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37,270,316 | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said about 1,000 tonnes of shingle on Fairbourne beach would be moved to fill in the eroded area next to the concrete defence at Friog corner.
The work is expected to take between five and 10 days, depending on the weather.
Sea defences in the village will only be maintained for 40 more years.
Fairbourne was expected to enter into "managed retreat" in 2025 due to the cost of maintaining defences, but this was extended in January.
NRW said some of the World War Two tank traps on the beach would be moved during the work, following conservation charity CADW's approval, and would be put back afterwards.
Sian Williams, NRW's head of operations in north Wales, said: "We are committed to maintaining and monitoring the flood defence in the short and medium term to help reduce the risk of flooding for the people of Fairbourne.
"Replenishing the shingle at Friog corner is part of this ongoing commitment."
The defences currently protect about 500 properties. | Work on sea defences protecting coastal homes in a Gwynedd village is set to start. |
39,587,233 | 13 April 2017 Last updated at 08:58 BST
The footage, captured in Shipley and Halifax, was released as new figures show more than 8,000 people trespassed on railways in 2016, with more than 900 incidents across Yorkshire.
Hayley Bull, community safety manager at Network Rail, said: "The footage is absolutely shocking; young people in particular need to realise that they are risking their lives when they choose to trespass on the railway." | CCTV of young people trespassing on railway lines to take photos and attack line-side equipment has been released by British Transport Police and Network Rail. |
18,506,431 | The 57-year-old actor and comedian is working with CBS Television Distribution on the format, which will air from autumn 2013.
The Emmy Award-winning Arsenio Hall Show ran from 1989 to '94 and featured guests from Bill Clinton to Hall's Coming to America co-star Eddie Murphy.
His TV comeback follows his recent win on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice.
When Hall's original show premiered, it was a surprise hit in the US late-night slot that had long been dominated by Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
His programme regularly featured up-and-coming rappers and stars such as director Spike Lee, comedian Bill Cosby and boxers Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
Its place in history was secured in 1992 when then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton played Heartbreak Hotel on the saxophone.
Hall's acting credits include regular appearances on Martial Law in the late 1990s and a variety of roles alongside Eddie Murphy in 1988 comedy Coming to America.
Speaking to the
LA Times
, Hall admitted the US late-night TV market was crowded, with his competition set to include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
"I know there are a lot of shows, but I think there's a space for my show," he said. "In the end, I'm a comic, and nothing fits the talk show mode like a stand-up comic."
Hall also revealed he could revive his trademark "Dog Pound", which saw his studio audience greet their host by pumping their fists and barking. | Talk show host Arsenio Hall, a star of US TV in the 1990s, is returning with a new late-night show. |
37,417,537 | The rare malt was among seven bottles of whisky taken from Tullibardine Distillery's shop in Blackford at the weekend.
About £14,000 worth of whisky and two glasses were stolen from the shop during the break in.
Police want to trace a man seen walking with two bags near the A9 at Blackford at about 21:55 on Saturday.
He was described as between 25 and 35-years-old, of medium build, and was wearing a red top, light-coloured shorts and worker boots.
Police Scotland said the Stirling Street shop was broken into between 17:00 on Saturday and 09:25 on Sunday.
A typical branded whisky sold in a UK supermarket can cost about £14. Cheaper blends can be bought for less, a single malt would be about twice as much.
But, at the top end of the market, a rare bottle might fetch many thousands of pounds.
In some examples, luxury packaging (think crystal decanter, encrusted with jewels) makes up much of the cost.
In others, the rarity of the drink itself, from casks matured decades ago, pushes up the price tag.
The top prices in auction can match works of art. In 2010, an auction house in New York sold a decanter of whisky for $460,000 (£353,000). | A bottle of malt whisky worth £12,000 has been stolen in a raid on a Perth and Kinross distillery. |
35,949,472 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Lee Miller nodded a Myles Hippolyte cross beyond Jamie Langfield to put the Bairns ahead but Stephen Mallan's free-kick levelled matters.
Bob McHugh headed the Bairns back ahead but Mallan equalised a second time, firing past Danny Rogers.
But Blair Alston struck in the last minute to secure victory for Peter Houston's side.
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And Falkirk, who have played two games more than Hib, travel to take on Alan Stubbs' men on Tuesday evening.
St Mirren remain seventh with manager Alex Rae now looking firmly towards next season.
The visitors started brightly and only a last-gasp challenge by Will Vaulks denied Rocco Quinn a clear sight of goal.
Falkirk responded quickly and took the lead. The impressive Hippolyte teased the visiting defence before delivering a cross that was flicked towards the back post where Miller was waiting to score.
John Baird should have doubled that advantage when he found space eight yards out but fluffed his effort.
The Buddies came out battling in the second period and deservedly equalised, Mallan converting a 22-yard set piece into the bottom corner.
The home side though were soon back in front.
Vaulks hit the post with a header before the St Mirren defence cleared but from the resulting corner McHugh nodded home.
Again the Paisley side came back and Mallan doubled his tally for the day by hammering in a cut-back from 12 yards out.
The drama though was far from over and Alston knocked home from eight yards out to secure what could prove to be a crucial win in the battle for second top spot. | Falkirk got the better of St Mirren to go six points clear of third-placed Hibernian in the Scottish Championship. |
38,649,348 | They had just got off a bus and were walking to a parked car on the N2 road at Hunterstown when they were struck.
Their bodies were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports.
Gardai (Irish police) have appealed for witnesses to the crash, which happened at about 18:30 GMT on Monday. | Two women in their 60s have died after being hit by a car while crossing the road in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. |
33,923,015 | Samsung has been in a legal battle with Apple for years with each accusing the other of patent infringements.
In May, the South Korean firm lost a previous appeal, which ruled that it did infringe on some of Apple's design patents from the iPhone models.
The patents mostly refer to overall appearance, design and user interface.
Samsung had sought the backing of Google, Facebook and Ebay to argue their case that the verdict placed too much focus on minor design elements compared with the overall complexity of a smartphone.
The amount of the compensation that the South Korean technology giant will have to pay will still need to be decided by court.
The decision comes on the same day that Samsung unveiled its latest flagship phones, hoping to turn around its fortunes after a string of disappointing quarterly results. | A US appeals court will not reconsider an earlier decision finding that Samsung violated Apple patents. |
36,932,572 | The Ministry of Defence (MoD) say the project will extend the life of the airfield by 25 years.
In preparation, 11 RAF Hawk T2 jets have been relocated from RAF Valley to MoD St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.
The airbase's Number 4 flying training school (4FTS) will continue to operate.
Citywing passengers flying between Cardiff Airport and Anglesey will land at RAF Mona on the island.
Passengers are being advised to check in at least 45 minutes before departure, due to the temporary changes.
RAF Valley is also being given upgraded taxiways, improved aeronautical lighting and a new perimeter road.
The existing taxiways are thought to be insufficient to handle larger visiting aircraft such as the RAF Typhoon, Hercules or Atlas.
In total, the MoD has pledged over one billion pounds for future training, with the majority of the investment going to Valley.
In future, the Anglesey airbase will also be the home of basic flying training.
The runway will reopen in September and the refurbishment project is due to be completed in February 2017. | The RAF Valley airbase on Anglesey is closed to all aircraft for August as a £20 million project to refurbish the airfield continues. |
38,315,212 | Four youth players were questioned by senior management in the investigation, though the outcome is unknown.
Last week, one man said he had been sexually assaulted at the age of 15 by Mr Gieler.
QPR said it took allegations against Mr Gieler "very seriously".
The club has previously said it would "co-operate fully in any forthcoming investigation".
Mr Gieler, QPR's ex-chief scout, died in 2002, shortly after he left the club.
He had arrived at Loftus Road in 1971 as a schoolboy scout and in 1979 became youth development manager, responsible for the entire youth programme.
Last week, an anonymous man told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he had been sexually assaulted by Mr Gieler in the 1980s, when he was 15.
Former players have described what they saw as Mr Gieler's "inappropriate behaviour" while at the club.
"He would feel boys' legs to make sure they were developing properly and chat to boys while they were in the shower after a game," said one former player who didn't want to be named.
"You would feel very uncomfortable about it."
A number of sources claimed Gieler would often spend large amounts of money on his favourite youth team players, known as "Gieler's boys". This included hundreds of pounds on sports equipment, clothes and holidays.
Child sex abuse claims - story so far
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In 1987, then-QPR chairman Jim Gregory sold the club for £5.8m to a group led by property developer David Bulstrode.
Shortly after, an internal investigation was carried out into Mr Gieler's behaviour and actions.
Four youth players were individually questioned by senior members of management at the club before Mr Bulstrode's death in September 1988.
The outcome of the investigation is not known. It has not been established that the club found any evidence of abuse.
Chris Gieler was allowed to continue to work with young boys until he left the club, shortly before his death in 2002.
One former player told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that Mr Gieler's behaviour had not changed after the investigation and he would still transport boys in his car to and from games without any other adults present.
