanding that Japan will be involved in war in an effort to defend a foreign country, but this is out of the question," he told the press conference.
"It will be strictly a defensive measure to defend our people. We will not resort to the use of force in order to defend foreign forces."
On Monday, thousands of people joined a protest in Tokyo to oppose the change.
Critics of Mr Abe fear that this move is the first step to a more permanent revision or removal of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the constitution.
"I thought that if we don't stop the Abe government now then it won't be possible to recover," Etsuo Nakashima, 32, told Reuters news agency.
But others believe that the constitution is a post-war relic imposed on Japan by the US that restricts it from engaging in the normal activities of a modern nation.
China - with whom Japan is currently engaged in a bitter territorial dispute - says it opposes the change, accusing Japan of "remilitarising" under Mr Abe.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that the new policy "raises doubts about Japan's approach to peaceful development", and accused Japan of "hyping the China threat".
"We urge Japan to sincerely respect the rightful concerns of neighbouring Asian countries, diligently solve any related issues, and not affect China's rights and the stability of the region," he said.
South Korea has also raised objections, saying it will "not tolerate" the move which it said was made without South Korea's agreement.
The foreign ministry also urged Japan to ensure regional peace and stability. | Japan's cabinet has approved a landmark change in security policy, paving the way for its military to fight overseas. |
26,676,909 | The first stage of the project will cover some 3,000 handwritten documents over the next four years.
The cost - more than $20m (£12m) - will be borne by Japan's NTT Data technology company.
Eventually, the library says it hopes to make available online all its 82,000 manuscripts.
"The manuscripts that will be digitised extend from pre-Columbian America to China and Japan in the Far East, passing through all the languages and cultures that have marked the culture of Europe," said Vatican's librarian Monsignor Jean-Louis Brugues.
The 3,000 documents to be scanned digitally over the next four years include copies of works of classical Greek and Latin literature and mediaeval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts.
The library, founded by a 15th Century Pope, also contains important works of mathematics and science, law and medicine from earliest times up to the present day.
The long-term aim is to digitise 40m pages of documents
In the 1980s, the Vatican persuaded Japan's Nippon Television to provide major funding for the restoration of the Sistine Chapel, the BBC's David Willey in Rome reports. | The Vatican Library has begun digitising its priceless collection of ancient manuscripts dating from the origins of the Church. |
31,868,993 | Nigerian government spokesman Mike Omeri told the BBC that foreigners were just training troops in the use of new weapons.
Nigeria has recently bought helicopter gunships and tanks from South Africa and former Soviet Union countries.
But the South African government says the men may be involved in fighting.
Nigeria and its neighbours have recently recaptured several towns and villages from Boko Haram, which is allied to Islamic State (IS).
Thousands of people have been killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria, since it began its insurgency in 2009.
It is hard to explain why there had to be six years of carnage in north-east Nigeria before the necessary equipment was bought and aggressive, decisive action was taken against Boko Haram.
But now the Nigerian authorities are taking all the help they can get and have achieved some success against the jihadists. Whether we call them mercenaries or military trainers, as the Nigerian government would prefer, the hired men from South Africa and the former Soviet Union are deployed in the theatre of war and some are armed.
Some have been helping train the Nigerian troops on how to use the recently acquired military equipment including helicopter gunships, tanks and armoured vehicles. But the South African authorities suspect this is cover for illegal mercenary work.
For the Nigerian government, the issue of mercenaries is a sensitive one and adds to the already difficult job of explaining why it ever became necessary for the neighbouring armies of Chad, Niger and Cameroon to deploy inside Nigeria.
It is against the law for South Africans to fight overseas for private gain.
South Africa's Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the BBC that anyone suspected of fighting in Nigeria would be investigated by South African police.
No serving members of South Africa's armed forces were in Nigeria, the minister added.
The presence of South African mercenaries was first reported by a South African newspaper in January, and speculation intensified after a photograph circulated on Twitter last week showing a white man in a khaki T-shirt and body armour, next to a heavy-calibre machine gun.
The location of the photo was later identified as Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria, close to the fighting with Boko Haram.
On Thursday, South African websites reported that a mercenary from the country had been killed in an incident of friendly-fire in Nigeria. Two anonymous sources speaking to the French news agency AFP confirmed the incident.
The South African government has acknowledged the death of one of its citizens in Nigeria, the New York Times reports.
"We are disturbed by the death of this one person," defence spokeswoman Joy Peters told the paper.
"Unfortunately, they went to Nigeria in their own personal capacity. We'd like to advise that this would serve as a warning to others who are considering engaging in such activities to really think twice and consider the repercussions."
Alongside South Africans, mercenaries from former Soviet Union countries are also reported to be taking part in the conflict.
In addition, regular soldiers from Chad, Niger and Cameroon have been working with the Nigerian military to recapture towns and villages in north-east Nigeria which have fallen under the control of the Islamist fighters.
Boko Haram at a glance:
Why is Boko Haram so strong?
IS shaping Boko Haram media | The South African government is concerned its nationals may be working as mercenaries in Nigeria in the war against the Boko Haram militant group. |
39,666,462 | Before March 2015, the figure for the region stood at 4% - below the Scottish average of 7% to 10%.
It has now risen to 29% with the national figure also up to 16%.
The training of 10,000 people in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and increased defibrillator numbers are said to have helped tackle the issue.
The Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Borders, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Borders Council and local charities Avril's Trust, Scottish HART and Kelso Heartbeat have been working together to address the problem.
Their work has been supported by the Scottish government's Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Strategy for Scotland, which was launched in March 2015.
CPR training has taken place across the region, including pupils at various primary and secondary schools, community groups, sports clubs members and the general public.
The British Heart Foundation has also provided CPR training kits to all Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stations in the country for local communities who want to learn the life-saving skills.
In 2014 NHS Borders gifted 50 defibrillators to Scottish HART for use across the region as well as two defibrillators to Borders College who committed to provide their staff and students with CPR training.
The health board's resuscitation officer, Rod McIntosh, said: "Since then NHS Borders has continued to work closely with partner organisations to deliver training and raise awareness of defibrillators in the community.
"We are delighted to see that this collaborative working is delivering positive results and saving lives."
Murray McEwan, Scottish Ambulance Service's national community resilience manager, said that increasing the amount of public access defibrillators had enhanced the chances of survival for a patient suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Communities or groups considering buying an automated external defibrillator (AED) are being advised to check new guidance available online.
Anyone responsible for an AED has been encouraged to register it with pad.scottishambulance.com and www.crowdsav.com.
"By registering a public access defibrillator, the Scottish Ambulance Service will look to provide life-saving instructions as well as advise members of the community on how to use the nearest available defibrillator," said Mr McEwan.
David Farries, local senior officer of Scottish Borders for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said it was delighted to be involved.
"The SFRS is a key stakeholder in this strategy," he said.
"We are extremely active across the country, providing CPR instruction from all of our community fire stations and also providing an enhanced operational response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in support of the Scottish Ambulance Service in selected areas including the Borders."
Jim Fraser, SBC's emergency planning officer, said it had provided nearly £20,000 for defibrillators, cabinets and training to local communities and resilient communities groups.
"We are pleased to see this guidance published and would encourage those who already have public access defibrillators to register them with the Scottish Ambulance Service and CrowdSav," he said.
"Doing so could save a life." | Resuscitation training has been credited with improving the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate in the Scottish Borders. |
40,635,372 | From Tuesday, the industry trade body, the Rail Delivery Group, is publishing average national punctuality statistics to the minute, not just to within five or 10 minutes of planned arrival times.
From next spring train operators will do the same for each of their own routes.
That will let passengers scrutinise the punctuality of individual journeys.
The new data will also be published for the punctuality of trains stopping at intermediate stations, not just their final destinations, using GPS technology.
Paul Plummer, the chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), said: "By adopting the most transparent measure in Europe, we want passengers to know that rail companies are putting an even greater focus on ensuring that trains are meeting the timetable, arriving to the minute and at stations along a journey."
On its own, the new measure will not necessarily lead to trains arriving with greater punctuality.
But Mr Plummer said he hoped it would encourage operators to put greater emphasis on arriving to the minute.
"We are pushing ourselves to drive better punctuality because it will help to deliver a more reliable railway for the whole of Britain," he said.
Currently trains are judged to be on time officially if they arrive within five or even 10 minutes of their scheduled arrival time.
Looking at the figures for 28 May to 24 June this year, this suggested that 92% or even 97% of trains were on time time.
But measuring arrivals to the minute, this figure fell sharply to just 65%, though 35% were in fact early.
The number of cancellations will also be measured and made available on the website My Train Journey.
The changes were welcomed by the rail watchdog Transport Focus.
Its chief executive, Anthony Smith, said: "Passengers want a reliable, on-time train service. How that performance is measured and reported should, our research shows, closely mirror passengers real life experience otherwise trust will not be built up."
"So, it is good to see the rail industry reporting on time performance at many more stations." | Train passengers will soon be able to judge the punctuality of their journeys with much greater accuracy. |
18,001,395 | The IMF has forecast growth of 6% for the next financial year, up from 5.5% in the current year.
Burma has introduced economic and political reforms, including floating its currency, to open its markets.
Various countries have also lifted some of the sanctions imposed against it.
"It has very rich natural resources, a young labour force and is close to some of the most dynamic economies in the world," said Meral Karasulu, IMF's Mission Chief for Burma.
Earlier this year, Burma moved to a managed float for its currency, the kyat, in what is seen as the boldest economic reform to date.
Prior to being floated, the kyat had an official as well as a black market rate, with the unofficial rate being almost 125 times that of the official one.
Many analysts said that the difference in rates had deterred firms from investing in Burma.
Under a managed float system a currency's exchange rate is determined by the market. However, the central bank publishes a daily reference exchange rate to influence the market.
Since the float, the currency's official rate has been set close to the black market rate.
However the IMF said that for Burma to realise its growth potential, it needs to introduce further economic reforms.
Ms Karasulu said that Burma needed to focus on "improving business and investment climate" and "developing the financial sector".
"Ideally these should coincide with gradually liberalising trade and foreign direct investment," she added. | Burma's growth is set to accelerate, driven by commodity exports and increased investment, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. |
37,816,654 | But they will not accept the manner in which they lost, collapsing from 100-0 to 164 all out in the space of 22.5 overs after tea on a historic day in Dhaka as Bangladesh claimed their maiden Test win over England to earn a series draw.
A target of 273 in spinning conditions is testing, although it looked possible following Alastair Cook and Ben Duckett's impressive opening partnership.
The way in which England subsided to Mehedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan on the third evening was extremely disappointing, and shows they must improve greatly if they are to stand any chance in India.
Yes, conditions favoured the bowlers. And yes, England remain an inexperienced side. You can offer all the explanations that might make the pill a little less bitter, but you simply cannot get blown away like that.
It was the third biggest collapse in Test history by a team that were 100 without loss - that says it all.
The match was like the series as a whole. There were only two matches yet, in terms of momentum shifts in games, it was one of the most dramatic series I have seen. You have to say 1-1 was a fair result.
Duckett played some extraordinary shots in his 56, his maiden Test half-century in his second match.
In the fourth over of the innings he was playing reverse sweeps; I do not think any England player has ever opened the innings like that before.
The left-hander has a lot of flair, is certainly different and got England off to a fine start after Bangladesh had been bowled out for 296.
He is a very exciting player, but whether he can continue like that at the top of the order remains to be seen.
Though only 22, Duckett has clearly a got very strong character because he dropped an absolute sitter in the field, having made 14, 15 and seven in his first three Test innings with the bat. For a weaker character that might have been a knockout blow.
England made changes for this match, bringing in debutant left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari and recalling pace bowler Steven Finn for Gareth Batty and Stuart Broad respectively.
Captain Cook said before the series that England would rest players during a particularly busy pre-winter schedule that sees them play seven Tests in nine weeks in Bangladesh and India.
I do not like rotating players and players earning England caps that they do not warrant.
My view is that, if you are playing a Test, you should pick best your team. However, on this crazy tour, I can see why they had to do it differently.
They had to give Finn some overs and they had to have a look at left-arm spinner Ansari before flying to India. They had no other option.
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If England do not lose 5-0 in India they will have played well. That is not being pessimistic; it is being entirely realistic.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has also predicted a whitewash if they do not improve.
England have been humiliated and there are no easy solutions. They still don't know what their best team is.
India are top of the International Cricket Council rankings and will be playing in conditions that suit them. Given those two factors, England are absolutely up against it.
However, we have known that for months.
They do not play any warm-up games in India after flying straight from Bangladesh, and the lack of preparation before the first Test on 9 November is clearly going to be an issue. They are going to need lots of character and plenty of luck.
I cannot see Gary Ballance batting at number four in Rajkot. He is in no confidence at all after managing only 24 runs in four innings in Bangladesh.
But who is he going to give way to? Jos Buttler has barely played first-class cricket this summer and will not get any before a possible return to the Test side.
England have got three options: Jonny Bairstow moves up from seven to four and Buttler comes in lower down; Buttler takes Ballance's place at four; or Duckett moves to number four and the uncapped Haseeb Hameed opens the batting.
However, the Lancashire teenager has not had much cricket either. This schedule is not helping anyone.
Mehedi, the 19-year-old, had a massive impact on this series with 19 wickets, including six in England's collapse on Sunday.
He is a promising, exciting player who bowled very well in Chittagong and Dhaka, so we must give him credit.
Mehedi has no doosra. He is a traditional old-fashioned off-spinner with a nice trajectory and varies his pace well.
We have only seen him in conditions that have helped him, but he has shown a lot of character. He has taken on responsibility at a tender age and we will see plenty more of him.
Victory is also tremendous news for Bangladesh, who won only seven of their previous 94 Tests - against Zimbabwe and a weakened West Indies. They have clearly improved.
They have played very little Test cricket - the opening Test was their first since August 2015 - but when they play in conditions that suit them they are a force to be reckoned with. Their success is not only good news for them, but for Test cricket in general.
Victory will be celebrated enormously by the public. Although the crowds were less than 10,000, this was a huge event for Bangladeshis.
We must not forget that England made a brave call coming out here despite security concerns. That decision has been fully vindicated.
It has been a strange series in that the players have been confined to their hotel and travelled to and from the ground in armed convoys.
You have to factor that into the outcome of the series. It has all been very alien for the tourists, but the players, management and Reg Dickason, England's security advisor, deserve a lot of credit.
Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport's Matthew Henry. | England could probably have swallowed defeat against Bangladesh in the second Test, given that they needed to complete their highest successful fourth-innings chase in Asia. |
35,960,848 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The 46-year-old former Juventus boss will begin a three-year contract after his country takes part in Euro 2016.
"I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that," he said.
Guus Hiddink, who replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho, will remain in charge of the Blues until the end of the season.
The final of Euro 2016 takes place on 10 July.
Conte, who won the Serie A title in each of his three years as Juventus boss, is the fifth Italian to manage Chelsea, following Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto di Matteo.
"We are very pleased to have recruited one of the most highly regarded managers in world football," said club director Marina Granovskaia.
"We are equally pleased to do so before the end of the current season. This aids our future planning."
Conte has the task of rebuilding a side that won the Premier League title last season before imploding this term.
Mourinho's second spell came to an end on 17 December after a miserable start to the season and what Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo described as "palpable discord" between the Portuguese and his players.
Hiddink restored stability in his second interim spell as boss - the Blues are 10th with seven games to go - but Chelsea will fail to win a trophy and are set to miss out on Champions League football next season.
His stats - courtesy of Opta - make impressive reading:
Former Juventus player Andrea Pirlo wrote this in his autobiography: "Even when we're winning, Conte comes in and hurls against the wall (and thus my little corner).
"Anything he can lay his hands on... almost always full bottles of water. Fizzy water. Very fizzy water."
When Conte speaks "his words assault you", says Pirlo, adding: "They crash through the doors of your mind, often quite violently, and settle deep within you."
Conte may have "some problems" adjusting to English football but his appointment will prove to be a "good decision", says former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.