He said that even if the club didn't find any evidence of abuse, it should have monitored Chris Gieler more closely to stop him behaving inappropriately towards young boys.
"For me the club were complicit after that point and didn't act on it," the player claimed.
"They should have put a safeguarding policy in place."
Queens Park Rangers said last week that it took the allegations of abuse by Mr Gieler very seriously and would cooperate fully in any investigation.
"Any form of abuse has no place in football or society," the club said.
"We continue to cooperate fully with the police and the Football Association, and so as not to hinder the investigation, it would not be appropriate for the club to comment further on the matter at this time."
The club said it now required those working in roles with children and young people to pass a criminal records check and to supply references and background checks.
More than 20 UK police forces have confirmed they are investigating claims of historical child abuse in football.
Last week, police chiefs said there were 83 potential suspects and 98 clubs involved.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said 98% of the identified victims were male and that they were aged between seven and 20 when they were allegedly abused.
A dedicated sexual abuse helpline has been set up by the NSPCC, supported by the FA.
The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. | Queens Park Rangers continued to employ youth officer Chris Gieler after carrying out an internal investigation into his behaviour in the 1980s, the Victoria Derbyshire show has learned. |
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Ireland, needing a 21-point victory to overtake a Welsh side who beat Italy 61-20, led 20-10 after Paul O'Connell and Sean O'Brien crossed.
Scores from Jared Payne and O'Brien then took Ireland beyond the reach of England, who later beat France 55-35.
Winless Scotland were condemned to the Wooden Spoon.
Scotland crossed in the first half through the inventive Russell, but were largely outclassed on the day, and the defeat rounds off a dismal Six Nations for Vern Cotter's men.
Hopes had been high before the tournament after an encouraging autumn test series under the New Zealander, but hopes of a new dawn for Scottish rugby came to nothing.
The two sides entered this encounter with wildly differing goals. Pride was the greatest prize on offer for the Scots as they looked to avoid the ignominy of a Six Nations whitewash.
The prospect of retaining their championship crown - for the first time in 66 years - was fuelling Irish fire, and they underlined their intentions by carving the home side open within the first five minutes.
Johnny Sexton executed a planned move among the backs to perfection, releasing Robbie Henshaw into space. Only a terrific last-ditch tackle from Stuart Hogg - who bailed the Scots out in similar fashion on several occasions at Twickenham the week before - kept Henshaw away from the tryline, but the Irish patiently ran through the phases before captain O'Connell ploughed over from close range.
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Sexton's conversion and subsequent penalty gave the visitors a commanding 10-point lead in as many minutes, with the Scots continually turning over possession in the tackle.
A sustained period of possession in the Irish 22 brought the hosts their first points through the boot of Greig Laidlaw, but on 25 minutes they conceded a desperately poor try.
A long throw to the tail of the lineout on the home 22 found O'Brien, who had only a couple of weak challenges to negotiate as he stormed over for Ireland's second try.
To their credit, the Scots looked to play their own expansive game, and they got their reward when Finn Russell finished off some fine play - involving the electric Hogg among others - to cross over and give the men in dark blue renewed hope.
Sexton knocked over a penalty either side of half-time and when Payne sliced through the Scottish backline to score under the posts, the Irish sensed the victory was assured at 30-10. Now it was time to rack up the points.
Sexton missed two kicks before nudging his team above the magic 21-point margin with another penalty, and O'Brien rounded off another period of incessant pressure near the tryline by crashing over for his second try, Ireland's fourth.
Scotland's wretched day was summed up when Hogg dived over in the corner, only to have the try ruled out after failing to ground the ball properly.
Ireland missed a late penalty through Ian Madigan, but it mattered little as events at Twickenham would later confirm.
Scotland: 15-Stuart Hogg, 14-Dougie Fife, 13-Mark Bennett, 12-Matt Scott, 11-Tommy Seymour, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Greig Laidlaw (captain); 1-Ryan Grant, 2-Ross Ford, 3-Euan Murray, 4-Jim Hamilton, 5-Jonny Gray, 6-Adam Ashe, 7-Blair Cowan, 8-David Denton
Replacements:16-Fraser Brown, 17-Alasdair Dickinson, 18-Geoff Cross, 19-Tim Swinson, 20-Rob Harley, 21-Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22-Greg Tonks, 23-Tim Visser
Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Jared Payne, 12-Robbie Henshaw, 11-Luke Fitzgerald, 10-Jonathan Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O'Connell (captain), 6-Peter O'Mahony, 7-Sean O'Brien, 8-Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Martin Moore, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jordi Murphy, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Ian Madigan, 23-Felix Jones
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Touch judges: Pascal Gauzere (France) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England) | Ireland successfully defended their Six Nations title as a record win over Scotland surpassed Wales and England's final-day efforts. |
39,710,703 | Clywodd Llys y Goron Abertawe fod Gordon Fleming o Groesoswallt wedi camdrin nifer o blant dros gyfnod o chwe blynedd.
Plediodd y gwr 66 oed yn euog i 24 cyhuddiad o ymosod yn anweddus ar blant o dan 13 oed.
Dywedodd y Barnwr Geraint Walters y gallai Fleming ddisgwyl "dedfryd sylweddol o garchar".
Roedd Fleming wedi ei gael yn euog o drosedd debyg yn Llys y Goron Caer yn 1992.
Bydd yn dychwelyd i Lys y Goron Abertawe ar 5 Mai i glywed ei ddedfryd. | Mae cyn athro ysgol gynradd wedi cyfaddef iddo gyflawni cyfres o droseddau rhyw ar ferched ifanc. |
39,472,407 | Bill O'Reilly released the statement after the New York Times reported he and his employer had paid the women a total of $13m (£10.3m).
In return, the paper says, they did not take their cases to court.
21st Century Fox says Mr O'Reilly, 67, denies wrongdoing.
In a statement published on his website, The O'Reilly Factor host said he was "vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity".
Mr O'Reilly added that "no-one has ever filed a complaint about me with the human resources department", and says he "put to rest any controversies to spare my children".
A statement from 21st Century Fox to the New York Times said: "While he denies the merits of these claims, Mr. O'Reilly has resolved those he regarded as his personal responsibility."
Two of the cases had been previously reported. However, the New York Times investigation discovered three more after conducting "more than five dozen interviews with current and former employees".
Two of the new cases were of a sexual nature and one alleged verbally abusive behaviour by O'Reilly.
The cases date back as far as 2002, and all the women were connected in some way to his show, the highest rated on the network, or worked for other programmes.
This is the second scandal to hit the channel in less than a year.
Its long-time boss Roger Ailes resigned in July after a number of female employees accused him of sexual harassment. | The host of Fox News' most popular show has said his position makes him "vulnerable to lawsuits" after it emerged at least five women have accused him of harassment. |
38,808,795 | The Times reported on Monday that the party was considering changing its long-standing policy.
Instead, it said the SNP may campaign for an independent Scotland to keep access to the single market without being a full member of the EU.
Mr Salmond said there had been "confusion on The Times' part".
The newspaper report said senior SNP figures now wanted the party to pursue a Norway-style model, which would enable an independent Scotland to remain in the single market via the European Free Trade Area and European Economic Agreement, rather than full EU membership.
It said they believed the move would allow Scotland to retain all the benefits of the European single market while continuing to trade within the UK as it does now.
The Scottish government published a paper last year which argued that Scotland could remain in both the UK and the European single market even if the rest of the UK leaves, which the prime minister has said will be the case after Brexit.
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday, Mr Salmond said the document also said that "our position is for full membership of the European Union".
When asked whether that meant the SNP would pursue full membership of the EU in the event of a Yes vote in any future independence referendum, the former first minister replied: "That is the policy.
"But the paper argues that in the current circumstances, where we can't get everything we want, where we are trying to reach a compromise agreement, the first minister has put forward a plan whereby Scotland could stay within the European Economic Area."
An SNP spokesman also said that it was clear that "remaining in the EU is the best position for Scotland, and that is what we are committed to."
Mr Salmond, who is now the MP for Gordon, was speaking as the House of Commons prepared to start two days of debate over the UK government's parliamentary bill to get the formal process of Brexit under way.
The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill would allow Prime Minister Theresa May to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, getting official talks between the UK and the EU started.
The SNP - which has said it will table 50 amendments to the bill - and Liberal Democrats will vote against it, but Labour's leadership is backing it, meaning the government is expected to win.
Speaking in Dublin on Monday, Prime Minister Theresa May said MPs would face a very clear choice when they came to vote on the bill.
She said: "The people of the United Kingdom voted on June 23 last year. They voted in a referendum that was given to them overwhelmingly by parliament.
"The people spoke in that vote. The majority voted to leave the European Union. I think it is now the job of the government to put that into practice.
"I hope that when people come to look at the Article 50 Bill they will recognise it is a very simple decision: do they support the will of the British people or not?" | Former SNP leader Alex Salmond has said the party still supports an independent Scotland being a member of the European Union. |
37,015,650 | The 27-year-old also says that working with manager Brendan Rodgers for the third time influenced his decision to leave Aston Villa for Scotland.
Following his £3.5m move, Sinclair hopes to rejuvenate his career.
"[Petrov] told me about the atmosphere and the fans. He thought it would be great for me, to get my football back on track," said Sinclair.
"You saw it when I came on and sprinted from my half to get onto the ball. That's what I want to bring, the excitement back for playing.
"It's been a massive impact from the manager in my choice of coming here. I played under him at Swansea, that was my best football, which led me on to sign for Manchester City.
"He lets me go and express myself. I worked with him at 16 at Chelsea. He thought it was best for me to move out wide, because I came as a striker. He thought that was the quickest route to play in the Chelsea first-team, which it was.
"Over the last two or three years, the football hasn't been great for me and I just wanted to be at a club, enjoy it and playing under a manager who knows me and gives me the confidence to play freely.
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"Because I've known him for so long, he was saying 'get your football back on track, enjoy it, play games', and at this stage in my career, that's the best option for me. With Celtic being a massive club, it was a no-brainer."
Sinclair made an immediate impact on his debut, scoring the winning goal against Hearts on Sunday. He only arrived in Glasgow for a medical 24 hours before the game at Tynecastle.
Celtic is the 14th club of his career and the former Manchester City and Chelsea winger wants a period of stability after signing a four-year deal.
He hopes that "scoring goals, my trickery, my speed" will endear him to the Celtic support.
"I've been at numerous clubs. It's all down to stability, if you look back at how many managers I had at Villa," Sinclair said.
"Managers have different opinions on players. With the manager here, he knows what I bring and I know what to expect from him, and that's why it was my choice. He led me to this club and I just want to enjoy my football again.
"When you haven't got much confidence and you're in and out of the team, you're not at your best. I kept digging in and I kept going to the gym and doing extra. It's broken through now, I'm happy to be here and I can't wait to kick on.
"The fans were unbelievable. You saw my celebration, running to them, and I want that bond with the fans.
"At some clubs I've not had that, because I've been on loan here, there and everywhere and you're not really a stable player for the team. I'm here for four years and I want to show the fans excitement and make a massive impact." | Scott Sinclair says he was encouraged to sign for Celtic by former Parkhead midfielder Stiliyan Petrov. |
35,438,739 | The 22-year-old forward suggested he would not play for Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace again after a move to Tottenham was blocked last August.
He has again been linked with a move in the January transfer window.
"It's been dreadful to have an outstanding player who has dropped off because of circumstances," said Pulis.
"It has not helped us at all.
"If he's still here [after January], he's got to start realising that this is affecting everybody. He's got to get back to what he was.
"Saido has to realise he is a footballer. In my opinion, he has wasted three or four months and he can't afford to waste any more time."
Berahino has made 18 league outings for West Brom this season, with 10 as a substitute, and scored three goals.
"I'm not picking him because he's not been anywhere near what he was last year," added Pulis.
"You have to make him understand that we are playing at the top of our profession and every week you have to be at the top of your form. Unfortunately, that hasn't been Saido, mentally or physically.
"I like the kid, I spend a lot of time with the kid but my biggest worry with him is that he has so many other people out there who influence him." | West Brom striker Saido Berahino has "wasted three or four months" of his career, according to Baggies boss Tony Pulis. |
40,335,872 | Bopara made 192, his third-highest first-class score, and his first century in three years, as Essex finally called a halt on 541-9.
Foster survived being hit on the helmet by Boyd Rankin to reach 121.
Bopara then ran out Andy Umeed as the Bears reached 60-2 by the close.
Ian Westwood followed for 22 to leave the Bears still needing a further 232 runs to avoid the risk of being asked to follow-on.
Resuming on their overnight 263-5, Bopara and Foster were together from late in Monday's third session until just before the tea interval on day two.
Foster, making only his third County Championship appearance of the season, had to receive medical attention after being struck on the front of his helmet grille by a Rankin bouncer.
But, when within 24 of Essex's sixth-wicket record set six years ago on the same ground against Northants in partnership with Adam Wheater, he smashed a towering six over long leg off Sunny Singh before giving a catch to a tumbling Keith Barker at wide mid-on off Jonathan Trott.
It was slow going once again in the still sweltering conditions, as Essex claimed their third batting point with only an over to spare, leaving the Bears with just one bowling point.
Essex wicketkeeper James Foster told BBC Radio Essex:
"I wasn't really expecting to play any cricket this year. It was obviously disappointing not to start the season, but I've been busy helping out the club with the team's preparations on the coaching side without just rotting away, so to speak.
"They know I've been practising and playing second-team cricket and working hard. I've tried to be of use and of help. I got an opportunity to play, with Wheats (Adam Wheater) getting injured in the four-day stuff and I'm literally just trying to enjoy maybe one last cough.
"It was probably quite an important part of the game when we got together. On that first day they kept us down to 2.6 an over, so it was important to stick it out.
"Everyone is thrilled for Ravi. He's deserved it. He's worked as hard as anyone. Even now he probably works as hard as he did in his early twenties."
Warwickshire first-team coach Jim Troughton told BBC WM:
"It was a really hot day and everyone stuck together in the field and put in a shift. To walk off without any kind of result was disappointing. One more wicket would have been very nice. But they batted well and that's what happens.
"Jimmy Adams and Sean Ervine did that to us at Southampton. The pleasing thing for me is we're not 50-6, with tired legs and tired minds at the end of what has been a long 160 overs.
"We looked very comfortable at 30-odd for no wicket and then we had that run-out between the two of them. But these things we've got to learn fast. He's not going to get many runs if he keeps getting run out.
"It looks as if Harmer is going to get some turn. He did to the left-handers. We've just to make sure we play him well. We'll look to get ourselves prepared in the nets and whatever they've got to throw at us." | Ravi Bopara and James Foster both completed centuries in a sixth-wicket stand of 229 as Essex amassed a season's best total before declaring against Warwickshire. |
34,371,925 | Scott Williams (leg) and Hallam Amos (shoulder) seem set to be ruled out of the tournament.
Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards says the duo are "long-term" injury concerns.
North moved to midfield when Williams departed during Wales' 28-25 win over England and told the media on Sunday he would play centre if called upon.
"If need be, I'll play centre. If need be, I'll play on the wing... that's the World Cup - you've got to adapt," said North.
Wales coach Warren Gatland hinted at the 2011 World Cup North could move to centre with the 23-year-old having played there during his formative years.
North went on to do so as Wales beat France 27-6 in the 2014 Six Nations.
Full-back Liam Williams also came off at Twickenham with concussion and is unlikely to face Fiji in Cardiff on Thursday.
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Edwards said: "Hallam Amos and Scott Williams are definitely the biggest concerns, long term."
But Edwards says Wales are unlikely to rest "too many players" when they take on Fiji.
Wales will announce on Monday which players are unable to continue in the tournament while also naming call-ups.
Versatile backs Gareth Anscombe and James Hook could come into consideration, but Ospreys wing Eli Walker's hamstring injury has not healed.
Cardiff Blues player Anscombe missed out on World Cup selection because of an ankle injury that was expected to heal during the tournament.
Walker was named in Gatland's initial squad, but was omitted because of a hamstring strain and replaced by back-rower Ross Moriarty.
Hook has played fly-half, full-back and centre for Wales during a 78-cap career that has included Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012 plus a 2013 Six Nations Championship win.
After Wales lost Blues centre Cory Allen in the win against Uruguay, Newport Gwent Dragons' Tyler Morgan was called in.
Wales' summer training squad also included another Dragons centre, Jack Dixon after established midfield star Jonathan Davies was ruled out by a knee injury.
But after being omitted from Wales' plans Dixon suffered a kidney injury that has ruled him out of contention.
Watch all the analysis on Scrum V Rugby World Cup Special, 19:00 Sunday, 27 September, BBC Two Wales. | Wing George North is prepared to switch to centre amid Wales' growing World Cup injury crisis. |
22,477,371 | It is feared shopping alone is no longer enough to draw people onto the street.
The number of people visiting Princes Street has been falling for the last 20 years.
Planning rules currently mean only retail outlets are allowed along the mile-long street.
Councillors will meet on Thursday to make a decision on whether the smallest 25 shop units could be changed into cafes, bars and restaurants with outdoor seating areas on the pavement.
It is hoped a more continental style atmosphere could transform the street's fortunes.
Edinburgh City Council planning convenor, Councillor Ian Perry, told BBC Scotland: "If we look over the last 20 years, the footfall of Princes Street has been declining and it's been declining year on year, even despite the tramworks.
"So what we need to do is revitalise what we are offering in Princes Street. We want to change the retail mix to attract more people in."
With trams due to run along the street from summer next year, new regulations could be in place to allow outdoor dining from then.
Andy Neal, chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: "Essential Edinburgh are delighted this positive step for Princes Street is being taken.
"For city centres to survive they need to offer a great experience and a row of almost a mile with only shops does not deliver that.
"The chance to break for a chat with coffee or a glass of wine will deliver a much more pleasurable experience and allow the unique and stunning views to be enjoyed.