"It is difficult when a manager changes championships," Mancini, now in charge at Inter Milan, told BBC Sport.
"It is important that he knows the league very well and very quickly. Probably he could have some problems at the start of his job."
Conte is a former Italy midfielder who made more than 400 appearances for Juventus, winning five league titles and a Champions League.
He won 20 caps for his country and was part of the squad beaten by France in the final of Euro 2000.
After spells coaching Arezzo, Bari, Atalanta and Siena, Conte returned to Juve in 2011, guiding them to the Serie A title at the first attempt.
However, he was then charged with failing to report attempted match-fixing during his time as coach of Siena.
Conte pleaded his innocence but was banned for 10 months - a sentence that was reduced to a four-month touchline suspension.
Juventus retained their title despite Conte's absence and won their third in succession the following season before his exit in 2014 to take over as Italy boss.
Despite serving that touchline ban, the issue remains an ongoing concern for the soon-to-be Chelsea manager.
Conte faces criminal proceedings after being accused of "sporting fraud", with a trial due to start in Italy this week.
Conte, who has always denied wrongdoing, is among 104 defendants.
He is likely to be fined if found guilty, according to his lawyer Leonardo Cammarata, who added Conte's reputation would be "seriously damaged". | Chelsea have appointed Italy boss Antonio Conte as their new first-team head coach, starting from this summer. |
34,759,659 | The man was left with several cuts to his face after the assault in Ye Olde Inn at Davidson's Mains in Edinburgh.
The attack took place at about 21:00 on Saturday, 22 August.
Officers said anyone who recognised the woman from the images should contact them immediately.
Det Sgt Andrina Cunningham said: "The victim sustained some painful injuries to his face, which are likely to leave permanent scarring and our inquiries into this attack are ongoing.
"We are keen to trace the woman pictured in the CCTV footage as part of this investigation and anyone who recognises her is asked to contact police immediately.
"In addition, anyone with any further information relevant to this incident should also get in touch." | Police have released CCTV images of a woman they want to trace as part of an investigation into an attack that left a 21-year-old man permanently scarred. |
21,885,817 | Rescuers searching for a woman trapped in a landslide at her home in Looe, Cornwall, said they had found a body.
Over 200,000 Belfast customers were affected by a blackout but power is starting to be restored.
Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier with Russia has been postponed until 15:00 GMT Saturday due to heavy snow.
There are 12 flood warnings in the South West, with Met Office warnings for snow covering much of the UK.
This comes just over a week before the start of British Summer Time.
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BBC forecasters said the snow would cause travel disruption across northern parts of the UK on Friday, with some 20cm-40cm (8in-16in) falling in places. Atrocious conditions could be expected on high ground, they said.
Roads in northern parts of Wales, the Midlands into the Pennines, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland would be the worst affected, while gale force winds would blow snow and drifts across trans-Pennine routes, they added.
In other developments:
Meanwhile, flooding is affecting parts of southern Cornwall and Devon, with some areas predicted to see 50-75mm of rain falling in a 24 to 48-hour period.
In Looe, Cornwall, torrential overnight rain caused the partial collapse of a house, converted into flats. Specialist search teams, including one using a sniffer dog, arrived at Veronica Flats in Sandplace Road, to search for a missing woman. Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service later said they had found a body.
The Met Office has one amber warning, which means "be prepared," for heavy rain in south-west England.
Parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have amber warnings for snow in place.
Heavy snow is expected to continue into the night and Saturday across central swathes of the country, with a risk of snowfall hitting the Home Counties and north of London.
Spring equinox but winter lingers
Peter Box, chairman of the Local Government Association's economy and transport board, urged people to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours to ensure they were all right during the extreme weather.
As well as setting flood warnings, which mean "flooding is expected, immediate action required", in the South West, the Environment Agency also has around 90 flood alerts, meaning "flooding is possible, be prepared", across England.
Environment Agency spokesman Ben Johnstone said: "We strongly urge people to sign up to flood warnings on the Environment Agency website, keep a close eye on local weather forecasts and be prepared for possible flooding."
People should not try to wade or drive through any deep water, he added.
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AA head of operations Darron Burness, meanwhile, has warned of "a real witches' brew of driving wind, rain and snow" for drivers across the UK.
"Drivers should be well prepared as even short journeys can quickly turn bad," he said.
"Wherever you're going, take plenty of warm layers, check the travel reports before heading out and stick to the main roads where possible."
For BBC news and travel for your area, have a look here, for BBC Weather here, while nationwide BBC travel news can be found here. | Heavy snow is causing disruption to transport across the UK, with heavy rainfall bringing flooding to the south-west of England. |
36,925,699 | Frank McFarlane, who went to Worcester College for the Blind, had recorded the match on reel-to-reel tape by holding a microphone near to a pocket radio.
He mentioned this at a school reunion to a BBC Radio 5 live listener who was "99% certain" the audio was lost and got in touch with the corporation.
The BBC did not keep copies of the radio commentary at the time.
Saturday marks 50 years since England beat West Germany 4-2 in the final.
The listener, James Robinson, said he meets Mr McFarlane, from Oxton in Wirral, once a year at the reunion and about five years after he first mentioned the full recording, it was brought to the reunion.
Mr McFarlane said: "In those days you really weren't supposed to record from the radio and keep things, so I'm waiting for the solicitor's letter."
Kenneth Wolstenholme's famous words for England's fourth goal on BBC TV were: "Some people are on the pitch. They think it's all over. It is now."
Alan Clarke, on the radio, said: "Twenty seconds, twenty seconds, and it's Hurst and Ball charging wide on the right here and there's people on the pitch at the moment.
"And [Hurst] shoots and a goal by Hurst, goal by Hurst, number four and the England players going down on the turf, hugging each other, on their hands and knees.
"And there it is, number four to England."
Mr McFarlane, a "sports fanatic" who said he has also recorded cricket, explained: "[I] did it in the most amateurish old-fashioned way with an external microphone on the table a few inches away from a little pocket radio.
"I thought 'well I'll do this because this will be well worth keeping, I hope.'
"[I] could've made thousands on it, couldn't I?"
Asked for his assessment, he said the radio commentators "kept up with the game very well".
Mr McFarlane said: "[It was] Alan Clarke, Brian Moore, then you moved into others, Des Lynam, Alan Parry, etc. The summariser... hardly said a word unless brought into the commentary."
Radio commentator Brian Moore, who was later ITV's main voice of football, said: "Stiles with a long ball through to Moore and Moore will run for all he's worth after this when he turns it in.
"Can Hurst get a shot in? It's a chance for Geoff Hurst and he's hit the bar. It must be a goal. I would have thought that went in. But he's not given it.
"I thought that hit the bar and went in, Maurice Edelston."
Summariser Maurice Edelston said: "I'm not certain, but yes it's given, it's given and England are in the lead." | Lost BBC radio commentary of England winning the World Cup has been found - 50 years on from their triumph. |
40,234,745 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had given Gareth Southgate's side the lead, before two wonderful free-kicks from Leigh Griffths put Scotland ahead late on, but Harry Kane volleyed in an equaliser in injury time.
Who stood out in the thriller at Hampden Park?
Former Scotland defender Willie Miller scores the home players and BBC Sport's Phil McNulty marks the England players:
There were a couple of occasions where you would expect more from him, especially at the pass-back which led to the first goal and then the shot just after that from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain which ended up in the net. Over the piece, not up to the standard expected of him.
Did OK at times though they weren't put under too much pressure by England. When you play five at the back you expect your defence to be reasonably solid but they almost invited England on to them.
Didn't do too much wrong although maybe at the Harry Kane goal he could have been more alert to the fact that they've only got one main striker and he's drifted off him. There's a question mark over that goal.
He was playing in an unusual position and did well enough but we didn't see him get forward as much given that he was one of three centre-backs. It took some of his game away.
He and Mulgrew switched off for the equaliser, you would have expected him to tuck in and see the run. However, like the rest of the defence, overall, he did OK.
He started the game really well but faded badly in the second half. Didn't do that much, but didn't do much wrong either.
Put himself in a really bad position early on with the booking for the tackle on Dele Alli and he was lucky not to get a second yellow in the second half. Not his best game.
He took a knock early on, hobbled through the first half and didn't have too much influence before going off at half-time.
Wasn't as influential as we have seen him. Generally used the ball well, until he gave it away in the build-up to Kane's late strike. From there, the defenders are assuming the danger has gone and they've been caught cold.
Poor by his standards. He is much better than he showed, he had a poor touch in the first half and this didn't help Scotland's ball retention. I felt it was one of his poorer performances in the dark blue and it was no surprise to see him substituted.
Beyond the two free-kicks he did well, though the balls up to him were difficult to deal with. The two free-kicks are super and I think he could be the main striker now.
James McArthur (for Morrison, half-time) 6: On at half-time for Morrison and I think it was difficult for him to get up to the speed of the game. Showed composure at times but wasn't on the ball an awful lot.
Ryan Fraser (for Snodgrass, 66 minutes) 6: Was involved in the free-kick that led to the Scotland equaliser. He didn't have too long to have an influence. Scotland didn't look like getting back into it until he won the set-piece.
Chris Martin (for Anya, 81 minutes) 6: Won the second free-kick that put Scotland ahead, albeit briefly. He was maybe fortunate to do so but he also showed some decent touches and he held it up well.
Poor positioning for first Griffiths free-kick - not helped by his wall - but now a vulnerable keeper with weaknesses exposed. Time for change.
Solid enough and a threat going forward but can still be a danger to himself and England in the penalty area.
Not the composure and authority of his performances with Chelsea. Unusually unsettled.
Edgy performance. Gave the ball away and was often too hurried in possession.
Some good link-up play down the left and solid once more.
One of England's better performers - which isn't saying much - and had a shot deflected against the post.
Very poor. Booked, wasteful in possession and ineffective.
Tough choice but just about the best of a poor England team on this day. Energetic, creative but should have scored with a header - but still not much above average for this very good player.
Rattled by a very predictable early challenge from Scott Brown and rarely showed the brilliance everyone knows he has.
Looked like a young player who has had a long season. Leg-weary and ineffective.
Largely frustrating day for England's captain but rescued his manager, his performance and his match-rating by poaching that equaliser.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (for Rashford 65 minutes) 6: Had an impact with his goal - not sure about the celebration in front of Scotland's fans.
Raheem Sterling (for Alli 83 minutes) 6: Only on for 10 minutes but delivered cross for Kane's equaliser.
Jermain Defoe (for Livermore 92 minutes): No rating. | England came from behind in the 93rd minute to snatch a point against Scotland in 2018 World Cup qualifying. |
31,743,835 | Ambassador Mark Lippert is recovering in hospital after Kim Ki-jong attacked him with a knife on Thursday.
During the attack, Mr Kim called for reunification of the two Koreas.
Police said they were also investigating Mr Kim's links with North Korea, after it was revealed he had made multiple visits.
"We are investigating whether there is any connection between the suspect's visits to North Korea and the crime committed against the US ambassador," Yoon Myeong-seong, head of Seoul's central Jongno district said according to Reuters.
Mr Kim also had a history of nationalist militant activity, media reports said.
A small group of people in South Korea see the US as the main obstacle to the reunification of a divided Korean peninsula.
Mr Yoon said authorities wanted to charge Mr Kim, 55, with attempted murder, violence against a foreign envoy and business obstruction, Yonhap news agency reported. Police have requested a formal detention warrant.
Mr Kim, who was apprehended after the incident, told police that he did not intend to kill Mr Lippert.
Mr Yoon also said they were considering charging him with violating South Korea's National Security Law, which bans South Koreans from publicly sympathising with the government of North Korea.
Mr Kim also shouted opposition to annual US-South Korean military drills, which began Monday, during the attack.
North Korea traditionally opposes the drills, which it describes as a rehearsal for invasion. Late on Thursday, it described the attack as "just punishment for US warmongers", in a statement on state media.
Mr Lippert, 42, was given 80 stitches to the deep cut on his face and underwent surgery to repair nerve damage to his hand.
Doctors said he would be discharged early next week.
The attack raised questions about security for diplomatic personnel. Mr Lippert had a bodyguard with him when the attack took place. Police were also there, but not at the request of the US embassy or the organisers of the event.
The responsibility for the safety of diplomats lies with the host nation.
After the incident, the South Korean government ramped up security for diplomatic missions, including the US embassy. Police said they were providing protection for Mr Lippert.
Kim Ki-jong's militant past | South Korean police say they are seeking charges of attempted murder against a man who slashed the US ambassador to Seoul. |
31,660,341 | The girl's biological parents, Celeste and Morne Nurse, were reunited with her after she was enrolled in the same school as her sister.
After seeing the pair's likeness, the biological family invited the girl for coffee and then contacted police.
DNA tests have confirmed the identity of the girl, who has been placed in the care of social workers.
Mr Nurse said his daughter was receiving extensive counselling.
His wife said it was "like a dream" to see her daughter again.
"When she met Cassidy [her sister], there was just an incredible connection and it started from there," she told CapeTalk radio.
"Her birthday is on 28 April. This year we can celebrate it with her. It will be her first birthday with us and we have to plan something very big."
A relative of the alleged kidnapper told reporters outside the Cape Town Magistrate's Court: "We grew up with the child, we took care of her."
The arrested woman and her husband, who live in the Cape Flats, have no other children.
The woman, aged 50, is being charged with kidnapping, fraud and contravening the Children's Act, in that she fraudulently pretended that she was the biological mother of a child, police said.
Her case was postponed to 6 March. | A South African woman has appeared in court over the kidnapping of a baby in a Cape Town hospital 17 years ago. |
39,197,675 | Carlos Tavares suggests that with potentially high tariffs in Europe, where carmakers could be forced to pay taxes on exports and imports to and from the European Union, it could become more cost-effective to have manufacturing plants in Britain to supply parts for UK-made cars.
He reasons that such an approach would iron-out any volatility in the company's profits.
"A hard Brexit with custom duties and all that stuff, then of course it would be an opportunity for us to have a UK sourcing to source for the UK," he says.
"Of course for that to happen we also need to have the supplier base being devolved in the UK so that the cost structure would be in pounds, the revenue structure would be in pounds and therefore the sensitivity, the volatility on our profit would be lower."
But is the UK car market big enough to support its own components industry?
There are 32 million cars on British roads. And although the UK is the third largest car producer in the European Union, after Germany and Spain according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the vast majority of vehicles it makes are exported, while 86% of newly registered vehicles in the UK last year were imported.
Of the 1.72 million cars made in the UK last year, 1.35 million were shipped overseas.
According the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 368,482 passenger vehicles were for the British market.
In terms of British-made components, steps have been taken in recent years to increase the number used in UK cars which, on average, are made-up of 6,000 parts.
According to the SMMT, the average content in a British-built vehicle has increased from 36% in 2011 to 41%. However, the majority still has to come from overseas suppliers.
Another rather puzzling aspect to Mr Tavares's plan is that it appears to run counter to the PSA Group's 2.2bn euro takeover of Vauxhall and Opel.
One of his main aims is to find cost "synergies" to improve profit margins. So the maker of Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall wants to share "more assets, platforms, features and systems".
Mr Tavares adds that exporting will be key to the company's success.
"For many, many years Opel/Vauhall could not export cars outside of Europe. That was something that General Motors didn't want them to do. PSA is going to unleash this potential, we are going to open the gates."
This will happen, he says "soon as the Opel Vauxhall models are using the PSA IP [intellectual property] but, if his earlier statements on a hard Brexit are to be believed, different supply chains. | The boss of PSA Group, which is buying Vauxhall and Opel, says that a so-called hard Brexit could present "an opportunity" for the UK car industry. |
37,551,059 | The 58-year-old former USA boss is the first American to manage in the Premier League, following the Swans' sacking of Francesco Guidolin.
After his last game in charge of French side Le Havre, Bradley said: "To go to the Premier League is special.
"It's still an opportunity for me, for my family and for American football. That's important."