"It will also allow the street to be used into the evening. With later shop opening and places to eat, Princes St will be an even greater asset for Edinburgh."
David Birrell, chief executive at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a great opportunity to boost business in Princes Street by being creative with the mix of food and drink offering to the people of Edinburgh and tourists.
"It is inevitable that the face of Edinburgh's flagship street will change as our culture evolves.
"Currently Princes Street is a shopping street to be proud of and this seems like a great opportunity to enhance the mix with restaurants and bars.
"What other city can offer all this directly opposite an iconic castle?"
Hugh Rutherford, chairman of the Edinburgh Business Forum, said: "Princes Street currently has a strong retail offering with a variety of outlets catering to all needs.
"The opportunity to complement this with quality food and drink establishments is to be welcomed as this with help drive footfall to the city centre and will be instrumental in bringing a new lease of life to this iconic thoroughfare." | Plans to revitalise Edinburgh's city centre with continental-style cafes and restaurants on Princes Street are being considered by councillors. |
39,208,356 | Tests on three pairs of glasses held at the British Library showed the author's sight deteriorated considerably.
At the time, heavy metals like arsenic were used in medicines that Austen, who had rheumatism, may have taken.
Library experts have suggested such poisoning may also have contributed to her early death at the age of 41.
The novelist, who lived in Steventon, Hampshire, died on 18 July 1817 and the cause of her death has been the subject of much speculation.
The three pairs of glasses, kept in the Pride and Prejudice author's writing desk, were examined using a portable lens meter brought to the library to determine the strength of the lenses which, despite their age, remain in good condition.
Tests showed they increased in strength from +1.75 in each eye from the first pair to +4.75 and +5.0 in the final pair - meaning she would have found it very difficult to see well enough to read or write by the time she died.
British Library curator Sandra Tuppen said: "There's the possibility of her being poisoned accidentally with a heavy metal such as arsenic. We know now that arsenic poisoning can cause cataracts.
"Arsenic was often put into medication for other types of illness, potentially for rheumatism, which we know Jane Austen suffered from."
It is not known whether the glasses, made of real tortoiseshell and glass, were prescribed for Austen or she bought them herself.
The British Library is inviting optometrists to offer their opinions on the new theory. | Author Jane Austen was virtually blind at the end of her life possibly as a result of arsenic poisoning, experts have revealed. |
11,785,483 | Progressive is everywhere.
As he faced his final hours in Downing Street, it seems Gordon Brown tried to reach out to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg as a fellow "progressive".
"I have studied history," the former prime minister is said to have intoned.
"I know that the future of our country is a progressive alliance between two progressive political parties."
Mr Clegg agreed - but, unfortunately for Mr Brown, it was the Conservatives, traditionally seen as anything but progressive, that he formed the "progressive alliance" with.
Explaining his logic, in a speech on Wednesday, he claimed Labour were now "old progressives", while the Lib Dem/Conservative coalition were "new progressives".
David Cameron, meanwhile, has been busy rebranding himself as a "progressive Conservative" since well before the general election.
So what is going on? Why are British politicians from all sides so keen to be seen as progressive (it is a different story in America, where the right tend to use "progressive" inter-changeably with "liberal" as a term of abuse)
And what exactly does it mean?
It does not help that there are two separate, but related, meanings in circulation for the same word.
When applied to taxation, progressive simply means hurting the rich more than the poor by taking a progressively bigger slice of their earnings.
For days after the government's spending review, debate raged over whether the cuts to public services and welfare payments were "progressive" or not.
Coalition ministers were keen for their policies to be seen as progressive because it made them seem kinder and not bent on wiping out jobs and services for the fun of it.
They want to be seen as - to use another increasingly worn-out political buzz word - "fair".
The other meaning of "progressive" is harder to define.
It is often used as shorthand for a vaguely left-wing way of looking at the world, even though those who describe themselves as "progressives" insist it is not an exclusively left wing club.
The first progressive movement emerged before the First World War, when followers of the philosopher Hegel promoted the idea of history as progress out of ignorance and division towards peace and prosperity.
But the term began to gain currency again in British politics during the Blair years - when many Labour politicians felt uncomfortable about describing themselves as "socialists" or even "left-wing".
These progressives tend to see themselves as people who believe in reform, in changing society for the better, as opposed to conservatives, who they believe want to keep things the same or even turn the clock back.
They are socially liberal - favouring more rights for women, gay people and minorities. They believe in "modernisation" and technological progress. They also believe in the redistribution of wealth.
But a new breed of liberal and conservative thinkers is challenging this - much to the irritation of the traditional keepers of the progressive flame on the left.
It is getting pretty heated out there.
Former Lib Dem media chief Mark Littlewood, who now runs the free market think tank The Institute of Economic Affairs, argues that "progressive taxation" is quite separate from being a "progressive".
He is evangelical about low taxes for all - including the rich - and reducing the power of the state.
Pressed for a definition of what "progressive" means to him, Mr Littlewood, who briefly ran a think tank called Progressive Vision, said: "Support for reform and modernisation, a cynicism about entrenched institutions and an open mindedness about changing those institutions - and a belief that new technologies are beneficial to mankind, if they are properly harnessed."
David Cameron has latched on to the word, he adds, because "it smacks of modest, moderate modernisation, not particularly of the radical right - a counterbalance to the word conservative".
One of Mr Cameron's favourite think tanks, ResPublica, says redistribution of income can play a part in being progressive but adds: "A more robust view includes functioning communities, social networks, civic groups, families and other institutions amongst the proper means and ends of progress."
But the idea that you can describe yourself as "progressive" without backing progressive taxation is met with ridicule by Labour supporters.
Richard Angell, of Blairite think tank Progress, says it is not necessary to be left-wing to be a progressive but you do have to believe in wealth redistribution - as well as a basket of other causes such as electoral reform, gay rights and more rights for women, on which he claims Mr Cameron does not measure up.
Asked for his definition of "progressive," he says it is a "combination of fairness, equality, democracy and modernity".
Mr Cameron, he argues, only passes one of those tests: "He doesn't look like a traditional Tory, so in that sense he is modern."
He adds: "They (Cameron's Conservatives) are desperate to try and get on New Labour's territory. They want the centre ground for themselves and they know that the British public are more progressive than just about anybody in the Conservative Party."
When he made a speech in January on "progressive conservatism", Mr Cameron said he shared the same "progressive" goals as Labour and the Lib Dems to build the "good society" and the "good life" - but he wanted to use "conservative" means, such as shrinking the state and handing power to individuals, to achieve them.
Nick Clegg has yet to describe himself as a "progressive conservative" but his definition of what it means to be a "new progressive" sounds suspiciously familiar.
Old progressives, he argued in a speech on Wednesday, "emphasise the power and spending of the central state", while new progressives "focus on the power and freedom of citizens".
Labour and its new leader Ed Miliband he argued, risk becoming the "new conservatives of British politics" as they obsess over income tax distribution, while ignoring the wider social picture, such as access to good public services and life chances.
"For old progressives, reducing snapshot income inequality is the ultimate goal. For new progressives, reducing the barrier to social mobility is," said Mr Clegg.
But the real mark of a "new progressive", he added, was that they believe in coalition governments.
And that, ultimately, is the problem with a word with no fixed meaning - it can be made to mean anything you want.
As Mr Clegg's former Lib Dem colleague, Mark Littlewood, says "progressive" is an example of the "rather vacuous language that has infected modern politics" and "it begs as many questions as it answers".
But if all this has left you yearning for a simpler time when "progressive" really did just mean a long-winded form of rock music, even that movement was not quite the anti-materialistic, hippy enclave that it seemed.
"Touring with Yes was generally great fun and I got on well with the rest of the guys but we were like chalk and cheese in many respects," prog rock keyboard legend Rick Wakeman recently revealed.
"I was unique in the band as a card-carrying Conservative."
Here is a selection of your progressive views.
Brian, if you still associate "prog rock" with 20 minute keyboard solos and long-haired men in capes - then you probably haven't been paying much attention to Prog Rock lately......Like the politicians... it's moved on. Nigel, Plymouth UK
Yet another word has had a reversal of its' own definition. Those using the word progressive are regressive, destroying everything that true progressives have improved. Ian, Derby, England
No mention of the original 'Progressive Conservatives' who were continuously in power in Ontario (Canada) for well over 30 years starting just after WWII. It seems to have worked for them and their opposition were not Socialists but the (original) Liberal Party. Tim, Cambridge UK
"Political ends as sad remains will die" - a line from one Yes song reflecting a consistent theme in the band's work, which emphasised the potential of humanity to achieve a more enlightened and spiritual existence. Some may have believed this was possible in the 60s and early 70s, but will have had that knocked out of them by the events of the next few decades. The latest crop of "progressive" politicians are working with the same ideas that shaped the last thirty years. If we are lucky the next thirty will be no worse. Stuart, Oxford, UK
"Progressives" are people who believe that humankind can be perfected, transformed from a base or fallen state to an enlightened or exalted state. Most modern religions depend on this view, as does Marxist political thought and western humanism. The trouble, of course, is that having a Great Idea on behalf of everyone else usually ends in tragedy - Stalin, Mao, the Crusades, Iraq, Afghanistan... As John Gray so brilliantly outlines in his books - try Straw Dogs - the progressive view is fundamentally flawed. It cannot overcome the species nature of the human animal, and all attempts to do so are chimerical. Give me a non-progressive politician any day. David, Cirencester, UK
"When applied to taxation, progressive simply means hurting the rich more than the poor by taking a progressively bigger slice of their earnings."
In what sense is someone on a million pound salary, losing half in tax and keeping £500,000 'hurt' more than a person earning £15,000 and paying 5% tax?
It should be remembered also that in the 50's and 60's - periods of rapid economic growth - the top bands of tax in the UK and the US were much higher (90% in the US, in fact). At a time of supposedly unavoidable austerity, why aren't these tax bands being reintroduced? And why is corporation tax still going down and not up? Paul, Reading
I think I'd ratter stay with the "progressive" with capes and never ending keyboard solos. They might be Old self-indulgent farts by now, but at least with them, we know what to expect.All this renaming reminds me so much of the "New" Labour that came out with nothing really new. Just sounds like old tosh to me.I say, Rick Wakeman for President. Mike, London, UK
In the US, if you're a Socialist, you call yourself a progressive, because it sounds like you're "for progress", even though in reality, Socialism is completely "regressive", given that it has failed every time that it has been tried, leaving countries economically stagnant or devastated. The only reason why David Cameron calls himself a "progressive", is because he agrees with the morality of collectivist-altruism, which lies at the root of Socialism. How can he oppose an insidious political ideology, such as Socialism, when he can't even bring himself to oppose its moral code? Rougie, London
When I saw the picture on the BBC Homepage, I wasn't sure if it was Rick Wakeman or Boris Johnson. Graham, Kingsbury, London
I understand "progressive" in the context of politics to relate to the word "progress" - literally, continuing towards a goal (presumably of making things better). No matter how disingeniously the term may actually be applied! Andrew, Glasgow, UK
The word "progressive" seems to have lost any real meaning, ("old progressives" is an oxymoron!) despite its left wing connotations. However because it is heavily associated with progress, every movement wants it as their label. Politics now seems like a squabble over semantics in order to please the electorate. Virgil, London, UK
Hopefully all these progressive politicians will end up in the same dinosaur's graveyard as the did those "prog rock" giants of yesteryear. Progressive politician is a prime example of an oxymoron! KG, Manchester
"Progressive" had meaning in UK politics a hundred years ago, before the two world wars dramatically changed the country. How can you be "progressive" if you have to regress a century for it to make sense? In 1946, George Orwell highlighted it as one of those words "often used in a consciously dishonest way" in his famous essay 'Politics and the English Language'. Look at the way self-proclaimed progressives use it. They believe it means fairer, more just, and so forth. This makes it short hand for "I am morally superior to those other people". As Orwell points out, such notions lie at the heart of politics by deception. It is political jargon without clear meaning - the most useless kind of word. Jon, Reading, UK
I remember the era well and I own most of the vinyl to prove it. Listening to the music it seems to me that most of it sounded OK at the time but looking back it never actually went anywhere at all. Perhaps the politicians are making an entirely valid use of the word...... Rodger, Manchester
Surely the term 'Progressive Conservative' is a contradiction in terms. This is especially truegiven that the Con Dem alliance is busily taking us back to an age of even deeper divisions in society where the have nots will never have the opportunity for self improvement that anyone in their mid 30s has had. Rob, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
As the article briefly alludes to, Cameron and Clegg's coimbined use of the word 'progressive' is much more akin to late 19th and early 20th century British usage of the word than it is post-War usage. Since WW2 (at least) it has been regarded as almost uniformly a synonym for 'socialism' or 'social democracy'. Before WW1 and back into the 1880s it tended to be used interchangeably with 'Radical' (which was usually, though not exclusively a factional term for a branch of the Liberal Party). Those who claimed the name stood for ongoing reforms to the constitution and structure of British state and society, opening up access to education, the franchise and opportunities for employment and social betterment and for the 'lower classes' and other previously excluded groups. They were often in favour of handed back governmental conntrol to the regions, away from London-centric vested interests. They could also favour measures that would actively involve the state in financially benefitting the underprivileged, but were not always uniform in this. Very few of them are describable as 'social democrats'. They differed very mcuh among themselves in how much they respected the existing leaders of the nation, and how much they identified with the 'working classes' personally. Tellingly, these 'progressives' ended up scattered across the political spectrum - although some ended up in what became the Labour party, others ended up in what are now the Conseervative and Liberal Democrat party. Maybe this new usage of 'progressive' has had our modern leaders studying the history books?Matt, Bristol, England
Progressive seems to involve taking money from those who work hard, scrimping to get by and hand it to those who rely on the state to do everything for them. The rules are rigged to ensure that those who do the least and put most strain on the system get the most. Anyone who protests that this isnt fair is labelled regressive. Geo, Glasgow
The cynic might conclude that politicians are perfectly happy for the hoi polloi to associate the word "progressive" solely with taxes that squeeze the rich until the pips squeak. They know they can win an election on that, and then with a hurt expression claim that they were misunderstood. They know, too, that most people will not even read their angels-dancing-on-the-head-of-a-pin definitions of what the word means when they use it - and fewer still will be able to make head or tail of them. Ian, Biggleswade, UK
I first noticed an increase in the use of the word "progressive"by Labour politicians after they failed to win the election. It was almost as if they were suffering from Tourettes Syndrome. Unfortunately to me it appears to have become a noise word in the same way that a teenager would "yes, but, no, but"
Geoff, Enderby Leicestershire
Another word that seems to have undergone a change in meaning when it comes to politics is "new". Judging by its recent use, it now seems so mean "not," hence New Labour = Not Labour and the Lib Dems' claim to be "new progressives" says nothing more than they are in fact "not progressives". Cameron, Oxford, UK
'Progressive' in politics? This is really dreadful news. Rick Wakeman a Conservative!!! I'll be returninfg all my 'Yes' and 'Wakeman' Albums. Thomas, Farnham, Surrey
I think Rick Wakeman is great! In the early 1970's he lived in Gerrards Cross. I bought a copy of his Six Wives LP, knocked on his front door and he autographed the cover for me. I still have it (and also on CD as well). Lucy, Brandon, UK
The trouble with any fashionable word is that it becomes a mere slogan without any precise meaning that you can either agree or disagree with, so that it muddles thought rather than clarifies it. 'Progressive' now means no more than something the speaker agrees with; thus you call your own policies progressive, and brand those of your opponent as 'regressive' without any need to show rationally why this is so. In the same way, to call your opponents' ideas 'undemocratic' is to rubbish them out of hand, for who would want to be thought to be against democracy? The use of slogans closes off arguments without the substance being rationally discussed, and is a form of thought manipulation. Trevor, Uxbridge, England
I grew up with progressive music. Recentlly, the organisation I work for was taken over by a Blairite, who gushed about his progessive style of management. Unlike progressive music, it's all down the pan. Many people have left and otjers are totally dissillusioned. A shame. Steve, Cheshire
Also don't forget that in the early and mid 1970s the progressive rockers got so carried away with their 20 minute keyboard solos, capes, whole albums inspired by arcane Hindu scripture, and all other manner of overblown silliness that popular culture revolted and spawned the punk movement. When the current "progressive" political trend dies, who will be the Sex Pistols of politics? John Haywood, Hampshire, England
Progressive rock, by definition is progressive. Looking back at the seventies and saying "That's progrock" isn't really accurate at all. To modern progressive rock standards, what you refer to as "all 20 minute keyboard solos and long-haired men in capes" is (Although very good) mere "rock". British politics however will never be progressive, by definition it is set out to cut lines that differentiate the proletariat and bourgeoisie. The workers and the slavedrivers. In this country you're worth what you're born into, daddy's bank balance and the skin on your back. Any exceptions are anomalies. T, Yorkish
Don't you just love the way politicians squabble over buzz words! The more so recently. I think it is a demonstration of how pivotal the centre ground has come to mean in UK politics in the last 15 years. The Blairites used to love to use the term radical which had very much come to the fore in the Thatcher years even though there was absolutely nothing seriously radical about any of their policies. They did however openly commit to and steal the Tory policies in order to win the middle ground. The word "progressive" did indeed take centre stage in the recent election. When defining the meaning of "progressive", in the political sense, I think of it as defining policies for change, quite literally "progress" and not for remaining with the status quo. In that sense I think David Cameron and the coalition have every right to use the word since they have already broken the mould and set up a coalition government. This might indeed be progress to get away from the bi-lateral bickering between government and opposition. At the same time I see nothing progressive about Labour's policies, which seem to be drifting back into the past. Phil, Milton Keynes
Progressive rock was (and still is) simply a term for music that pushed the boundaries of what was considered possible. It moved music forward a generation in about 5 years until some bands decided money was more important than the music. For politicians to call themselves progressive, they have to change society for the better in a radical way. The Conservatives and Labour parties are too tied to vested interests to do this. The Lib Dems might have done so, but change frightens the electorate too much to let them win outright. Tony, York
In the Court of the Cameron King, Close to the Clegg, Tales of Torygraphic Oceans, Wish you were Peer, Selling England for a Pound Jon, Vale of Glamorgan
I suppose politicians like this word precisely because it is so vague and can be bent to mean anything they really want it to. Speaking for myself though, whenever I hear a politician using this I equate it with being extremely old fashioned - especially when someone from the socialist left uses it (it just seems mildly embarrassing when our current government use it). I'm not sure why the word has these connotations to me - I am no fan of Wakeman et al's odious rock operas - but in politics I don't really connect the two. It just sounds like a very weak and tired word. "Progressive" just seems like the user of the word is trying too hard to appear modern while in reality being completely outdated and irrelevant. I wonder if I'm the only one who feels that way?