The Welsh side have won just once in their past seven matches and are 17th in the Premier League table.
Swansea's American owners, Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien, and chairman Huw Jenkins ended the 10-month tenure of Italian Guidolin on Monday with the club above the relegation places only on goal difference.
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Bradley beat ex-Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs, former Derby boss Paul Clement and the one-time Villarreal manager Marcelino to the job after spells in Egypt, Norway and France since leaving the USA in 2011.
He spent last season at French second-tier side Le Havre, missing out on promotion to Ligue 1 by a single goal.
"I am sorry to leave, especially at this moment," said Bradley after Monday's 2-1 win over Sochaux, a result that left Le Havre fifth in Ligue 2.
"In a perfect world I would go right to the end with this team just like last year - but football does not control timing."
Bradley is expected to take his first training session at Swansea on Wednesday, with the club's next game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, 15 October after the international break.
His first decision is likely to be the make-up of his support staff.
Guidolin's backroom team - Diego Bortoluzzi, Gabriele Ambrosetti and Claudio Bordon - were released alongside the 61-year-old, who was dismissed on his birthday.
Club stalwart Alan Curtis, who spent time as interim manager last season following Garry Monk's December departure, is expected to play a key role at the Liberty Stadium. | Swansea City's new manager Bob Bradley says his appointment is a key moment for United States football. |
33,076,526 | It is unable to provide the "commitments required to continue into the next stage" because of its proposed acquisition by Hutchison, it says.
The government wants the network to be run by a commercial operator, but only EE is currently left in the bidding.
Experts have accused the government of rushing the radical shake-up.
In a statement O2 blamed uncertainty in the mobile market.
"The potential restructuring of the UK telecoms market as a result of current mergers-and-acquisitions activity affecting several players in the industry raises questions about spectrum (both current holdings and timings of access to future spectrum), network-sharing arrangements, and, specifically in our position, the proposed potential acquisition of O2 in the UK by Hutchison Whampoa," the company said..
"We are therefore unable at this time to provide the detail and commitments required to continue into the next stage of the bidding process put forward by government."
Mike Penning, Minister for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Victims, said that the decision to withdraw from the bidding was "disappointing".
"However, the process to establish a more effective, flexible and affordable network for the UK's police, fire and ambulance services will continue," he said.
"Procurement remains extremely competitive and will deliver value for money to the taxpayer irrespective of O2 Telefonica's decision to withdraw.
"Seven other bidders remain in the running for the main contracts, and we look forward to receiving their best and final offers in June.
"We hope to sign contracts later this year."
These seven bidders - which include HP, Motorola and Lockheed Martin - are competing for contracts to support the implementation of the mobile network. But the contract to run the network itself now has just one bidder, EE
The new Emergency Services Network is expected to go live in 2017 and will provide mobile, voice and data communication to police, fire and ambulance services, among others.
The government wants to see it move from its current dedicated network to a commercial 4G one, which it believes will offer greater flexibility as well as cost savings.
The company that currently runs the network - Airwave - was not shortlisted for the latest stage of bidding.
Chief operating officer John Lewis told the BBC: "Our view is that 4G is the right technology but that currently it is not ready for mission-critical voice services.
"The standards are not yet ready, and this is a pretty commonly held view in the industry.
"We don't feel that the mobile networks will be ready to take on the very crucial role that emergency services play until at least 2020.
Currently, the networks don't have the coverage or the resilience to deal with the specific demands of our customer base."
He added that one customer - the UK's fire and rescue service - had decided to extend its contract with Airwave until 2020.
The police and ambulance service could also decide to renew contracts until the same date, he added. | Mobile phone company O2 has withdrawn from a process to select the next operator for the UK's emergency services network. |
22,243,953 | John Cherry claimed Pakistani children would fail to "rise to the top" and that some nationalities were "uncertain" when it came to hard work.
He was commenting on plans for an Eton-style boarding school in West Sussex.
In resigning, Mr Cherry, 73, who sits on Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council, said the comments were "extremely foolish".
The councillor, who represents the village of Stedham, made his comments to the Mail on Sunday about a plan by the south London-based Durand Academy to open a boarding school in the village.
He told the paper: "Ninety-seven per cent of pupils will be black or Asian. It depends what type of Asian. If they're Chinese they'll rise to the top. If they're Indian they'll rise to the top. If they're Pakistani they won't.
"There are certain nationalities where hard work is highly valued. There are certain nationalities where they are uncertain what this hard work is all about.
"If the children are not allowed out of the site then it will make them want to escape into the forest - it will be a sexual volcano.
"Has anyone asked whether these children want to be plucked from their natural surroundings? They have never done boarding before, so they won't know how it works."
His remarks have been heavily criticised and led to moves by the Conservative Party to suspend him.
Stephen Twigg MP, Labour's shadow education secretary, said: "When a Tory councillor makes openly racist comments like these, it's no surprise people still think of the Conservatives as the nasty party."
In a statement, Mr Cherry said: "My remarks about Durand Academy, as reported in the Mail on Sunday, were plainly wrong.
"They were thoughtless and extremely foolish. I unreservedly apologise and withdraw them. I very much regret the distress this must have caused."
A Conservative Party spokesman branded his comments "totally unacceptable" and said they did "not reflect the views of the Conservative Party".
Greg Martin, head teacher of the Durand Academy, said the councillor's comments were "bizarre" and belonged "in another age".
He said the children to be taught in Sussex had been at the Durand Academy in London since the age of three but moved to other premises from the age of 13.
The school wanted to give the youngsters, who were 97% African Caribbean, a boarding school with an extended day to give them a greater depth of study and experiences, he said.
Mr Martin said the children were "extraordinarily hard working" people who would do great things for the country.
When asked if the school would alter the character of the area, Mr Martin said: "We're not altering it. We're adding to it and making it better.
"I think these comments by some of the local people - I may stress there are dozens of supportive people who are really looking forward to this - there are a very small minority of people who have made regrettable comments, but we're not going to alter it, we're going to add to and enrich the area."
The proposal is to use St Cuthman's School, a disused boarding school in Stedham.
Anne Reynolds, the chairman of Woolbeding with Redford Parish Council, said: "I think these children are going to be political footballs.
"There is no evidence to show that children's attainment levels or chances in life are going to be improved by such a school.
"We've been trying to get a meeting with Michael Gove for the last 18 months, the doors have been shut to us.
She added: "John Cherry's views are not representative of our community, he just happens to be our county councillor."
Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall, said she was "disappointed" with the comments and pleased that Mr Cherry had apologised.
The leader of the West Sussex County Council (WSCC), a Conservative-run authority, said the comments attributed to Mr Cherry were "plainly wrong, thoughtless and extremely foolish".
Councillor Louise Goldsmith said Mr Cherry was no longer a member of the WSCC Conservative group.
She said the comments did not reflect county council or Conservative Party views or policies and she had referred the matter to the standards committee to be investigated.
The council said Mr Cherry remained a nominated Conservative Party candidate for the authority's Midhurst electoral division.
A spokesman said nominations could only be withdrawn and resubmitted by 5 April, or withdrawn by 10 April.
Chichester council said Mr Cherry remained a member of the authority but was now an independent councillor.
Heather Caird, leader of Chichester District Council which is also Conservative-run, said: "John Cherry's comments to a national newspaper were totally unacceptable, and they in no way reflect the views of this council."
She said Mr Cherry had unreservedly apologised and resigned from the Conservative Party, but she had also referred the issue to Chichester's standards board. | A councillor has resigned from the Conservative Party over remarks made about children from ethnic minorities. |
32,313,317 | The Hope Beyond Hurt event features experts in conflict resolution from the US, England and Palestine.
It is part of a wider project that will culminate in the opening of a garden of reflection in the city.
One of the conference's organisers, Susan Glass of the Holywell Trust, said it was a chance to hear different perspectives.
"I think it's really important that as a society in Northern Ireland, we look beyond ourselves," she said.
"We are very good at looking inwards and it's often good to hear another story from somewhere else in the world, to hear how people at the sharp end of conflict deal with victims and survivors in conflict and post-conflict societies, and how we can learn from that." | An international peace-building conference is due to take place in Londonderry later. |
32,445,026 | The anonymity of the virtual cash has made it a favourite with thieves who blackmail victims with viruses.
Now hi-tech gangs quickly convert payments into other currencies, said IBM security expert Etay Maor in an interview with The Register.
One bitcoin is now worth £155, much lower than the £728 value it hit in late 2013.
Scrambling data with malicious programs known as ransomware - which demand payment from victims to decrypt data - has been popular with some hi-tech criminals over the past few years. The gang behind the notorious cryptolocker program is believed to have made about £2m from victims before it was broken up.
Bitcoins have been the preferred payment method, said Mr Maor, but the volatility of the currency and its falling value has forced criminals to convert it into other forms of cash as soon as possible.
"Most of them won't keep bitcoins - they don't like the valuations bitcoin has - so they just use it as a layer of obfuscation, and move it to a different form of money," Mr Maor told The Register during an interview at the RSA security conference in San Francisco.
Many ransomware gangs use people not directly connected with the gang, known as mules, to clean up the cash by paying it into a legitimate bank account. Mules generally get a 20% cut as a fee.
Police forces and computer security firms have scored some successes against ransomware gangs. Computers involved in the cryptolocker malware were seized and the encryption system for the program broken so victims could get their data back without paying any cash.
In addition, Dutch police have worked with security firm Kaspersky Labs to analyse a server seized during an operation against the coinvault ransomware. This led to the creation of a program that can decrypt scrambled data. The firm has also retrieved lots of encryption keys that can be used to unscramble data. | The falling value of bitcoins have made them much less attractive to cyber-thieves, claims a security expert. |
35,837,927 | John David Hulme, 55, denied fraud and false accounting charges, relating to money paid by Gwynedd council to Padarn Bus in claims for concessionary fares.
He told Caernarfon Crown Court he did not know the firm claimed to carry more concessionary passengers than it had.
Mr Hulme said he had no previous experience of running a company.
The trial continues. | A former Gwynedd bus firm boss has claimed he had no knowledge of the fraudulent claiming of more than £800,000 of public money. |
40,014,469 | Dylan Marcus Edwards, 50, of Llanrwst, Conwy county, pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an incident at Royal Oak Hotel, Betws y Coed.
Llandudno Magistrates' Court heard the cat was allegedly put in a bag and hit with a piece of wood.
A second man has denied the same charge.
The case was adjourned until 31 May for a probation service report and for the RSPCA to decide if it will pursue a case against the second man. | A former chef has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a feral cat which died in the kitchen of the Snowdonia hotel. |
34,536,144 | The Canadian slipped in the locker room at the Grand Slam event in September.
She withdrew from the tournament prior to a fourth-round match and pulled out of her comeback event at the China Open on 5 October because of dizziness.
The lawsuit alleges the 21-year-old world number 39 slipped on "a foreign and dangerous substance" in New York.
It also alleges negligence and includes a demand for a jury trial, with Bouchard seeking damages from the USTA and USTA National Tennis Center.
Her lawyer, Benedict Morelli, told the New York Times the substance was a cleaning agent intended to be left on the floor overnight when the room would no longer be used.
He claimed they could be seeking damages worth "millions and millions" of dollars.
Seeded 25th at Flushing Meadows, the 2014 Wimbledon runner-up suffered a head injury in a fall after playing mixed doubles on 4 September.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, includes the allegation Bouchard "was caused to slip and fall on a dangerous condition created by the defendants in the physiotherapy room attendant to the women's locker room".
It is claimed the defendants either caused or should have known of the floor condition, and that Bouchard was not made aware that it was slippery.
The lawsuit adds Bouchard sustained a "severe injury to her head, including, but not limited to, a concussion", and the injury also caused her to withdraw or retire from the subsequent Japan Open, Wuhan Open, China Open and Hong Kong Open tournaments, resulting in a fall of 13 ranking places.
It also says she continues to suffer pain as a consequence of the fall, resulting in medical costs and a loss of income, and it affects her quality of life.
The USTA has declined to comment on the lawsuit. | Eugenie Bouchard has begun legal action against the United States Tennis Association after suffering concussion following a fall at the US Open. |
37,231,830 | Caroline Bagshaw said a "horrible" dead adult spider and about 10 live babies fell out of the fruit in her kitchen.
Geoff Grewcock, of Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, thought they were Brazilian Wandering Spiders whose "bite could kill you".
Lidl told the BBC it was investigating and would compensate Ms Bagshaw for the cost of fumigating her home.
More eight-legged updates
A spokeswoman for Lidl said the supermarket needed a statement from a wildlife expert confirming the species of spider and a quote from fumigators to cover the cost.
Ms Bagshaw bought the bananas from Lidl's Nuneaton branch.
Mr Grewcock said the curled up spider was larger than a 50p but would have been at least double the size when alive with its legs outstretched.
He said: "[Ms Bagshaw] had put the bananas in a bag and tied it shut. When I looked inside I saw about 10 spiderlings running around. I put the bag in the freezer.
"The babies were too small to do any harm but you don't want them trying to find somewhere warm enough to survive.
"If it is the Wandering Spider it's very dangerous. It's one of the worst spiders out there."
A vet is now examining the adult spider and spiderlings to determine the species, he said.
Last year a Wandering Spider, known as the most venomous in the world, was found in a Staffordshire warehouse.
Ms Bagshaw said: "[The spider] looked horrible. You could see its little eyes on it head and these massive black things at the front of its mouth.
"Even though the babies are not necessarily going to survive, there's that possibly that they could, and I can't take that risk having a two-year-old and a five-year-old."
She said she had paid £150 to fumigate her home to ensure her house was "free from deadly creatures". | A mother found a sac of "potentially deadly" baby spiders in a bunch of bananas she bought from Lidl. |
30,776,889 | Bernadette Scully, 56, with an address at Bachelor's Walk, Tullamore, was charged with the murder of Emily Barut in September 2012.
A detective told the court in Tullamore that Ms Scully was arrested at her home at 09.40 local time on Monday.
When the charge was read to her, she made no reply.
She was remanded in custody to appear at the same court in two day's time.
Her solicitor asked that a medical assessment be carried out while she is in custody. | A woman has been charged with the murder of her 11-year-old daughter in County Offaly in the Republic of Ireland. |
32,036,978 | The Consumer Price Index rose by 0.2% in February, but remained unchanged from a year earlier, the Department of Labor said.
The monthly rise follows three consecutive months of declines, including a 0.7% drop in January.
Petrol prices rose 2.4% in February, after having fallen by 18.7% in January.
However, oil prices remain volatile, said Ryan Sweet of Moody's Analytics.
"Global oil prices have bounced around and the appreciating US dollar will continue to put downward pressure on core prices," he said.
"The February CPI doesn't increase the odds of the Fed beginning to normalise interest rates in June," he added.
Last week, the US Federal Reserve modified its stance on interest rates, suggesting that it could seek to raise rates in the next few months.
Economists expect the strong dollar to keep inflation in check in the coming months, as it should make imported goods cheaper.
The dollar has risen sharply in value in the past year against the euro and the yen, as the US economy has grown more quickly than those of Europe and Japan.
Job growth in the US has been robust and the economy is steadily expanding. Typically, that would lead the Fed to raise interest rates from near zero, where they have been since December 2008.
But the CPI is far below the 2% target set by the Federal Reserve, complicating the Fed's decision on when to raise interest rates. | US consumer prices rebounded last month as petrol prices rose for the first time since June, official figures show. |
32,815,092 | Research from the Institute for Policy Studies found that in 2014, bonuses paid to Wall Street employees had been double the total annual pay earned by all Americans who worked full-time at the federal minimum wage.
I crunched the numbers and it turned out that the same was true for the UK.
But is this actually a good measure of inequality? If a load of people earning minimum wage suddenly received a pay rise then bonuses would become an even greater multiple of minimum wage salaries.
One of the most commonly used measures of inequality is the Gini Coefficient, which gives countries a score between zero and one. A score of zero would mean that everybody in the country earned the same amount while one would indicate that all of the country's income was earned by one person. It can also be used to measure wealth inequality.