Maybe we need punk politics or new wave politics? At least new wave to me sounds new rather than tired. Maybe someone can wake me up when we get to Acid Politics? John, York
An interesting article. Wakeman has long been known as a Conservative Party supporter and fund-raiser. Yes collectively up-rooted themselves and moved to Switzerland in the late '70s - for tax reasons and Rush founding member Neal Peart is a fan of novelist Ayn Rand. 'Progressive' might well be a political phrase du jour but 'Progressive' is also still very much synonymous with Progressive Rock.Darran, St Helier Jersey | If you still associate the word "progressive" with "prog rock" - all 20 minute keyboard solos and long-haired men in capes - then you probably haven't been paying attention to the news much lately. |
36,284,487 | Andrew Davies, 36, was in a Krakow bar when he was attacked with the liquid, thought to be a cleaning product.
He was treated for third degree burns to his face, upper body and ankle and will require months of treatment after flying home on 7 May.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have provided assistance to a British man who was hospitalised in Krakow."
Mr Davies' brother Steve claimed the group was attacked after a row over faeces left on the wall of a toilet.
The group had gone into the bar to use the toilet, but Steve Davies, 39, said they left after seeing the mess.
But he said they were blamed for it and had the chemical thrown over them they sat in a beer garden 10 minutes later.
"It was an industrial alkaline - some kind of cleaning product," said Steve Davies.
"One of the boys was burned on his ankle, another on his leg and another on his arm."
Since returning to Manselton, Swansea, father-of-two Mr Davies has received further treatment at the city's Morriston Hospital.
Steve Davies said he believed someone had been charged in connection with the incident and his brother would speak to a solicitor about any other action. | Chemicals were thrown in the face of a Swansea man on a stag weekend in Poland, his brother has said. |
35,121,668 | The Portuguese manager took charge of the club in 2013 for the second time.
Last season Chelsea finished as Premier League champions and also won the League Cup.
But had a bad start to their defence, losing nine of their 16 league games so far this season.
Mourinho's final match was Monday's 2-1 defeat at leaders Leicester City.
Pep Guardiola, Guus Hiddink, Brendan Rodgers and Juande Ramos have all been rumoured to be in the running to take over at the club. | Chelsea have sacked Jose Mourinho seven months after he led them to the Premier League title. |
37,088,174 | Hills Quarry Products wants to dig out 2.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel from an Oxfordshire site over 10 years.
The Culham Science Centre (CSC), which is close to the site near Clifton Hampden and home to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, has objected.
In a letter, the centre said its "sensitive equipment" could be affected adversely by "wind borne dust".
It added: "The environmental impact assessment submitted by the applicant completely fails to recognise the importance of CSC, and hence also completely fails to assess the impact that the quarry might have on the site."
The site is also home to the Joint European Torus, which experiments with fusion, with an aim to create clean, almost limitless energy.
A spokesman at the centre said: "Our main concern is that Hills Quarry Products have not provided sufficient evidence on the impact of dust from the proposed quarry on operations at the Culham site.
"We have raised this in our submission to Oxfordshire County Council and trust that the planning process will ensure our concerns are addressed.
South Oxfordshire District Council urged Oxfordshire County Council to take account of a "number of issues of strategic importance" including the "risk of adverse impact to initiatives and investment associated with the Science Vale area".
Giles Baxter, from campaign group Burcot and Clifton Hampden Protection of the River Thames (Bachport), said: "The fears expressed by Culham and the Environment Agency come on top of the strong opposition from local villages.
Oxfordshire County Council said the application was being processed and would be determined by its planning and regulation committee "in due course".
A spokesman for Hills Quarry Products said the potential for dust emissions was "minimal" and consultants were in touch with the science centre to "gain a better understanding of their concerns". | Scientists are concerned dust from a planned quarry could affect their nuclear fusion experiments. |
35,939,898 | Ryan McAnespie and Daniel McKenna replace Vinny Corey and Kieran Hughes, who struggled to make an impact in last weekend's Clones defeat by Kerry.
Even a win may not be enough to prevent Monaghan from being relegated.
Donegal are not themselves safe in Division One but a win is likely to earn them a semi-final place.
After two opening wins, Monaghan have lost their last four games to slide deep into relegation trouble while early Division One pacesetters Donegal go into the match on the back of three straight defeats.
If Mayo, as expected, hand Down a seventh straight defeat at Castlebar and Cork avoid defeat against Kerry at Tralee, Monaghan will be relegated even if they beat Donegal.
Matters are just as tight in Division Two with Cavan needing to avoid defeat by Galway at Breffni Park to secure promotion alongside Tyrone.
Fermanagh need to beat the Red Hands at Enniskillen to be absolutely certain of avoiding the drop while Armagh may need a big win over Derry at the Athletic Grounds to retain their Division Two spot with bottom-placed Laois facing Meath in another big relegation clash at Portlaoise.
Armagh will go down along with Meath if they both lose against Derry and Laois but a Fermanagh defeat plus wins for Armagh and Meath will see the Ernemen and Laois dropping to Division Three.
Derry are not mathematically safe but anything other than a heavy defeat at the Athletic Grounds should be enough to keep Damian Barton's side in Division Two.
Barton makes two change in personnel from the draw with Meath with Emmet Bradley and Niall Loughlin replacing Shane Heavron and Emmet McGuckin.
A positional switch sees Mark Lynch moving from midfield to full-forward.
Fermanagh showed tremendous battling qualities to earn a draw in Galway last weekend, in a result which did no favours to Armagh's chances of avoiding the drop.
Niall Cassidy is suspended for Fermanagh after his dismissal against Galway so Marty O'Brien is drafted into the full-back.
Pete McGrath has opted to make three other changes with the McCusker brothers Declan and Paul and Daniel Teague drafted in and Ryan McCluskey, Aidan Breen and Ruairi Corrigan making way.
Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney has kept faith with the side which earned a battling draw against Tyrone last week after hitting an injury-time goal.
Defender Ronan McNamee is in the Tyrone team for Sunday's Division Two clash with Fermanagh after recovering from an ankle injury.
The full-back replaces Padraig Hampsey in one of four changes made by manager Mickey Harte from the side that started against Armagh last weekend.
Mickey O'Neill replaces Niall Morgan as Harte continues rotating his keepers.
Barry Tierney is preferred at wing-back to Niall Sludden while Padraig McNulty is in for the injured Peter Harte.
Harte has been ruled out by the shoulder injury which forced him out after just five minutes of the drawn clash with the Orchard men at Healy Park.
The Red Hands have already secured promotion and a place in the league final, but they will be looking to extend an 11-game unbeaten run.
Already-promoted sides Antrim and Louth meet at Corrigan Park in a dress-rehearsal for the Division Four final which will take place on Saturday, 23 April.
Monaghan: R Beggan; C Walshe, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, F Kelly, K O'Connell; N McAdam, D Hughes; S Carey, D Malone, T Kerr; R McAnespie, D McKenna, C McManus. Subs: M Keogh, C Boyle, J McCarron, K Duffy, V Corey, D Clerkin, K Hughes, O Duffy, C McCarthy, B McGinn, F McGeough.
Armagh: P Morrison; A Mallon, C Vernon, S Heffron; M Shields, S Connell, J McElroy; A Forker, E Rafferty; R Grugan, M McKenna, C O'Hanlon; C Watters, S Campbell, G McParland. Subs: M McNeice, S Sheridan, P Casey, M Murray, A Findon, R McCaughley, S Forker, N Grimley, T Kernan, N McConville, J Hall.
Derry: T Mallon; O Duffy, C McKaigue, K McKaigue; G McKinless, B Rogers, D Heavron; C McAtamney, Emmet Bradley; B Heron, C Bradley, J Kielt; N Loughlin, M Lynch, SL McGoldrick.
Tyrone: M O'Neill, A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron, B Tierney, R Brennan, T McCann, C Cavanagh, M Donnelly, P McNulty, R O'Neill, R Donnelly, D McCurry, S Cavanagh, C McAliskey.