The Gini Coefficient is more than 100 years old now, and attention in inequality has been turning recently to measures that concentrate more on comparing extremes in the population - for example, looking at what proportion of wealth is held by the richest 1% of the population and what proportion is held by the bottom 50%.
Earlier in the year, Oxfam predicted that the combined wealth of the richest 1% would overtake that of the other 99% of people next year. There were problems with the way the charity extrapolated that conclusion from previous years' figures, but the conclusion was not implausible.
The figures were based on some research by Credit Suisse, which estimated the distribution of wealth across global populations.
A third way to think about inequality is in terms of poverty measured by relative incomes.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) had figures out on Wednesday based on the definition that people were in poverty if their income was below 60% of the median level (to find the median income, line up all the people in the country in order of income and take the middle one).
It found that almost a third of the UK population had experienced poverty in at least one of the years between 2010 and 2013, which is very high by European standards.
The OECD sets out a summary of what has happened to examples of all three of these measures. Across its 34 member countries, the Gini Coefficient rose gradually from 1996, fell slightly for the financial crisis and then resumed its upward path.
Relative-income poverty grew steadily over the period and a comparison of the top 10% and bottom 10% showed growing inequality that paused briefly for the financial crisis before accelerating.
So while there are a number of different ways of calculating inequality, each of which have their own strengths and weaknesses, they seem to agree that inequality has been growing in recent years.
But these measures tell us little about other inequalities such as health, education or opportunities.
A student at university would be expected to have a low income and indeed negative wealth because of student debt, but would not necessarily be in poverty.
In health, the ONS found a gap of 18 or 19 years in the life expectancy of people in the most and least deprived areas.
And the OECD talks about how wealth and income inequality cause overall economic problems because they affect access to education for the next generation. | Last week I wrote about a measure of inequality that had received much coverage in the US. |
34,825,288 | Khawaja returned to the Test side this month after an absence of more than two years and has scored centuries in the first two Tests against the Black Caps.
The 28-year-old will miss the series finale in Adelaide - the world's first day-night Test - on 27 November.
He is also set to miss the first Test against West Indies on 10 December.
Pakistan-born Khawaja pulled up while chasing the ball to the boundary on the second day of the Waca Test.
Australia physiotherapist David Beakley said: "Scans have indicated a moderate hamstring muscle strain which means it is likely he will be unavailable for the next two Test matches in Adelaide and Hobart."
The left-hander, who missed much of last summer with a knee injury, scored his maiden Test hundred with 174 in the victory in Brisbane and added 121 in the first innings in Perth. | Australia batsman Usman Khawaja is set to miss two Test matches after injuring a hamstring during the second Test against New Zealand in Perth. |
34,381,089 | Ever heard of Mick Fanning or Shohei Otani? Know your bouldering from your shortboard surfing?
After Tokyo 2020 put forward the sports it wanted to include when it hosts the Olympics, BBC Sport takes a look at the contenders for a gold medal.
America may have the World Series of baseball, but did you know the US are not even the best team in the world?
Japan are ranked number one, while South Korea will be defending Olympic champions from when it was last played in Beijing in 2008.
Baseball is the most popular sport in Japan and their star is Shohei Otani, a 21-year-old pitcher who plays for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
It is also the most watched sport in the world with the USA's Major League Baseball and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball leading the way.
The world's best players could add a gold medal to their fortunes - America's Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the highest paid player in the MLB, earning an estimated $31.2m (£20.5m) in 2015.
Great Britain are ranked 25th in the world, while Netherlands - in fifth - are the top European team.
Women would compete in softball, which uses a larger ball than baseball. Japan are the current world champions and reigning Olympic champions.
Not many athletes can add 'fighting off a shark' to their CV, unless your name is Mick Fanning.
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The Australian, who in July escaped a shark attack in South Africa uninjured, is a three-time surfing world champion and could be a headline act if the sport makes the cut for Tokyo.
He would not have to worry about sharks in Japan as organisers are likely to use a wave garden, an artificial lagoon that creates man-made waves for the competition.
Competitors would use a shortboard and be judged on their speed, power and flow.
In the women's event, 23-year-old Californian Courtney Conlogue could be the one to watch. She is currently the number one-ranked surfer on the women's world tour.
One man who might miss out in 2020 is 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, considered the greatest surfer in history, who will be 48 by the time surfing could make its Olympic debut.
Know your ollie from your half-pipe?
If not, you need to brush up on your skateboarding lingo as the extreme sport could be rolling into Tokyo.
There will be two events: street, which consists of urban obstacles such as rails and ramps, and park, a combination of street with half-pipes and bowls.
The US are kings of the concrete and boast skating pioneer Tony Hawk, who is famous for his self-titled video games.
Hawk will be 52 in 2020, so it may well be American multiple X Games champions Chris Cole, currently 32, and Nyjah Huston, now 20, battling it out for gold.
But a 25-year-old skater from the favelas of Porto Alegre in Brazil will be aiming to stop them. The story of Luis Oliveira's upbringing - from survival in the slums to contesting world championships - reads like a movie script. If he can land gold in 2020, it probably will be.
Canada's Sean McColl may well be the man to ensure the Olympics gets a head for heights.
The 28-year-old, a regular on US television's American Ninja Warrior, is a three-time overall world champion in sport climbing, which involves three disciplines - bouldering, lead climbing and speed climbing.
Or, as the sport's governing body puts it: "The missing vertical dimension to the world's most prestigious sport event."
Bouldering is climbing without ropes up or over a boulder or small rock formation. Lead climbing is contested in a time limit, with competitors attaching themselves to pre-placed clips along a route. In speed climbing, contestants try and ascend a set distance in the fastest time.
They would compete in a sports arena or sheltered outdoor area with live commentary and music.
"It's a really amazing spectator sport," McColl told BBC World Service Sport.
"You see them climbing and think "oh, it looks kind of easy' and you see the holes they're holding onto and they're just half a centimetre wide and they're throwing their bodies around, so it's actually a really spectacular sport."
When you're often referred to as "the Diego Maradona of karate", you have to be quite good at what you do.
It's fair to say Azerbaijan's four-time world champion and nine-time European champion Rafael Aghayev is quite good.
As Argentine Maradona lit up football stadiums with his genius, 30-year-old Aghayez - nicknamed "Pantera" for his fighting style - has been creating a buzz in kumite, a contact form of karate.
The martial art, which has never been an Olympic sport, originated in Japan.
There are two events: kata, which are detailed choreographed patterns of movements, and kumite.
Despite Aghayev's recent dominance - he starred for the hosts at this summer's Euro Games in Baku - France are currently the top-ranked nation across the two events, with England 27th, Scotland 56th, Wales 90th and Northern Ireland 116th.
Japan topped the medal table at the 2015 World Championships, with Egypt second and France third. | Meet your new (possible) Olympic heroes… |
36,372,013 | Roberts, 30, injured his foot against St Helens in March, but made his return in Saturday's Magic Weekend game against Warrington.
However Roberts was forced to leave the field just before half-time.
"He's ruptured the tendons that attach some of the bones in his foot together," coach Daryl Powell told the club website.
"In some ways it will be less frustrating for him now, as he's been constantly trying to get himself back on the field."
The Tigers are currently seventh in the Super League table, having won seven of their 15 games so far this season. | Castleford Tigers half-back Ben Roberts will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. |
15,333,597 | Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Bono and Stephen Fry were among those attending the memorial service, held at Stanford University.
The charismatic co-founder of Apple died on 5 October as a result of pancreatic cancer.
Another event, for staff, will be held at the company's headquarters in Cupertino on Wednesday.
This weekend's gathering was held at Memorial Church on Stanford University's campus.
The broad range of attendees reflected Steve Jobs' diverse range of interests, which extended far beyond running a computer company.
Among a number of big names from Hollywood was John Lasseter, the chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios.
Steve Jobs bought the small digital graphics company in 1986. It went on to produce films such as Toy Story, Cars and Monsters, Inc.
Political leaders also paid tribute. Among them, Bill Clinton and his former Vice-President, Al Gore, who also sits on the board of Apple.
Senior Apple figures, including new chief executive Tim Cook and head of iOS software, Scott Forstall, were joined by leading figures from across the technology world.
Former Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison also came to pay tribute.
Details of the event were not made public, although afterwards Stephen Fry, a high profile fan of Apple, tweeted: "I don't know that there was ever a more beautiful memorial service.
"Everyone who spoke did so with such passion and love and simplicity." | Politicians, celebrities and friends gathered on Sunday to celebrate the life of Steve Jobs. |
39,395,850 | The Swiss, 35, beat the 19-year-old qualifier 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to take his 2017 record to 14 wins and one defeat.
Federer, who won has won the Australian Open and Indian Wells titles this year, missed Miami through illness in 2016.
Top seed Stan Wawrinka beat Horacio Zeballos 6-3 6-4, and women's sixth seed Garbine Muguruza defeated Zhang Shuai 4-6 6-2 6-2.
In the men's doubles, fourth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares beat Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi 6-4 6-3. | Roger Federer saw off American teenager Frances Tiafoe in his first match at the Miami Open for three years. |
39,838,011 | Team Sky's Geraint Thomas remains in contention in 11th place overall, 23 seconds behind the leader.
Germany's Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal), who had won the previous stage and held the overall lead, finished in 10th.
The racers had to contend with strong crosswinds throughout the third and final stage on Sardinia.
Gaviria and his team-mates caused a split in the peloton with 10km to race, and powered over the line in triumph at the end of the 148km ride from Tortoli to Cagliari.
All of the main contenders for leader's pink jersey are well placed in the standings before Monday's rest day and Tuesday's ascent of Mount Etna.
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Thomas felt he was in a good position after the opening three stages as the race moves towards Etna.
"We've stayed out of troubled and missed mishaps. The legs are feeling all right but we'll see on Tuesday up Etna what they're really like. That will be interesting," he said.
"I think everyone is going to be testing each other (during stage four). I don't know the climb but I heard it could be windy up there. It could be a bit stop-start. We'll see how it goes."
Stage three result:
1. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Quick-Step) 3hrs 26mins 33secs
2. Ruediger Selig (Ger/BORA) Same time
3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita/Trek)
4. Nathan Haas (Aus/Dimension Data)
5. Maximiliano Richeze (Arg/Quick-Step)
6. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Bel/Bahrain) +3secs
7. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step)
8. Caleb Ewan (Aus/Orica) +13secs
9. Sacha Modolo (Ita/UAE Team Emirates)
10. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto)
Overall classification after stage three
1. Fernando Gaviria (Col/Quick-Step) 14hrs 45mins 16secs
2. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto) +9secs
3. Lukas Poestlberger (Aus/BORA) +13secs
4. Bob Jungels (Lux/Quick-Step) Same time
5. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Bel/Bahrain)
6. Caleb Ewan (Aus/Orica) +17secs
7. Roberto Ferrari (Ita/UAE Team Emirates) Same time
8. Ryan Gibbons (SA/Dimension Data) +23secs
9. Enrico Battaglin (Ita/LottoNL) Same time
10. Sacha Modolo (Ita/Team Emirates)
11. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) | Columbian Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step) won stage three and took the leader's jersey in a dramatic third day of the Giro d'Italia. |
35,728,740 | Everything's relative of course. The opening day is still a refined form of purgatory - a maelstrom of frenetic activity, missed schedules, and carefully choreographed arrangements that start to fall apart the moment the doors are opened.
PR officers beam at you through tightly gritted teeth, chief executives look thoroughly bored as they move reluctantly from one media engagement to another - six minutes for each interview and not a second more, or their sharp-suited minders get very unhappy
And as you'd expect, all the manufacturers try to to drown out one another with their sound and light spectaculars. So it's hard not to get a thumping headache.
In pictures: Bugatti's Chiron leads the pack at Geneva
How can you improve upon 'automotive perfection'?
Supercars set to roar off the block
Just getting to the show is a major logistical challenge. Flights are booked up, the most affordable hotels sell out a year in advance, and the remainder would challenge the budget of a minor millionaire.
The traffic is best described as the worst advert for the car industry you could possibly imagine. And you've probably heard that in Switzerland the trains always run on time. Not during the show they don't - mine was 19 minutes late on Thursday.
Inside the show itself, you're faced with an array of the most advanced automotive engineering money can buy - but in many ways the mentality of the industry is entrenched in the 1960s.
Sex sells may be an outdated and discredited mantra, but the people here clearly didn't get the memo.
It's as though there's an unbreakable rule, written in engine oil that states: every car model must without fail be flanked by a human version, every bit as sleek and polished as the machine itself.
They're all female of course, and all wearing clothes which must make simply getting dressed a striking achievement. The message is simple. Get the car and you'll get the girl. I say, good luck with that....
I spoke to some of these women and I learned two things. Smiling for too long can give you toothache, and standing for hours in high heels really hurts. Forget the glamour, feel the pain.
But despite all that - I said I quite like the Geneva show and I do. That's because it is here on neutral ground, away from the home bases of the big auto giants, that you see some of the most interesting cars in the world.
There's the big-bucks Bugatti Chiron, which is, almost as powerful as two Formula One cars combined.
The EV3, a quirky electric three-wheeler from British manufacturer Morgan, with state of the art technology in a car that looks like something out of the 1930s.
Or there's the Rinspeed Etos, which has a drone on the back because the engineer who designed it just thought it would be good fun.
The point is that here in Geneva it isn't all about business. The car really is the star of the show. | As a veteran of many international motor shows, I have to say, I quite like Geneva. |
29,251,226 | National Farmers' Union president Meurig Raymond said many unemployed British people were unwilling to get up in time to start harvesting at 06:00.
Without foreign manpower, farmers would have to cut the amount of fruit and vegetables they planted, he said.
He urged ministers to allow temporary visas for crop pickers from outside the EU to meet demand.
The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, which allowed Bulgarians and Romanians to work for up to six months at a time, was closed last year.
'Lack of discipline'
Ministers said the gaps could be filled by unemployed people from the UK and EU.
But Mr Raymond told the Times: "It's so easy for the government to say the locals, the unemployed, should be involved.
"There are some huge cultural issues here. The work ethic isn't what it ought to be.
"The whole work ethic and discipline that is required with harvest work needs to be improved a lot in parts of the British workforce.
"It's the benefits system and years of inactivity. They will do it for a few days, but they won't continually stick at it.
"A lot of farmers are not going to plant next year's crops if they are concerned they are not going [have the workers to] harvest them. It's a huge conundrum."
A Home Office spokesman said there were no plans to bring in a new scheme to allow nationals from non-EU countries such as Ukraine, Russia and Turkey to work on UK farms during peak harvest seasons.
Faster tractors?
"The horticultural industry should be able to meet demand for temporary season workers by recruiting within the UK and the rest of the EU," he said.
""The government does not intend to open a new seasonal workers scheme."
Mr Raymond said a new scheme would benefit foreign countries because visiting students could take skills back to their homeland.
The plea for a "reliable source of migrant labour to the UK horticulture sector" is among a number of demands made by the NFU - which represents 55,000 farmers across England and Wales - in its 2015 manifesto.
It also calls for increased speed limits for tractors on public roads, and for the next government to negotiate with the EU to reduce environmental restrictions imposed on farmers as part of the Common Agricultural Policy.
It urges promotion of the Britain is Great campaign for British produce to open up export markets, and insists "urgent action must be taken" to tackle bovine TB to stop it spreading into new regions and becoming endemic nationwide.
Farmers also want an accelerated rollout of high-speed broadband to all rural areas and to emphasise that "environment and climate change policy needs to go hand in hand with growth in production". | Farmers say they need more migrant workers to pick crops - because Britons do not have the "work ethic" to do it. |
40,176,154 | Burgess, 21, made a combined 49 appearances in the 2016-17 season while on loan at Oldham and Bury.
The centre-back, who has also had loan spells with Ross County and Cheltenham, has represented both Scotland and Australia at youth level.
He becomes Graham Alexander's first summer signing and replaces David Mirfin, who joined Mansfield on 23 May.
"He's a player who is desperate to kick his career on now. He's been out on loan from Fulham and wants to go out and be his own man, and find the best club to do that," manager Alexander told the club website.
"Cameron ticks a lot of boxes for us, he has great stature and can play."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Scunthorpe United have signed defender Cameron Burgess from Fulham on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. |
37,449,177 | Kerviel had been ordered to pay back the €4.9bn of losses his trades amassed for his ex-employer Societe Generale.
In 2010, Kerviel was sentenced to three years in prison for fraud, breach of trust and forgery over his trades.
Kerviel wants a retrial, arguing that he should not have to pay anything, as his bosses knew about his activities.
"Justice is advancing. We went from €4.9bn to €1m. It gives me energy, the fight continues.
"I hope to reach a compensation deal that goes to zero. Because I still estimate I owe nothing to Societe Generale," he said.
The appeals court said that Kerviel was "partially responsible for the loss".
But it acknowledged that Societe Generale had shown "deficiencies" in its oversight, which was partly to blame for the loss.
Jerome Kerviel: Rogue trader or folk hero?
Those who have watched the case say the latest decision is a sign of how much attitudes have changed.
"That the sum has now been reduced to just €1m is a sign of how the view of the French courts towards the affair has evolved over the years," said Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris correspondent.
"There is now an acknowledgement - more or less explicit - that the bank Societe Generale was also responsible for the losses incurred by its former trader, because of its lack of effective controls," he added.
In June, in a separate civil case, Kerviel won a claim for unfair dismissal.
A labour court said the bank had dismissed him not because of his actions, which it must have known of, but for their consequences.
The court ordered the bank to pay Kerviel €450,000 (£350,000) in damages. | A French appeals court has slashed the amount of damages due to be paid by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel to €1m ($1.12m; £860,00). |
36,898,411 | Shot put world champion Aled Sion Davies and F46 Javelin thrower Hollie Arnold were among 13 initially selected in June.
And seven more were added when the rest of the 54-strong team was announced on Tuesday, 26 July.
They are Kyron Duke, Sabrina Fortune, Jordan Howe, Rhys Jones, Steven Morris, Laura Sugar and Olivia Breen.
Sugar, who will compete in the T44 sprints, took up athletics after watching the 2012 Games in London having previously represented Wales at hockey.
Born with the foot condition Talipes, Sugar was left with no ankle movement in her left leg after surgical correction, but was determined to take part in sport in school.
"I grew up and kind of ignored the fact that I shouldn't be able to do sport and became a hockey player for Wales," she told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"But after watching London 2012 I was inspired by that and I never realised that my foot made me eligible for the paralympics and I signed up for a talent day and it all kicked off from there.
"That was three years ago and now I'm heading for my first paralympics."
Davies, won F42 discus gold at the London Games, but cannot defend his title because the event will not be held in Rio. He also took a bronze at the in the shot put in 2012.
Breen is the only other Welsh track and field athlete going to Rio who won a medal in London - a bronze in the T35-38 4x100m relay.
Aled Davies (F42 shot put), Hollie Arnold (F46 javelin), Kyron Duke (F40 shot put and javelin), Sabrina Fortune (F20 discus), Jordan Howe (T35/F35 sprints), Rhys Jones (T37 sprints), Steven Morris (T20 1500 metres), Laura Sugar (T44 100 metres), Olivia Breen (38 sprints). | Great Britain's track and field team at the Rio Paralympics will include nine Welsh athletes. |
35,932,300 | Prices were 0.1% lower than a year ago.
The figure was a small improvement on February, when deflation was running at 0.2%, but it maintains pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to act further to boost prices.
Deflation can be damaging for economies, particularly if consumers put off buying products in the belief that prices will fall further.
The official figures, from the Eurostat agency, showed energy prices were 8.7% down on a year ago.
The ECB is charged with keeping inflation close to, but below, 2%.
Core inflation, which excludes energy prices, was running at 0.9% in March, slightly above February's 0.8%, but still well below the ECB's target rate.
Earlier this month the central bank increased its effort to boost economies of the eurozone.
The ECB cut its main interest rate from 0.05% to 0% and cut its bank deposit rate, from minus 0.3% to minus 0.4%.
The bank also expanded its quantitative easing programme from €60bn to €80bn a month.
It hopes those moves will encourage banks to lend. | Consumer prices in the eurozone fell for the second month running in March thanks again to falling energy prices. |
35,131,378 | Accountants BDO found occupancy fell year-on-year by 1% to 87.3% - higher than the rates recorded for England, Wales and regional UK.
Rooms yield stood at £65.90 in Scotland, well ahead of other UK areas.
Edinburgh and Glasgow had the highest occupancy in the UK, including London, at 92.1% and 91.6% respectively.
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow experienced double-digit falls in revenue, but all three cities remained in the top 10 of anywhere in the UK.
Only Inverness bucked the trend by seeing revenue increase by 8.8% to £62.35 per room.
Alastair Rae, from BDO, said: "Aberdeen aside, the drop in revenue in Edinburgh and Glasgow is due to very high numbers last year when Edinburgh was basking in a late festival rush as well as multiple major conferences, while Glasgow was still on a post-Commonwealth Games high.
"The country is becoming an all-year-round destination through a combination of being a fantastic tourist destination coupled with a major conference, concert and business centre.
"So despite these falls in revenue, the hospitality sector must be feeling reasonably confident for the rest of the year.
"Aberdeen is, of course, the exception and is still coming to terms with the fall in oil prices which make the hospitality sector highly vulnerable to price fluctuations.
"I would expect this situation to continue for some time to come." | Hotel occupancy and revenue fell in Scotland in September but remained higher than any other area of the UK, according to a regular survey. |
35,767,664 | The woman, 49, was arrested after arriving on a flight from Nairobi, Kenya. An eight-year-old girl in her company was taken into protective care.
The man, 45, who was not on the flight, was also arrested at the airport.
The pair are being questioned on suspicion of assisting a non-UK person to carry out FGM overseas.
Concerns were raised by a south London school about one of their pupils who had failed to attend school and was believed to have been taken to Somalia.
The arrests were made after officers from the Camberwell Child Abuse Investigation Team were issued with a FGM Prevention Order.
FGM, is when a girl's genitals are either partially or totally removed for non-medical reasons.
Doctors, nurses, midwives and teachers are now required to report cases of girls who have suffered the treatment to police, or risk losing their jobs.
The rules, which came into force in October, apply in England and Wales when girls under 18 say they have been cut or staff recognise the signs. | A man and woman have been arrested at Heathrow Airport in connection with female genital mutilation (FGM) offences, Metropolitan Police said. |
38,001,794 | The union rejected a pay-increase offer of 2.5% on Wednesday.
Finlay Spratt called the offer "a disgrace".
Prison officers are not legally permitted to strike and the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) has urged the POA to reconsider the pay offer.
Acting NIPS Director General Phil Wragg said: "The overall pay settlement of 2.5% is the best pay deal anywhere in the public sector.
"It represents over £1.2m in additional funding.
"The award is significantly higher than for others who are paid from the public purse and recognises the unique role prison officers play with the 23% increase in the Supplementary Risk Allowance.
"We believe this pay package is very good in the current economic climate and we would urge the respective staff association to reconsider it against a pay restraint of 1% for other public employees."
The package includes a 23% uplift of the Supplementary Risk Allowance from £2,000 to £2,460 and a consolidated increase for staff on lower pay scales.
It also represents a 1% non-consolidated, non-pensionable payment for staff on single points and band maximum and includes retrospective payments to staff backdated to April where appropriate. | The Northern Ireland chairman of the Prison Officer's Association (POA) has confirmed that its members are being balloted on potential strike action. |
21,334,044 | Households will pay an average of £388 from April 2013 to March 2014.
Ofwat chief executive Regina Finn said that she understood that households were facing financial pressures.
But she said that the increase, half a percentage point higher than the rate of inflation, was not as high as the water companies had wanted.
"Back in 2009, companies wanted bills rises of 10% above inflation. That didn't chime with what customers told us they wanted, so we said they could only increase bills in line with inflation," Ms Finn said.
"We understand that there is huge pressure on household incomes, and any rise is unwelcome. Inflation is driving these increases."
"We will make sure customers get value for money and if companies fall short in delivering their investment promises, we will take action."
The new charges will vary for households depending on their supplier and whether they have a water meter.
On average, households will see their water bill rise by about £13 for the year from April.
Thames Water will see the biggest percentage rise in water and sewerage bills with an increase of 5.5%, leaving households with an average bill of £354, according to Ofwat.
Other customers to see larger than average rises include those of Southern Water, with bills rising by 5.3% with an average payment of £449. Households supplied by Wessex Water will face an average bill of £478 - an increase of 4.9%.
The increased bills will contribute to investment programme worth about £25bn between 2010 and 2015, the regulator added.
Those supplied by South West Water will see bills fall by 7.3% after the government pledged contributions to reduce each household's bill by £50. However, water and sewerage bills in the region remain the highest in the country, with households paying an average of £499.
Last year, prices rose by 5.7%, owing to the higher level of inflation.
However, the Consumer Council for Water, a watchdog which represents customers, suggested that this inflation link had allowed companies to make excessive returns.
"Water companies are making higher profits than expected and they need to give some of this back to their customers," said Dame Yve Buckland, who chairs the watchdog.
"They can limit their own prices or invest more money into services. They should not keep it all for shareholders and investors." | The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is to rise by 3.5% over the next year, regulator Ofwat has said. |
34,622,241 | The 44-year-old will be the second Welshman to take charge of a final following Derek Bevan, who was in charge in 1991 when Australia edged England, also at Twickenham.
Owens said on social media that he was "truly humbled and honoured".
New Zealand beat South Africa 20-18 on Saturday and face Australia, who overcame Argentina 29-15 on Sunday.
The two southern hemisphere rivals have never faced each other in the final.
England's Ed Morrison, at the 1995 final between South Africa and New Zealand, and Irishman Alain Rolland, who officiated the England versus South Africa 2007 final, are the other northern hemisphere officials to have refereed rugby union's showpiece event.
New Zealand selector Grant Fox had already suggested that Owens would be in charge at Twickenham on 31 October.
Former All Blacks fly-half Fox told New Zealand radio station Newstalk ZB: "We knew... that he had that job should we get the opportunity to play in that game [the final].
"Nigel is clearly the best referee in the world - he's demonstrated that.
"One of the key things he does, apart from communicating incredibly well with players, is that he lets the breakdown breathe, and that is really important.
"If you want to get a good contest and spectacle, you have got to let the breakdown breathe a little bit, and he is really, really good at that."
Owens is the subject of a BBC Wales television programme to be shown on Monday.
In it the Welshman says the speed of the game and instant replays in stadiums add to the scrutiny on officials.
"The game has gone quicker, so your decision making has to be even better and quicker," Owens said.
"The pressure on you as a referee is massive. You have less time to make your decision in that split-second.
"And in every stadium now there is a big screen, every decision you make is highlighted now. There are more cameras at the games now, there are more players viewing the game and watching it at home.
"When you look at that screen and then you make the wrong decision there is no excuses, people will not forgive you."
The programme was recorded before the World Cup, but provides an insight into the controversy surrounding fellow referee Craig Joubert during the tournament.
The South African awarded Australia the penalty which clinched a 35-34 victory over Scotland in the quarter-final.
Replays suggested Joubert made a mistake and World Rugby - the sport's governing body - said the referee's decision was incorrect.
World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper has also defended Joubert: "Craig Joubert is a superb referee and has been for a long time and he's a good man.
"There will be reasons for whatever Craig did. We do a full review of the referees post-game, and that process is underway at the moment."
England's Wayne Barnes has also been criticised for his decision to sin-bin Argentina lock Tomas Lavanini for a clumsy low tackle on Australia's Israel Folau during the Wallabies' semi-final win.
Adam Ashley-Cooper's match-securing hat-trick try came from a pass that television pictures suggested could have been forward, but no replay was called for by the match officials.
Owens believes the best referees are the ones who can strike a balance between applying the laws of the game and allowing matches to flow.
"You've got to get the balance right in between and that is what sets, I think, the referees who make it to the top and stay there," he said.
"What sets them apart is the ability to get that balance of knowing when to blow the whistle and probably more importantly knowing when not to blow the whistle.
"Anybody can go out on the field and blow a whistle - referee the laws of the game and blow a whistle - but I'm afraid if you're going to do that you're not going to have a game."
In the programme, Owens also discusses coming out as gay and a failed suicide attempt when he was 19 years old.
In 2007, Owens came out live on a Welsh-language television programme hosted by former Wales captain Jonathan Davies.
A year later Owens published an autobiography in Welsh in which he revealed that he made a suicide attempt while suffering from depression.
He also suffered from bulimia and became addicted to steroids during that period of his life.
"My dirty linen I guess from those dark times is out there in the public domain... and everybody knows these personal things makes it okay really because it's helping people," he said.
Nigel Owens - True to Myself, is on BBC One Wales at 22:35 GMT on Monday, 26 October and available afterwards on the iPlayer. | Nigel Owens will referee Saturday's World Cup final after being selected by tournament organisers World Rugby. |
34,077,774 | That includes AR-15 rifles and other semiautomatic weapons, which were only being sold at a third of the 4,600 Walmart stores in the US.
A company spokesman said the decision to stop selling the guns "wasn't political."
Walmart shops carrying the guns will remove them before the store starts selling autumn merchandise.
"It's similar to what we do with any product. Being what it is, it gets a little more attention, but it's the same process for any product," said spokesman Kory Lundberg.
The company has not released specific sales numbers for the guns it is taking off the shelves, but said it will increase its stock of shotguns and other more popular rifles.
Walmart shareholders have pushed the company to re-think its selling of guns with high-capacity magazines.
Semi-automatic AR-15 rifles were used in the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, and the movie theatre shooting in Aurora, Colorado.
In 2006 the company decreased the number of stores selling guns, but does not plan on stopping gun sales completely, Mr Lundberg said. | US retailer Walmart has announced it will stop selling certain military-grade guns due to low sales. |
38,186,047 | It is better to keep your eyes open to opportunities - in Dr Seuss's case the fabulous creatures whose hair grows so fast they need a haircut everyday, or Mike who sits on the back of your bike to help you uphill.
Rather than be like Ned who simply can't get over the fact that his bed is too short.
Andy Haldane, the Bank of England's chief economist, thanks Dr Seuss at the end of his speech, Red Car, Blue Car, for his use of "simple language [that] contains an important lesson for economists like me".
In those simple terms, Mr Haldane is concerned.
He is not only worried about the inequality of those on the lowest incomes versus the very rich, but also with those regions which have fallen behind in the race for economic growth since the financial crisis.
"These are material differences, both looking at the UK in isolation, but certainly in relation to other countries within Europe as well," he told me.
"There are some big gaps, north to south. There are some big gaps east to west as well.
"And the signs of those gaps having shrunk over the past few years? Well, there is not much evidence to speak to that.
"If anything these gaps - which are of long standing - have nudged a little wider over the course of the UK's recovery.
"If you look at the level of income within region, per head, it is only really London and the South East where that is back above the levels it was before the crisis.
"In pretty much every other area of the UK we are yet to move materially back to those pre-crisis levels.
"I think [the issue of regional inequality] is right up there as among the most important issues that we face today as a country."
The evidence is clear, the variations are among the widest in Europe.
National economic output per head (also called Gross Domestic Product per head, or the value of the economy divided by the number of people living in an area) is £45,000 a year in London.
That is nearly 2.5 times higher than in Wales or the North East of England, where the figure is £18,000.
Then there is the more immediately relevant average weekly wage - £670 in London, £480 in the East Midlands.
Most concerning for a government which has pledged to make the economy work "for all" - which presumably means across geographies as well as income bands - is that the issue is becoming more acute.
Since the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, national output per head has risen by 6.6% in London, adjusted for the effects of inflation, and has fallen by 4.6% in Northern Ireland.