Fermanagh: C Snow; M Jones, C Cullen, M O'Brien; D McCusker, J McMahon, D Kelly; E Donnelly, B Mulrone; P McCusker, R Jones, R Lyons; D Teague, Sean Quigley, T Corrigan.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday
Division Four
Waterford 0-10 1-06
Sunday - 14:00 unless stated
Division One
Monaghan v Donegal, Castleblayney
Roscommon v Dublin, Dr Hyde Park
Kerry v Cork, Tralee
Mayo v Down, McHale Park
Division Two
Fermanagh v Tyrone, Brewster Park
Cavan v Galway, Breffni Park
Armagh v Derry, Athletic Grounds
Laois v Meath, Portlaoise
Division Three
Longford v Westmeath, Pearse Park
Limerick v Offaly, Newcastlewest
Kildare v Clare, Newbridge
Sligo v Tipperary, Markievicz Park
Division Four
London v Wicklow, Ruislip, 13:30
Antrim v Louth, Corrigan Park, 13:30
Wexford v Carlow, Wexford Park, Carlow | Monaghan boss Malachy O'Rourke has made two changes to his attack for Sunday's must-win Division One Football League game against Donegal at Castleblayney. |
36,999,835 | The International Paralympic Committee will announce any punishment at a news conference at 16:00 BST.
The IPC said reports it had banned Russia were "pure speculation".
It "opened suspension proceedings" against Russia following a report that claimed the country had operated a state-sponsored doping programme.
Former World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) president Dick Pound has called on the IPC to ban Russia from the Paralympics, which start on 7 September.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose not to ban Russia ahead of the Olympics, which began on Friday.
The IOC was asked by Wada to impose a blanket ban on Russian athletes for the Olympic Games in Rio following the release of the McLaren report.
Instead, each individual sporting federation was given the power to decide if Russian competitors were clean to compete.
A three-person IOC panel then had the final say.
More than 270 Russian athletes were cleared to compete at the Olympics.
Some banned athletes are still appealing against the decision to block their involvement at the Games.
Commissioned by Wada, it looked into claims by Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Russia's national anti-doping laboratory.
He alleged he doped dozens of athletes in the run-up to the 2014 Winter Games with the help of the Russian government, which he said exploited its host status to subvert the drug-testing programme.
Rodchenkov, now in hiding in the United States, also alleged he doped athletes before the 2012 Games in London, the 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow and the 2015 World Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia. | Russia's Paralympians will learn on Sunday if they are to be allowed to compete in Rio following the country's doping scandal. |
25,191,316 | That is the conclusion of scientists after reviewing all the pictures and other data gathered in the deep impact bowl by Nasa's Curiosity rover.
Chemolithoautotrophs do not need light to function; instead, they break down rocks and minerals for energy.
On Earth, they exist underground, in caves and at the bottom of the ocean.
In Mars' Gale Crater, such organisms would have found just as conducive a setting, and one that the scientists now think could have lasted for many millions of years.
"For all of us geologists who are very familiar with what the early Earth must have been like, what we see in Gale really doesn't look much different," Curiosity chief scientist Prof John Grotzinger told BBC News.
He was speaking here in San Francisco at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, the largest annual gathering of Earth and planetary researchers.
His team is providing the conference with a status update on the rover, while simultaneously publishing six scholarly papers online in the journal Science.
Some of what is described in these papers, we have heard before. But there is now additional detail that should lend credibility to the earlier claims.
Most of the discussion centres on a six-month investigation of a shallow depression in the crater floor close to the robot's August 2012 landing site.
Known as Yellowknife bay, this topographic low has been shown through the drilling and chemical analysis of rock samples to contain ancient mudstones.
Today, they are cold, dry and dusty, but their sediments were originally laid down in water that flowed in streams and eventually pooled into a lake.
It is clear the conditions at the time of deposition would have been more than suitable for a wide range of microbial lifeforms.
The scientists can tell that water - the "lubricant" of life - was significant and persistent in Gale, and that it must have been broadly neutral in pH, and not at all briney.
Much of this is evident from the presence of clay minerals, which tend to form only under particular conditions.
"I think what's very important here is that we've now made the case that these clay minerals were formed in situ," said Prof Grotzinger.
"They were not detrital; they were not blown in. They are representative of the aqueous environment that is suggested by the [look of the rocks], and that environment would have been a habitable one."
Key to this habitability is the availability of essential elements, such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorous. Curiosity has found them all to be present, and in a form that microbes could have accessed.
The robot also detects minerals and compounds in various states of oxidation, which organisms could have exploited in simple reactions to obtain the energy needed to drive metabolism.
The depression where Curiosity found the mudstones is only about 60m across, but the geologists on the science team believe this is just one small exposed area, and that the rock member (it has been dubbed "Sheepbed") may extend up to 30 square km or more, hidden beneath other sediments.
The thickness of the mudstone layer also hints at the length of time the water might have been present.
Curiosity scientists estimate this to be perhaps hundreds to thousands of years, just based on the visible Sheepbed layers. When the other rocks lying on top of the mudstones are taken into account - rocks that unmistakably also have been touched by water at some point - it is entirely plausible the wet environments in Gale persisted from millions to tens of millions of years.
"Even if a surface lake dries up temporarily, there should still be groundwater in the shallow subsurface," said Prof Grotzinger. "And because we're advocating chemolithoautotrophy and not photoautotrophy, those chemolithoautotrophs should be just fine down in the groundwater, and when the lake comes back again they just rise up to the surface and carry on."
And there are some tighter constraints now on when in Mars' history these benign conditions existed, because Curiosity has been able to date the mudstones by measuring the ratio of radioactive potassium and argon atoms found within them. The result is 4.21 billion years (plus or minus 350 million years).
"It's been a dream to do radiometric dating on Mars," said Curiosity participating scientist Prof Ken Farley. "Prior to these measurements, the only way you could determine time was by counting impact craters, using a model derived from Earth's Moon where rocks have actually been dated. The model is then scaled to Mars, but it is quite uncertain," he told BBC News.
Care has to be taken in interpreting the Curiosity result, however. It refers to the age of the source minerals in the sediments washed into the lake and not the actual time of the mudstones' deposition. This would probably have been several hundred million years later.
A different technique also reveals when erosion exposed the mudstone surface seen on the planet today. This was about 78 million years ago (give or take 30 million years) - very recent, geologically speaking.
The result is significant because it will guide the strategy on where Curiosity should drill in future to find organic (carbon-rich) molecules.
Their detection is a goal of the mission, but they are easily degraded in Mars' harsh radiation environment.
The dating work, however, tells the science team to look for locations that are very freshly eroded, even more recently than the Sheepbed drilling points. Organics could very well survive in such places just a few centimetres below the surface.
Organic molecules are important because they bear down further on the habitability question. All life as we know it trades on complex carbon chemistry.
[email protected] and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos | The ancient lake environment found in Mars' Gale Crater could have supported microbes called chemolithoautotrophs - if they had been present. |
39,844,981 | Evans, 28, last played for the Blades in 2012 before he was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison.
That conviction was quashed and, following a re-trial in October 2016, Evans was found not guilty.
"I still feel I have plenty to prove in football both at club and international level," said the Wales striker.
"I believe I can achieve those goals at United, playing in front of the terrific fans whose support I have always appreciated."
Evans joined Chesterfield last summer and scored seven goals in 29 games for the relegated League One side this season.
Evans scored 48 times in 113 games in all competitions in his first spell with Sheffield United, who will play in the Championship in 2017-18 after winning the third-tier title.
He last won an international cap in March 2011, coming on as a substitute against England.
BBC Radio Sheffield reported on 24 April that the deal could be worth about £500,000.
Having first joined Sheffield United from Manchester City for £3m in 2009, Evans was prolific in his final season with the club, scoring 35 times in 42 appearances.
Following his release in October 2014, having served two and a half years of his prison sentence, the Blades revoked an initial offer to allow him to use their training facilities after 170,000 people signed an online petition against the move.
United's main shirt sponsor threatened to end their association with the club if they re-signed Evans, three club patrons resigned, while Olympic heptathlon champion Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill wanted her name removed from a stand named after her if the striker was offered a contract.
Evans has rejoined the Blades after their six-year stint in League One came to an end with promotion in April.
"The signing is just one element of the plans we have drawn up for next season," Blades boss Chris Wilder told the club website.
"We have done our homework on the player. We pride ourselves on team spirit - as the fans have seen this season - and plan to bring in players who can be part of that.
"Ched comes to us with targets to achieve along the way. With a full pre-season with us, we believe he can provide us with options up front and score goals."
Chesterfield offered Evans a return to professional football in June 2016, two months after his conviction was quashed, saying "a great deal of thought" had gone into the signing.
"I am very grateful to Chesterfield, the board and football management for giving me an opportunity to return to the game," added Evans, who nearly joined Oldham Athletic in January 2015 before the League One club pulled out of the deal following threats to their staff and pressure from sponsors.