Across the UK net wealth has risen by 13%.
But in the North East of England and the East and West Midlands, net wealth has fallen.
Mr Haldane does not agree with those who say that the Bank's ultra-loose monetary policy - historically low interest rates and the buying of government and business debt - has made the effects worse.
Without the Bank's action, he argues, every region would have suffered far more and there is little evidence that different income groups or regions have been affected disproportionately.
As Mr Haldane puts it "monetary policy lifted all boats", it cannot be tweaked to make a regional difference.
"The tools we have at our disposal are few in number and rather blunt in impact," he said.
"They tend to work by lifting all boats across the whole of the UK.
"Interest rates for example, they are a tool for lifting the fortunes of the economy as a whole.
"We can't set different interest rates for the north and south, the east and west for borrowers.
"We can help support the economy as a whole, but those distributional differences are at root issues for government and here I would say, there is real promise with the government's new industrial strategy."
I interviewed Mr Haldane in Redcar, Teesside, where there is local optimism tempered by a feeling that London has had more support since the financial crisis.
"We heard this morning, speaking to some shops in Redcar, that actually the numbers don't paint an especially optimistic picture, but the conversations are much brighter, they give a different window on that world, a more optimistic window on that world actually and that's why visits like this are so important," Mr Haldane said.
Last night Richmond-Upon-Thames in Surrey - one of the country's richest constituencies - voted for a candidate opposed to Britain leaving the EU, rejecting the Brexit-supporting Zac Goldsmith.
Redcar - one of the country's poorest - voted 66% Leave in the referendum.
Britain is beset not just by economic differences, but they are feeding through to sharp political differences.
I asked Mr Haldane if regional inequality, the sense of places being left behind not just income groups, played a part in the June 23rd vote.
"It strikes me as likely that if people are feeling a degree of detachment, of disengagement - not just economically, having a job or not having a job - but socially from different parts of the country, then that might prompt them to vote in a particular way," he said.
There is much to be optimistic about in Redcar.
Jobs are being created and unemployment is falling.
Entrepreneurs are starting small businesses.
But the big, structural issues are running against the region.
Heavy manufacturing is in decline, productivity is lower than in London and skills levels are lower.
These are the big challenges the UK faces - and today Mr Haldane has put that challenge on the map. | In the Dr Seuss book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, the American writer makes a simple assertion. |
35,937,496 | Robin Maughan - who is best known for his Frankie Valli act - had sex with a 14-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl and exchanged indecent photos with other children online.
Leicestershire Police believe there could be more victims of the 34-year-old than they know about.
They have encouraged other victims to get in touch.
Det Con Rob Waddington, the investigating officer, said: "Officers are here to help and will take all reports seriously, no matter how long ago the offences took place.
"If you have been a victim, please come forward."
Maughan, of Western Avenue, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, admitted 21 offences at Leicester Crown Court.
The offences were:
Police initially started investigating when they received information about his online activity.
They checked his devices and discovered he had been talking to children online, sending sexual images of himself to them and encouraging them to send sexual images of themselves in return.
Police also discovered Maughan had been trading indecent images of children with adults online. | A tribute singer has been jailed for 14 years and 10 months for a string of sex offences against children. |
35,396,149 | Premiership title holders Sarries will host Saints, and Wasps will welcome Exeter to the Ricoh Arena.
Leicester face Stade Francais at home, having already played them twice in the pool stages, and Racing 92 will play reigning European champions Toulon.
It is the first time there is no Pro12 representation in the last eight of the competition.
Sarries, Leicester and Racing 92 guaranteed themselves a home tie in the quarter-finals last weekend, while Wasps joined them after winning Pool Five on Saturday, with three-time defending champions and Toulon joining them as one of the best runners-up.
Stade Francais were confirmed as one of the three best runners-up after they beat Tigers with a bonus point on Sunday, but the other two places went down to the wire.
Northampton's win over Scarlets on Saturday was enough to see them through as runners-up in Pool Three, and Exeter came through as winners of Pool Two on points difference after beating Ospreys.
Clermont Auvergne, last year's losing finalists, would have taken Exeter's place in the quarters had they kicked a late penalty which would have secured a vital losing bonus point against Bordeaux-Begles.
The quarter-final games will be played on the weekend of 8-10 April.
The winners of the Northampton v Saracens match will meet Wasps or Exeter in the semis, ensuring that at least one English team will reach the final in Lyon on 14 May.
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter. | Saracens, Northampton, Exeter, Wasps and Leicester have joined three French teams in the Champions Cup last eight. |
34,741,326 | Comedian Grainne Maguire began tweeting Mr Kenny on Monday to raise awareness about a campaign to repeal the eighth amendment of the Irish constitution.
The amendment equates the life of the foetus to the life of the mother and criminalises abortion in Ireland.
Irish women soon joined Ms Maguire, with #repealthe8th trending in Ireland.
Changes to the constitution can only be made through a referendum.
A coalition of pro-choice groups is calling for a referendum to repeal the amendment and more than 47,000 people have signed a petition by the UK-based human rights group Amnesty International urging Mr Kenny to change the law.
Ms Maguire argued it was only fair to share such details with Mr Kenny since "we know how much the Irish state cares about our reproductive parts".
Women from all over Ireland chimed in with contributions about their menstrual cycles.
Others shared how abortion laws have affected them personally:
Mr Kenny is yet to respond.
In June, a report by Amnesty claimed pregnant women risk putting their health and lives in danger if they remain in Ireland.
"The human rights of women are violated on a daily basis because of a constitution that treats them like child-bearing vessels," said Amnesty's Secretary General, Salil Shetty.
"Women who need abortions are treated like criminals, stigmatised and forced to travel abroad, taking a serious toll on their mental and physical health.
In February a proposed change to the abortion law to legalise terminations in fatal foetal abnormality cases was rejected by the Irish parliament. | Irish women are live-tweeting Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny their menstrual cycles to highlight the country's restrictive abortion laws. |
14,044,569 | Helen Hynd watched sons Sam (20) and Oliver (16) come first and second in the men's 400m freestyle on Tuesday.
She said it was "nerve wracking" and wished it could have been a dead heat.
Both swimmers have neuromuscular myopathy, a condition which weakens their legs.
Sam Hynd is the British and World champion over 400m freestyle but the European Championships was Oliver's first international competition.
Oliver also won a bronze for the 100m backstroke on Sunday.
"If they could have both won that would have been fantastic," said Mrs Hynd.
"I was well behind both of them."
Mrs Hynd revealed that Sam was involved in a "horrific car crash" a year ago which prevented him from training for several months.
"Credit is due to Sam," said Mrs Hynd. "He's getting himself back there and there's more to come from him."
The brothers' condition affects their walking, meaning they rely on upper body strength in the water.
Sam was diagnosed in 2007 and Oliver in 2009.
"They're not letting it stop them," said Mrs Hynd.
"He didn't have me worried," said Sam, who finished three seconds ahead of his brother. "I knew he'd always be there for the whole of the race.
"I'm chuffed to win and for [Oliver] to get second as well. It's a really good achievement for his first international."
The brothers will go head-to-head again on Saturday in the 200m individual medley. | The mother of two Nottinghamshire swimmers has said how proud she is after they took gold and silver at the Paralympic European Championships, in Berlin. |
40,548,641 | Six men were taken to hospital following the incident near a children's play area in Ballantay Terrace at about 20:00 on Saturday.
Police said up to 15 individuals were involved in the incident, which they described as attempted murder.
A 25-year-old man is also in a stable condition in hospital.
Officers said that on arrival at the scene they found six men with various injuries.
Det Ch Insp Martin Fergus said children and other members of the public were in the area at the time of the attack.
He told BBC Scotland: "The call that we received was that there was a large scale disturbance, upwards of 12 to 15 individuals of various age groups engaged in a large scale disturbance using weapons.
"It's [too] early to say exactly what the motive behind this was, we are working on the hypothesis that this may be a localised feud between families, we don't know at this stage.
"What I can confirm is that two individuals received injuries consistent with gunshot wounds, one of which is critical and fighting for his life as I speak.
"The other male also received critical injuries, however, they are not thought to be life threatening at this time.
"Other males that were also involved in the disturbance have received an array of injuries all believed to be serious."
Since the six men were admitted to hospital in the city, four have been discharged.
Supt John McBride said officers would be patrolling the area to reassure the local community.
He said: "It happened in a sunny Saturday evening when children were undoubtedly out playing in the area and if you're a parent there and you've got a young kid, you probably want that feeling of safety."
He added: "It is important for people to know that this was not a random attack, it was a targeted attack involving two separate factions."
"It was such a large incident. We have got six people seriously injured, one of whom is still in a critical condition in hospital, one in a stable condition, and four with serious injuries."
The area where the attack took place is largely overlooked by housing and officers believe many people will have witnessed the incident as a result.
They have urged anyone with information to come forward. | A 23-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in a large scale disturbance in the Castlemilk area of Glasgow. |
38,090,671 | Relief, perhaps, at having reached your destination or concern that you may have gone off course.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow, however, see past the signs to the stories they tell about an area's culture, history and heritage.
At the moment, as part of a wider study into Scotland's linguistic history, they are focused on Berwickshire.
But what have they found?
"A noteworthy feature of Berwickshire place names is the number which have been coined in relation to rivers, showing that the name-givers' sense of identity was in some way defined by the waters which flowed through their land," said lecturer Dr Simon Taylor.
"The Whiteadder Water (in its basic form 'Adder') has been especially productive in this regard, with both Edrington and Edrom referring to it, the first probably meaning 'farm (Old English tūn, Scots toun) of the people dwelling along the Adder', while the second is the river name combined with Old English hām 'a settlement'.
"Similarly Leitholm, earlier Letham, is 'the hām on the Leet Water'."
Just over the Berwickshire border near Kelso, Ednam owes its name to the Eden Water while Ayton comes from the Eye Water as does Eyemouth.
"There is even one farm name that is lifted straight out of the water, so to speak: this is Blackadder (Edrom parish), by the Blackadder Water, which appears as a settlement-name as early as 1095," added Dr Taylor.
"Another good example of this kind of name is in neighbouring East Lothian, where Tyninghame refers to the settlement of the Tyne-dwellers.
"These are all relatively old names, coined more than a thousand years ago.
"They contrast with later names of water courses which take their name from settlements or features they flow near, such as Langton Burn, Kirk Burn or Monynut Water.
"Wedderburn (Castle) by Duns is an interesting case, in that it has taken its name entirely from the Wedder Burn, the old name (first appearing in the 13th Century) of the burn which flows past it, and which is now called the Langton Burn."
Auchencrow, a village in Coldingham parish, stands out from the crowd to researchers as looking "extremely Gaelic".
The Auchen comes from the Gaelic achadh, meaning field, and the "crow" possibly from crodh, meaning cattle.
"There is one probable example of an achadh-name in the neighbouring county of East Lothian, and a handful in Midlothian, with the numbers increasing greatly towards west and the south-west," said Dr Taylor.
"So looked at on a map Auchencrow is a very odd outlier, and if it were Gaelic it would prompt at least a partial rewriting of the linguistic history of north Berwickshire."
However, he points out that the name has evolved significantly going back about 800 years.
Around 1210 there are references to Aldenegraue which had become Aldencraw by the end of that century.
It was Adincraw in 1608, then Edincrae and Edincraw before Auchincraw in 1771 and its current name by 1860.
"The first thing that becomes clear from these is that the name has undergone a remarkable transformation," said Dr Taylor.
Some changes are easier to explain than others but one element could be down to a process known as analogy or analogical reformation.
"This is where a more unusual, unexpected element in a place name is made to look like a more usual, expected one," he said.
"In this case the more unusual element Eden has been replaced by the ubiquitous and familiar Auchen.
"Exactly this happened in the name Auchindownie, near Largo in Fife, which appears as Edindowny etc up until the mid-17th Century, when Auchen-forms begin, and soon come to completely dominate the record."
Silverwells, a settlement near Coldingham, clearly takes its name from a well but not, perhaps, for the reasons previously believed.
"The name has been explained as a well into which pilgrims threw silver on their way to Coldingham Priory, or as a reference to the silver birch trees that are prominent in the vicinity," said Dr Taylor.
"However, comparison with other watery names with the same first element, such as Silverbeck in northern England, and with the linguistic development of the word silver, suggests that the reference is to the brightness of the water."
An animal theme has also emerged to some names in the area.
The village of Bemersyde is named after bitterns and the parish of Cranshaws after cranes, both once common in the area.
Wolf Cleugh comes from the wolves which hunted Scottish woodlands and forests but have been extinct for some time.
However, it seems unlikely the humble worm had anything to do with the name Wormerlaw which has been reckoned to be a derivative of the Old English name Wulfmær.
"It is usually difficult to date place names, unless they are associated with a known person or event," said Prof Carole Hough.
"One such may be Ladykirk, apparently named from the church built and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary by James IV in thanksgiving for being saved from drowning in the Tweed in 1499.
"The place-name had formerly been Upsettlington."
Another influence can come from the human body.
"Many Scottish place names refer to body parts, as with Burnbrae (Scots brae 'eyebrow, brow of hill'), Drumchapel (Gaelic druim 'back, ridge'), Grangemouth (English mouth 'mouth of person or river'), Hillhead and Hillfoot," said Prof Hough.
"However, it is rare to find two body parts in the same place-name, as with the Berwickshire name Eyemouth (mouth of the Eye Water)."
These findings and much more are part of the project, running to 2019, which will create a fully searchable website of Berwickshire place names designed for both public and academic use.
It will cover a comprehensive survey of six parishes: Coldstream, Eccles, Foulden, Hutton, Ladykirk and Mordington.
And it might also give food for thought to people arriving in the towns and villages of Berwickshire. | When you look at a signpost welcoming you to a town or village, what do you feel? |
41,025,180 | Chris Williamson, MP for Derby North, said the move could be a way of tackling a rise in sexual offences on public transport.
The sign in his parliament office said: "Woman? Sexually harassed at work? How about working on your own floor?"
The idea, first suggested by Jeremy Corbyn in 2015, has been widely criticised.
Sam Stopp, a Labour councillor for Brent Council in London, tweeted the picture after it was sent to him by a friend.
He said: "It's a serious issue that needs raising, but not best raised by a male MP.
"Is segregating the best way of preventing [sexual offences]? I think it's reactive and not very well thought through.
"[The sign] is pretty hilarious and I'm sure Chris will see the funny side. He's fairly good humoured."
Mr Williamson said if there was support for the idea then it would be worth looking at, but his Labour colleagues criticised the move as "normalising attacks". | A sign has appeared on the door of an MP's office mocking his proposal for women-only train carriages. |
36,948,337 | In a video posted to Facebook, the unidentified driver cackles as he steers his truck into a water-soaked stretch of road to spray the riders.
The cyclists reported the incident to police after seeing the footage.
While many have condemned the driver, some on social media criticised the cyclists for riding on a major road.
"So, we hate pushbikes," the driver can be heard saying as he films the video.
"We're not allowed to run them over. But hey, we can [mess] with them. Let's have a crack at [messing] with them."
"Yep - up ahead I see a little bit of water. So, now's a good time to start the overtaking manoeuvre, I believe."
The original video has been removed from social media, along with the profile of the person who posted it.
Regardless of the legal outcome of the incident, in a city of more than five million people, it is another avoidable confrontation between motorists and bike riders.
As someone who cycles in Sydney, it is easy to feel like a second class citizen on two wheels.
Investment in major infrastructure seems to favour suburban sprawl and car culture rather than high-density living and public transport.
New South Wales is building a motorway that will reportedly cost more than the Channel Tunnel, the new public transport ticketing system is seen as a debacle, and it brought in news laws to force cyclists to carry photo identification.
Cyclists, like motorists, aren't perfect. They run through red lights, hog lanes, cut off pedestrians and sometimes ride as though no laws apply to them.
But cyclists are also vulnerable. In a collision, a driver might walk away with a massive dent and steeper insurance premiums; a cyclist might not walk away at all.
One of the cyclists, identified only as Blake, said he thought the footage struck a chord because it "could've been any one of us".
"That's the scary part of being a cyclist in Sydney, 95% of drivers are very courteous, they can sacrifice the 15 seconds we may hold them up occasionally," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"It only takes one split-second accident that can really change someone's life for the worst."
But on Facebook, many users were praising the truck driver for his actions and criticising the cyclists for being on a major road.
"Awww boo hoo, they shouldn't be on major roads anyway, got nothing against people cycling but in areas that aren't going to be a hindrance to traffic flow," said one typical comment.
The incident occurred on a stretch of road near Sydney Airport where cyclists are permitted to ride.
The cyclists were in the middle lane because all traffic in the left lane, which the truck driver occupied, is funnelled on to a section of a major freeway where cyclists are not permitted to ride. | Footage of a lorry driver deliberately drenching a group of cyclists in Sydney has ignited debate about who has the right to use the roads. |
30,957,871 | 28 October 2015 Last updated at 11:32 GMT
The Saudi ambassador in London has threatened "potentially serious repercussions" unless a more respectful discourse is developed, pointing out that his country is one of the UK's closest military allies in the Middle East and an important trade partner.
So why does Saudi Arabia matter so much? BBC News explains its significance - in 60 seconds.
Video produced by Mohamed Madi | UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond's visit to Saudi Arabia comes at a time of strained bilateral relations, with the British government cancelling a Saudi prisons contract amid criticism of the Gulf state's human rights record. |
36,251,986 | The Labour leader is expected to highlight positives from last week's elections but say the results were "mixed" for the party.
He will also criticise MPs for "parading on the media to give a running commentary on our party".
"We need, if not across-the-board unity, then at least respect for each other," he will say.
Elections 2016: At-a-glance guide
Follow the latest political news live
In Thursday's elections, Labour held onto some key councils in England, remained the largest party in Wales and its candidate Sadiq Khan won the London mayoral election.
But it failed to make significant gains in England and slipped into third place behind the Conservatives in Scotland.
Addressing the Parliamentary Labour Party, Mr Corbyn is expected to point to the party's successes before adding: "But let's be clear. The results were mixed. We are not yet doing enough to win in 2020.
"This is only the first stage in our task of building a winning electoral majority, attracting voters from all the other parties and mobilising those who have been turned off politics altogether - as we did last week in Bristol and London.
"But overall we have moved in the right direction. And now we have to build on these results."
Following his victory, Mr Khan said Labour could only win elections if it reaches beyond its own activists to a "big tent" of people.
Most MPs did not back Mr Corbyn in last year's Labour leadership contest, and some senior figures have expressed concern about the direction of the party and its prospects following the elections.
Mr Corbyn will say: "I don't expect, or even want, blind loyalty, but members and supporters expect us all to focus on taking on the Tories - and for our debates to be focused on policy, not personality."
The leader will also say the party is united in its opposition to the government's "failed economic policies", claiming there is a "broad consensus in support of a different kind of politics".
He will add: "Last week's elections showed Labour's recovery has begun in earnest. We now need to work together to turn that into the kind of sustained revival that will deliver an election victory for the whole country in 2020." | Labour is "not yet doing enough" to win the 2020 general election, leader Jeremy Corbyn will tell MPs. |
35,611,533 | Turner, 28, has won 15 Australian caps, can play at centre, wing or full-back, and moved to Sandy Park this week.
But the club has a settled group of backs with the likes of Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Sam Hill, Phil Dollman, James Short and Ian Whitten all impressing so far this season.
"I wouldn't want to go somewhere I was guaranteed a position, because you become lazy and complacent," he said.
"The growth that you get as a rugby player doesn't happen on Saturdays and Sundays, it happens through the week and to be in a position like this where you've got so many strong, talented players in my position will really benefit me individually as a rugby player, but it will also benefit the team.
"As predominantly a back three player, you've got some great people in those positions at Exeter and I'm looking forward to learning from them and being challenged by them, but also challenging them in return."
Turner helped the Waratahs to the 2008 Super Rugby final and the 2010 semi-finals and says second-placed Exeter are capable of continuing their impressive run.
"I've seen a few of their games and I've trained with the players now and seen them, and they can achieve anything," he told BBC Sport.
"They're a very talented group of players and by the end of the season, a lot of people are looking at them now wondering where they're going to be and I for one can't wait to see at the end of the year where they sit." | Lachie Turner says he is ready to fight for a place in Exeter's line-up. |
39,248,410 | 12 March 2017 Last updated at 11:15 GMT
The Imps are the first non-league side to reach the quarter-finals in more than 100 years.
But they were defeated 5-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening.
Watch our video of post-match reactions. | Lincoln City's FA Cup dream may be over, but kids from their youth academy have told Newsround they're proud of what their club has achieved. |
36,089,831 | Bailey, from Bournemouth, scored 104.695 points for his two routines.
The 22-year-old said: "It's been my aim for the last four years and qualifying the spot for Team GB just means the world to me. Hopefully I can secure the spot in my name [at the GB trials]."
Britain already has two female trampoline places at Rio.
It will be the first time Great Britain is represented by a male trampolinist at the Olympics since Gary Smith competed at the 2004 Games in Athens. | Nathan Bailey produced a fine performance at the Rio test event to secure Great Britain a male trampoline place at the 2016 Olympics. |
31,562,056 | More than half of all foundation trusts - which are given foundation status as a mark of excellence - are now in the red, Monitor's quarterly report warned.
The report, which looked at 147 trusts between October and December last year, said the use of expensive agency staff was having a drastic impact on budgets.
The Department of Health said it was increasing budgets by £2bn next year.
The report found that 78 trusts (53%) were in deficit, of which 60 are acute trusts which manage hospitals in England.
Many of the organisations were clearly struggling with their finances as a result of increased pressure on services, Monitor's quarterly report warned.
The need to make cost savings was also putting trusts under "exceptional pressure", it added.
The £321m deficit had risen from £254m in the previous quarter, while it was £167m in the three months prior to that, the report found.
Trusts spent £419m more than planned on staff because of high use of contract and agency workers, while £810m worth of cost savings was £210m less than planned.
Foundation trusts saw 2.7 million people in their A&E units between October and December last year; 8% more than the same period the year before, research showed.
They also treated more than 2.3 million non-emergency patients in the quarter; an increase of 7% on the same period in 2013.
The 149 foundation trusts, which make up nearly two-thirds of all NHS trusts, failed to meet national waiting-time targets for A&E, routine and cancer care for three successive quarters, Monitor said.
Foundation trusts are awarded their title when they are considered well run enough to take on more independence from their local health authority.
It means they have a significant amount of managerial and financial freedom compared with other NHS trusts.
Monitor also said it had taken regulatory action against 28 foundation trusts - 19% of the sector - because of governance or financial concerns.
Its chief executive, Dr David Bennett, said the NHS needed to "move rapidly towards more joined-up, efficient models of care" if it was to deal with the growth in demand for services.
Responding to the report, health think tank The Health Foundation pointed out that the figures did not include the recent period of severe winter pressure.
Adam Roberts, its senior economics fellow, said it was "extremely unlikely" that NHS acute hospitals in England would break even at the end of the financial year.
A financial deficit was now "the norm for NHS providers", he said.
A Department of Health spokesman said it expected the NHS as a whole to end the year in financial balance.
"We know the NHS is busier than ever, which is why we're increasing the budget by an extra £2bn next year to back the NHS's long-term plan to move more care from hospital to home," he said.
"All NHS organisations know that financial discipline must be as important as safe care and good performance." | NHS foundation trusts are £321m in deficit, according to the health regulator Monitor. |
36,016,494 | Irish were knocked out of the European Challenge Cup after a quarter-final defeat by Harlequins on Saturday.
But the Exiles impressed with their performance at The Stoop ahead of Sunday's crunch league fixture.
"We had one eye on the Newcastle game," Paice told BBC Sport. "The players really stepped up and performed."
Bottom-of-the-table Irish can climb above 11th-placed Newcastle with a win at Kingston Park, but are without a Premiership away win for nearly 14 months.
"It's the biggest game of our season and probably in the club's history," Paice added.
"What we did at Quins was not show too much. We just had a simple game-plan, so we're going to expand on that.
"We showed a lot of heart and a lot of good things. Hopefully, we can take those into this week and build on them." | London Irish hooker David Paice believes positives can be harnessed ahead of a potential Premiership relegation decider against Newcastle. |
32,007,767 | Police said the drunk men had just left a nearby party and tried to get into the synagogue in Stamford Hill, north London, in the early hours of Sunday.
One man was punched in the face as he tried to stop them.
The six were held for public order offences and assault. Police said one man had made an anti-Semitic comment.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a number of people entered the synagogue on Craven Park Road, but they were removed shortly afterwards by security staff.
"The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic incident, due to remarks made by one of the group," said the Met spokesman.
"At this early stage, there is no suggestion that this was a far-right or extremist attack but rather the completely unacceptable actions of a drunken group."
Four men and two women were arrested at the scene but police are looking for anyone else involved in the incident.
Rabbi Maurice Davis, of the Ahavas Torah synagogue, told the BBC: "I think this incident was more anti-social than anti-Semitic."
He said that Stamford Hill was a safe place to live for Jews, and there was a good social cohesion in the Haringey borough.
Insp Jonathan Waterfield said: "We are investigating to establish the full circumstances of the incident and to identify anyone else involved in the disturbance who has not yet been arrested.
"We have also increased police patrols in the Stamford Hill area to provide reassurance to the community."
The man who was punched was treated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment. | Six people have been arrested after a group forced its way into a synagogue in what police have described as an "anti-Semitic" incident. |
36,767,030 | The 21-year old made his Swans debut in their stunning 2-1 win at Arsenal last season and featured regularly towards the end of the campaign.
Having impressed under Francesco Guidolin, Kingsley made his debut for Scotland in June in their friendly with France.
"It's great to get the new contract done," the signing from Falkirk said.
"I now have the next four years to look forward to and it is time for me to push on.
"I'll definitely not be getting carried away. It's been a long journey to get to this position and I know I still have a long way to go.
"I am not taking anything for granted - the hard work starts now for me."
After loan spells at Yeovil Town and Crewe, Kingsley made his Swansea debut as a substitute in the FA Cup defeat at Oxford back in January.
"The last six months have been a whirlwind," added Kingsley, who joins fellow Scot Adam King in signing a new deal at the Liberty Stadium.
"Everything has happened so quickly. But this is just the start for me. I am just looking forward to getting into the new season and trying to push on." | Swansea City left back Stephen Kingsley has signed a new contract to remain at the Liberty Stadium until 2020. |
32,292,854 | She saw the girls in the north-eastern Gwoza town before the Boko Haram militants were driven out of there by regional forces.
Boko Haram sparked global outrage when it seized more than 219 girls from Chibok town a year ago.
The US, China and other foreign powers promised to help find the girls.
However, the girls have never been traced, and little has been heard of them since they were taken from their boarding school.
The whereabouts of the remaining girls is not clear.
Campaign group Bring Back Our Girls organised a silent march in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, on Wednesday to raise public awareness about the abductions.
In an open letter, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai called on Nigeria's authorities and the international community to do more to secure the release of the girls.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has said the girls have been converted to Islam and married off, fuelling concern that the militants had treated them as war booty and sex-slaves.
Mr Shekau has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), which is also notorious for carrying out abductions in Iraq and Syria.
The Nigerian woman, who lived under Boko Haram's rule in Gwoza, told the BBC she saw the girls in Islamic attire, being escorted by the militants.
"They said they were Chibok girls kept in a big house," said the woman, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.
"We just happened to be on the same road with them," she added.
Three other women also told the BBC they had seen the girls in Gwoza.
Boko Haram was believed to have turned Gwoza into its headquarters after it captured the town in August 2014.
Nigeria's military, backed by troops from neighbouring countries, recaptured the town last month.
The militants were suspected to have fled to the nearby Mandara Mountains, near the border with Cameroon.
It is unclear whether the girls are with them there.
Another woman told the BBC she last saw some of the girls in November at a Boko Haram camp in Bita village, also in the north-east.
"About a week after they were brought to the camp, one of us peeked through a window and asked: 'Are you really the Chibok girls?' and they said: 'Yes'. We believed them and didn't ask them again," the woman said.
"They took Koranic lessons, cleaned their compound, cooked for themselves and they braided each others' hair. They were treated differently - their food [was] better and water clean. "
Nigeria's outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan has been widely criticised for not doing enough to end the six-year insurgency in the north-east, and to secure the freedom of the girls.
Incoming President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to "crush" the insurgents.
He is due to be inaugurated on 29 May after defeating Mr Jonathan in last month's presidential elections.
Boko Haram at a glance:
Turning the tide against Boko Haram?
Who are the militants? | More than 50 of the girls abducted by militant Islamists in Nigeria last year were seen alive three weeks ago, a woman has told the BBC. |
31,830,651 | The Labour leader accused the PM of "chickening out" of a debate with him, saying: "Like all bullies, when the heat is really on he runs for cover."
Mr Cameron attacked Mr Miliband as "despicable and weak" for not ruling out a post-election deal with the SNP.
It came amid a fresh effort to break the TV debate deadlock.
YouTube, the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph have offered to bring forward the proposed date of an online debate - which would include the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, UKIP and the Greens - to either 26 or 27 March, in an effort to meet the prime minister's demands any debate happens before the official campaign begins on 30 March.
Downing Street has said it will "look at" the proposals.
The issue dominated Prime Minister's Questions - the last but two before polling day - with the Labour and Conservative leaders in full electioneering mode, battling deafening noise from MPs.
Mr Miliband said the PM's handling of the election debate issue "goes to his character", telling him: "The public will see through your feeble excuses.
"Instead of these ridiculous tactics, why don't you show a bit more backbone and turn up for the head-to-head debate with me? Any time, anywhere, any place."
Mr Cameron claimed Mr Miliband was "despicable" for trying to "crawl into Downing Street" in alliance "with people who want to break up our country".
He challenged the Labour leader to reject a post-election deal with the SNP, adding that if "he had an ounce of courage he would rule it out".
Mr Miliband hit back, saying Mr Cameron would not be able to "wriggle off" the debates and said "there is only one person preparing for defeat and it is this prime minister".
"We know you lost to the deputy prime minister last time - why don't you just cut out the feeble excuses and admit the truth: you are worried you might lose again?"
Mr Cameron replied: "You want to talk about the future of a television programme, I want to talk about the future of the country. Four questions, three weeks to go, you can't talk about jobs because we are growing jobs. You can't talk unemployment, because unemployment is plummeting. You can't talk about inflation because it is at a record low.
"The truth is you are weak and despicable and want to crawl to power in Alex Salmond's pocket."
He said the head-to-head debate should be between the two people who "actually call the tune - that is me and Alex Salmond".
Mr Miliband has repeatedly rejected calls, including from some of his own MPs, to rule out a post-election deal with the SNP.
A source close to the Labour leader said: "Our position is unchanged. The only way to get a Labour government is to vote Labour and we will leave it to others to talk about post-election scenarios.
The SNP's leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, predicted Labour would have to do a deal with the SNP.
"There is an offer on the table," he said.
"If the numbers are such that the Labour Party cannot command a majority they will have to work with the SNP."
Although neither leader referred to the digital debates option in the Commons, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps told the BBC's Daily Politics that seemed a "plausible" way forward.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "Scrutiny is an important part of democracy, and for this reason I am delighted to accept the Telegraph/Guardian/YouTube invitation to this debate - so that I can make the case to the British electorate on why they should vote UKIP.
"I hope that the prime minister will muster up the courage to stand by his own words, and show up to try and defend his record in government."
Lib Dem general election co-ordinator Lord Ashdown said the party remained committed to election debates and would consider the digital debate proposal.
But he said the prime minister should not be able to let it excuse him from taking part in the equivalent TV debates.
Labour has yet to respond to the digital debate offer.
The proposal is for a five-way debate, which would include UKIP and the Greens.
A Green Party spokesman said the party was "looking forward to receiving the invitation from the Guardian/YouTube and Telegraph" and would "relish" the chance to take part.
Planned debate schedule
2 April: Seven-way debate featuring David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon, Natalie Bennett and Leanne Wood (ITV broadcast)
16 April: Seven-way debate featuring David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon, Natalie Bennett and Leanne Wood (BBC broadcast)
30 April: Head-to-head debate featuring David Cameron and Ed Miliband (Channel 4 and Sky News broadcast)
The BBC, Sky, ITV and Channel 4 plan to hold three live televised debates in April - two featuring the leaders of Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, UKIP and the Green Party, then one with only Mr Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband.
But they face a threat from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is angry at being excluded and is calling for an independent body to be put in charge of television election debates in a Commons debate on Wednesday.
And last week Mr Cameron said his "final offer" was to take part in a single debate of seven party leaders before 30 March - an offer which was rebuffed by the broadcasters who said they would go ahead with their three planned debates with or without him.
That stance came under fire on Wednesday morning from former BBC, ITV and Channel 4 boss Lord Grade, who suggested broadcasters were breaching impartiality rules and "playing politics".
The Conservative peer said it was "not acceptable for unelected journalists" to replace David Cameron with an "empty chair" if he refused to take part in any televised debates.
In a joint response to Lord Grade's comments, the broadcasters said they were "trying to deliver debates because we know our audiences want them".
"In 2010 they were watched by more than 20 million people and our research suggests there is an appetite for them in 2015. We have issued invitations to seven party leaders and we continue to hope they will all agree to take part," they added. | Ed Miliband and David Cameron launched attacks on each other's character in angry Commons exchanges over televised election debates. |
38,868,801 | Phillips finished second in the British Superstock 600cc championship last season.
Dunlop, who is set to reveal his own plans for the season soon, will assist in preparation of the machinery, and oversee the team, attending many races.
The first round of the series will be held at Donington Park on 2 April. | Michael Dunlop's racing team has signed Lisburn rider Carl Phillips to contest the 2017 British Superstock 1000cc Championship. |
39,502,255 | Vadims Ruskuls, 25, is accused of murdering Pardeep Kaur as she walked to work in west London, in October 2016.
Ms Kaur's body was found near Harlington Bridge in Hayes, nearly a week after she was reported missing by her husband.
Mr Ruskuls denies murdering the 30-year-old.
Opening the trial at the Old Bailey, Crispin Aylett QC told jurors: "This is a truly terrible case.
"The evidence in this case is distressing and you will have to brace yourself for what is to come."
Mr Ruskuls was thought to be sleeping rough with his mother beneath the bridge crossing the M4.
The court heard the waste ground by the walkway on to the bridge over the M4 was a "bleak spot" used by rough sleepers, drunks and drug addicts.
CCTV cameras recorded Ms Kaur at 06:33 GMT on 17 October as she walked towards the bridge.
Investigators also noticed a man under the bridge at the same time as Mrs Kaur.
Less than half an hour later, someone was picked up on CCTV dragging her body away towards the patch of ground where it was later discovered.
Mr Aylett said: "What happened in the 25 minutes between those two pieces of film?
"The prosecution allege that the defendant must have pounced on Pardeep Kaur at some point on the ramp, that he then sexually assaulted her and he murdered her."
Jurors were told Ms Kaur scratched her attacker but her screams would have been drowned out by early morning traffic.
Following his arrest, Mr Ruskuls' DNA matched samples taken from Ms Kaur's ankle, sock, and bra with a probability of "one in a billion", the jury heard.
The trial continues. | A homeless man grabbed a woman under a motorway bridge and killed her before dumping her body in undergrowth, a court has heard. |
32,352,606 | A protest and meeting have previously been held in Crickhowell, Powys, against a proposal to turn The Corn Exchange pub into a convenience store.
On Saturday afternoon, shop owners are covering their windows with cardboard.
Baker Steve Askew said they wanted to show what their high street could look like if shops closed.
He added: "We believe up to eight family-run independent shops could be affected if a supermarket chain came to town."
The town has only one national chain - Boots chemist - while all other businesses are family run and independent.
Punch Taverns wants to turn the Corn Exchange pub into a convenience store.
The final decision on the application will be taken by Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. | Shopkeepers in a town opposed to plans for a convenience store are boarding up their windows to show what the high street may look like if it goes ahead. |
41,040,464 | Esmond and Susie Bulmer's home in Bruton was targeted in 2009 and the couple's housekeeper was allegedly tied to a banister.
A total of 15 paintings worth £1.7m, and £1m of jewellery were stolen.
All the defendants deny any wrongdoing and are due to appear at Bristol Crown Court on 22 September.
Those charged are:
At Bristol Magistrates' Court, all 11 indicated through their lawyers that they would be pleading not guilty to the charges.
A 12th defendant, John Morris, 56, of Cowper Gardens, Enfield, London, did not attend court and a warrant for his arrest without bail was issued by the judge. He is accused of conspiracy to receive stolen goods. | Eleven men have appeared in court charged in connection with a multi-million pound raid at a cider-making family's luxury home in Somerset. |
37,812,671 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Aguero scored twice - his first goals in six games - as City beat West Brom 4-0 to move top of the Premier League.
The Argentina international's future at the club has been questioned after he was overlooked for the Champions League game in Barcelona earlier this month.
But Guardiola said: "I'd like to convince Sergio how important he is."
Aguero's seven goals in the league make him joint top scorer with Chelsea's Spain forward Diego Costa.
He also played a part in the first of Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan's two goals against the Baggies on Saturday.
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola added: "We need him a lot. When he shows that brilliance and belief Sergio is exceptional. We want to try and help him to be better and better. He is fantastic.
"He is part of the history of this club but I would like to help him still. That is my target - help him to feel how important he is for us in in every game.
"He is one of the best. And above all that he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I love working with the nice guys, and Sergio is one of them."
BBC Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy said Augero, 28, looked more dynamic without the ball this season.
"He was harrying people and that is not something I associate with the Sergio Aguero of last season," said the former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder.
"He ran 10.2km against West Brom. That is a lot different from last season when he was clocking less than eight on average."
Former England striker Alan Shearer added: "He is the one genuine world-class player we have in the Premier League."
Guardiola admitted he had doubts about his City side but not his principles after victory over West Brom ended a six-match winless run, his worst such sequence in management.
"Six games without winning is a long time," Guardiola told BBC Sport.
"When we lose always you doubt. Also in the second half when we didn't play like the first half I had doubts about what we had to do to improve.
"The principles? No doubts. But to know the players, how they play with other ones, how you play in different systems, sometimes you make a doubt, yes.
"Winning again is so important for us. When you lose, the problem is you lose a bit of confidence each time for the next game and it has happened in this period." | Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted his side need Sergio Aguero and said his aim is to help the striker become a better player. |
40,923,933 | The 23-year-old moves to St Andrew's on a four-year deal having been under contract at Luton until next summer.
Blues manager Harry Redknapp bemoaned the lack of fit strikers as a "crazy situation" after losing Che Adams in Saturday's victory over Bristol City.
Vassell will go straight into Redknapp's squad for the home match with Bolton on Tuesday.
Having moved to Luton on a free transfer last summer, Vassell - a cousin of former Aston Villa and England striker Darius Vassell - scored 10 league goals for the Hatters in 42 appearances last season.
"I don't think any defence enjoy facing pace," said Vassell. "That's my main asset - getting in behind and being a defender's nightmare."
He will provide Redknapp with another option up front with Lukas Jutkiewicz also missing with a calf problem.
Vassell, who graduated through the youth ranks at Plymouth, becomes Birmingham's fifth summer signing.
"The club tried absolutely everything to keep hold of him," Luton boss Nathan Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio. "We had been in negotiations, trying to get him to sign a contract and we turned down a number of offers.
"But when a player has one year left on his contract it's difficult to let it run down - we would have turned down pretty much any offer, unless it was absurd, if he had more than one year left on his contract.
"It's not something we wanted to do, but it got to a point where he categorically said he wasn't going to sign a contract."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Birmingham City have signed striker Isaac Vassell for an undisclosed fee from League Two side Luton Town. |
40,029,313 | Eilidh MacLeod, 14, has been confirmed among those killed in Monday's attack.
Her friend and fellow Castlebay Community School pupil, Laura MacIntyre, 15, is in hospital with serious injuries.
Roman Catholic priest Father John Paul Mackinnon said he was very upset.
Twenty-two people were killed and dozens injured after the attack at the end of a concert by US pop star Ariana Grande on Monday night.
Father Mackinnon told BBC Scotland: "Two young girls who I have seen grow up on the island have gone off to enjoy a concert, something they have wanted to go and see.
"People from the islands don't get these opportunities much.
"We are a remote part of the world and these two girls have looked forward to going away, having a lovely concert, and to come back with wonderful memories.
"Now the memories are so sad for the family, for the community, for me as a priest on the island. It is all upsetting."
Barra is the second southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides and has a population of just over 1,000.
The island priest said: "The community have felt a dark cloud has come down on the island. A real dark cloud.
"People are looking at one another. They are trying to look at responses, what do we do? what do we say? how should I feel? People are a bit in a daze. We are all in a daze. We don't know what to say, what to do."
The priest said he was supporting people and "trying to lift them up in some way".
He said: "We are at the edge of the world here on our little island.
"We are just a small little island and yet the world has suddenly come to our little island and we are the centre of the world from everything that's happened in Manchester.
"People are weighed down. This dark cloud is just pushing down on all of us and we are trying to lift ourselves up. It's difficult."
Father Mackinnon said he had been telling his parishioners: "We have to be there for the two families.
"That's our total focus. I tell my parishioners that is where we are.
"We may feel hurt and pain and angry and every emotion under the sun but we've got rally round for these two families."
Eilidh's great uncle, Donald Manford, described her and Laura as "two wonderful children" and "treasures" who had contributed to the community since early childhood.
Mr Manford, the local councillor, told BBC Scotland: "The community is pulling together as this community does.
"Their thoughts are for the family and with the family and they are hurting for them." | The parish priest on Barra has said a "dark cloud" has come down on the island after the suicide bombing in Manchester left one girl dead and another seriously injured. |
39,230,388 | Deborah Smith began meeting the woman after she left a home and they would go for coffee and bikes rides, a Care Council for Wales hearing was told.
Police were called to the woman's home after neighbours were "concerned something untoward was going on".
No crime had been committed but police alerted Cardiff council about Ms Smith.
Jo Finch, investigating officer for the council, interviewed Ms Smith and found "she showed no remorse or insight into her actions".
When Ms Smith was asked to describe the relationship she said: "As an advocate and a friend."
She said in interview: "When this incident happened we were friends. I'm not prepared to talk about my personal life."
It was told Person A suffered from a borderline personality disorder and would be considered a vulnerable adult as she was in receipt of care services.
Ms Smith was found to have caused harm to Person A, who wrote a letter of support saying she felt "distressed and overwhelmed with guilt" after finding Ms Smith was suspended in November 2014.
Ms Smith did not attend fitness to practice hearing at Cardiff's South Gate House. | A children's care worker has been struck off after forming an "inappropriate relationship" with a vulnerable young woman. |
36,217,610 | The 27-year-old Germany defender was booed and whistled by sections of the crowd during a 5-1 home win over Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Hummels started his career at Bayern before joining Dortmund in 2009.
"Nothing has been decided yet," Hummels told supporters waiting outside the club's training ground on Wednesday.
"This dirty statement created a different impression."
Should Hummels join Bayern he will become the third player to make such a move in the past three years after midfielder Mario Gotze in 2013 and striker Robert Lewandowski in 2014. | Mats Hummels has accused Borussia Dortmund of issuing a "dirty statement" after his club recently said he wanted to leave them for rivals Bayern Munich. |
37,359,649 | Storms swept across the north of England, the Midlands and the south coast on Tuesday night.
Some Birmingham and Manchester-bound flights were diverted and power cuts left swathes of people in the dark.
The weather was so extreme, Manchester City's Champions League game against Borussia Mönchengladbach was postponed after the pitch became more suitable for water polo than football.
Prestbury in Cheshire had 32.4mm of rain in an hour, while thunderstorms caused a power failure and transport problems in Cornwall. The level crossing at Camborne was flooded with fast-flowing rainwater.
Flash floods in Cornwall also affected Falmouth, Helston and Redruth and one person needed medical attention after a terrace of four houses was struck by lightning.
Others were "trapped in their homes" by floodwater, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said.
Lightning is a huge electrical discharge that flows between clouds, from a cloud to air, or from a cloud to the ground.
Thunder is caused by lightning - it's the sound produced by the rapid heating of air by a lightning strike.
It wasn't just the players affected - their WAGs didn't get away scot-free either, as the cosmetics department of Manchester's Harvey Nichols store sprang a leak.
Flash flooding happens when rain falls so fast the underlying ground cannot drain it away fast enough.
It is different to when a river floods, as most rivers flow fairly gently as they slope slowly towards the sea. When a river floods it tends to do so quite gradually as it takes time for the rain to percolate through the ground and into the rivers and out to sea − allowing time for some warning.
With flash flooding there is often very little time between the rain falling and flash flooding occurring.
Flash flooding commonly happens more where rivers are narrow and steep, so they flow more quickly.
It can also occur away from small rivers in built-up urban areas where hard surfaces such as roads and concrete don't let the water drain away into the ground.
This leads to surface overflow and can often overwhelm local drainage systems leading to flash flooding.
Source: Met Office
Have we seen the end of the thunderstorms?
BBC Weather believes so. We're due "another very warm or hot day, particularly in central and south-eastern England, with prolonged sunny spells".
The north of England could see some light rain, but nothing on the scale we've just experienced, giving affected areas enough time to dry off before autumn kicks in for good. | Parts of England saw a dramatic end to the summer with hammering rain, sky-splitting lightning and ear-rending thunder. |
40,932,012 | Hogan steered Albert Adomah's cross past Jamie Jones from close range to set Villa on their way, as both sides changed their entire starting XIs.
Adomah volleyed home to double the lead and though Ryan Colclough got Wigan on the scoresheet with a run and low shot, Hogan restored Villa's two-goal lead.
The hosts confirmed victory when Birkir Bjarnason converted from close range.
Defeat ended the Latics' 100% start to the season, which sees them top League One, while Steve Bruce's side have now scored four goals in consecutive matches.
Match ends, Aston Villa 4, Wigan Athletic 1.
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 4, Wigan Athletic 1.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Tommy Elphick.
Attempt blocked. Luke Burgess (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Easah Suliman (Aston Villa).
Noel Hunt (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Max Power (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Attempt saved. Luke Burgess (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Birkir Bjarnason.
Attempt saved. Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Max Power (Wigan Athletic).
Mitchell Clark (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Callum Lang (Wigan Athletic).
Substitution, Aston Villa. Easah Suliman replaces Scott Hogan.
Attempt missed. Gary Gardner (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Noel Hunt replaces Ryan Colclough.
Attempt saved. Ryan Colclough (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Ross McCormack (Aston Villa).
David Perkins (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Jordan Lyden replaces Jake Doyle-Hayes.
Attempt saved. Ryan Colclough (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Jed Steer.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Tommy Elphick.
Goal! Aston Villa 4, Wigan Athletic 1. Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Ritchie de Laet.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Ross McCormack replaces Callum O'Hare.
Callum O'Hare (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Callum Lang replaces William Grigg.
Attempt saved. Scott Hogan (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Callum O'Hare (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Luke Burke (Wigan Athletic).
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Luke Burgess replaces Alex Gilbey.
Luke Burke (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Mitchell Clark (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luke Burke (Wigan Athletic).
Attempt missed. Tommy Elphick (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Donervon Daniels.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Birkir Bjarnason.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Birkir Bjarnason. | Scott Hogan scored two first-half goals in Aston Villa's convincing EFL Cup second-round triumph against Wigan. |
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