"It is just disappointing that it has come in a season which has seen the club suffer relegation. I would like to thank the Chesterfield fans who made me feel so welcome."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Chesterfield striker Ched Evans has completed his return to Sheffield United, signing a three-year contract. |
40,545,524 | Ellie Piggott, Gemma Hall, Maddie Arlett and Robyn Hart-Winks finished ahead of Japan in a race won by Australia in Lucerne, Switzerland.
"We've all done a lot in doubles this season. It's the first time we've come together in this boat," said Piggott.
Britain's men's four won their semi-final to qualify for Sunday's final.
Meanwhile, Vicky Thornley battled through a tough semi-final in the women's single scull.
The women's quad, women's four and women's eight have also progress to medal finals.
Sunday 9 July. All times BST
09:15-11:15 and 12:30-14:25, BBC Red Button and online
16:30-17:30, Highlights BBC Two (repeat, 21:25-22:25, BBC Red Button) | Great Britain won their first medal in the final leg of the 2017 World Cup series after securing silver in the lightweight women's quadruple scull. |
22,601,881 | The findings for 2012 spoke of an increase in anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and Asia.
It also said there was growing anti-Semitism, especially in Venezuela, Egypt and Iran.
As he unveiled the report, US Secretary of State John Kerry appointed a new special envoy on anti-Semitism.
Ira Foreman was named to replace Michael Kozak in the role, which was first created in 2004.
Mr Foreman was in charge of appealing to Jewish voters on behalf of President Barack Obama ahead of last November's election.
The International Religious Freedom Report, released on Monday, noted that in Egypt, anti-Semitic sentiment in the media sometimes included Holocaust denial or glorification.
It also mentioned an incident on 19 October when Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said "amen" to a religious leader's call upon Allah to "destroy the Jews and their supporters".
Government-controlled media in Venezuela, meanwhile, had published numerous anti-Semitic statements, including in opposition to a Catholic presidential candidate with Jewish ancestors.
The report also noted the Iranian government's frequent denunciations of Judaism.
"Even well into the 21st Century, traditional forms of anti-Semitism, such as conspiracy theories, use of the discredited myth of 'blood libel' and cartoons demonizing Jews continued to flourish," the report said.
It found that Muslims faced new restrictions in Belgium, which had banned face-covering religious attire in classrooms.
The report also raised concern at the restricting of headscarves in schools in Mangalore, India.
A section on Burma highlighted sustained violence and discrimination against Rohingya Muslims. The report was released as Burmese President Thein Sein met Mr Obama in the White House.
It also highlighted the targeting of Islamic minorities in majority Muslim countries.
There had been rising violence against Shia and Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, discrimination against non-Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and the arrest and harassment of Sunni Muslims in Iran, the report said.
Mr Kerry said the findings also pointed to a rise in apostasy laws, which he said were frequently used to repress dissent or settle personal vendettas.
The report cites the example of a mentally disabled Christian girl who was jailed for over a month in Pakistan on blasphemy charges until she was freed amid domestic and international condemnation.
The report also found:
As he unveiled the report in Washington DC, Mr Kerry acknowledged that America's own record was not perfect, but said religious freedom was a "universal value".
"The freedom to profess and practise one's faith - to believe or not to believe, or to change one's beliefs - that is a birthright of every human being," he said.
"I urge all countries, especially those identified in this report, to take action now to safeguard this fundamental freedom." | Discrimination against Jews and Muslims is on the rise around the world, according to an annual US Department of State report. |
33,010,375 | The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh warned that being overweight may now be considered "the norm".
It claimed a tax would help fund the "spiralling" healthcare costs associated with the problem.
The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) insisted that the case is "not compelling".
It cited research which suggested a 20% tax would save just four calories per day.
Liverpool University chair of clinical epidemiology, Simon Capewell, is due to speak at a conference on the issue in Edinburgh later, entitled: "Obesity: A 21st Century Epidemic".
Professor Capewell will cite Mexico as one example where a 10% sugary drinks tax is believed to have contributed to a 10% reduction in the consumption of such beverages while Finland, France, Hungary, Latvia and the USA have also introduced sugar taxes.
He said: "The revenues raised can then be invested back into initiatives to increase children's health in these countries, as is happening in Mexico.
"Scotland has an excellent track record in addressing public health issues. Notable achievements include smoke-free public places and proposals for minimum unit pricing for alcohol. We need to explore how these developments could be repeated with sugary drinks."
Gavin Partington, BSDA director general, said: "The efforts by soft drinks companies including product reformulation, smaller pack sizes and increased promotion of low and no-calorie drinks have led to a 7% reduction in calories from soft drinks in the last three years.
"It's also worth noting that politicians in Belgium and Denmark rejected the notion of a tax in 2013 and the experience in France shows that while sales of soft drinks initially fell after a tax was introduced in 2012, they have increased since." | Doctors have called for the introduction of a tax on sugary food and drinks to tackle what they describe as an "obesity epidemic". |
40,848,779 | Tesco sells about 700 million single-use carrier bags a year, the highest among the major supermarkets, but sales will end in stores on 28 August.
The supermarket said the decision followed a trial which led to a 25% cut in bag sales.
Charges for plastic bags have been in place in the UK since October 2015.
In 2011, Wales started charging 5p per bag and saw a 71% drop in the number used by customers. Northern Ireland introduced charges in 2013, followed by Scotland in 2014. England was the last country in the UK to charge, recording an 83% drop in use.
Tesco conducted a 10-week trial in Aberdeen, Dundee and Norwich in May. Plastic, single-use bags were withdrawn leaving shoppers with the choice of bringing their own or buying a "bag for life".
That will now be a permanent move at stores across the UK. The more expensive bags are made from 94% recycled plastic and will be exchanged without charge when damaged, the supermarket says.
Online shoppers can still opt to receive their deliveries in single-use carrier bags after store sales end, Tesco says, although just over half already choose a bagless delivery.
Sales of the more expensive "bags for life" fund grants for community projects - similar to other supermarkets' charity donations following the introduction of plastic bag charging.
Tesco said that its scheme had paid £33m to more than 6,400 groups.
Matt Davies, UK and Irish Republic chief executive at Tesco, said: "The number of bags being bought by our customers has already reduced dramatically. [This] move will help our customers use even fewer bags but ensure that those sold in our stores continue to fund thousands of community projects across the country chosen by customers."
Sainsbury's scrapped single-use bags from stores when carrier bag charges were introduced.
Louise Edge, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "It is great to see major retailers moving away from disposable plastic. For too long we've seen plastic as something to be used once and thrown away. But there is no such place as 'away' - and millions of tonnes of plastic are ending up in our rivers, beaches, streets and in the sea every year, harming marine life.
"The plastic bag charge has done wonders for reducing the number of bags polluting our coastlines and waters. Now we need to see the same for throwaway plastic bottles - a deposit return scheme which encourages collection." | Tesco will stop the sale of 5p carrier bags across the UK in three weeks' time, and will instead offer 10p "bags for life" to shoppers. |
37,025,532 | For two weeks last month gunmen held hostages at a police compound in the capital Yerevan.
Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied every night in support of the gunmen and many accused Russia of meddling in Armenia's affairs.
"Today all the processes in our country are governed from outside. I am speaking about Russia," said Tigran Khzmalyan, addressing a crowd on the steps of Yerevan's Opera House on 31 July.
With a loudspeaker in one hand, and his smartphone in the other, he was reading a message published online by the armed group known as the Daredevils of Sassoun.
Armenia hosts a Russian military base and considers itself Russia's strategic ally in the Caucasus. Armenian-Russian friendship, based on common Christian roots, dates back centuries.
Much of the Armenian economy is Russian-owned or controlled, including the energy sector and railways.
Daredevils of Sassoun - named after a medieval Armenian epic poem - seized a police compound on 17 July, killing one policeman and barricading themselves inside with hostages.
"We want the people, and the international community, to realise that this is a national liberation movement against Russian colonialism," their message said.
Soon after that Mr Khzmalyan told the crowd that the group had surrendered. "Heroes, heroes!" people cheered.
Many of the Daredevils are veterans of Armenia's 1990s war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. The disputed mountainous territory is officially part of Azerbaijan, but held by Armenian separatists.
Nagorno-Karabakh profile
Fighting mood grips Armenians
BBC visits Azerbaijan's side of frontline
Now in custody, the war veterans can expect long jail sentences. But their supporters continue daily demonstrations.
Many Armenians sympathise with their cause, including a call for President Serge Sarkisian to resign. He was rumoured to be willing to surrender some Armenian-controlled territory to Azerbaijan in exchange for a peace deal.
For Tigran Khzmalyan, the group's call to fight against "Russian colonialism" was the most important message to emerge from this crisis.
He said many Armenians "realised that the real enemy is not the local administration, which is manipulated by Moscow - the real target is the Kremlin, it's the KGB [Soviet-era secret police]".
There was renewed fighting in April between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in which an estimated 200 people - soldiers and civilians - died. It was the worst outbreak of violence in more than 20 years.
The Kremlin helped to broker a ceasefire on 5 April, but Russia's supply of arms to both Armenia and Azerbaijan has reignited a debate about Armenia's relationship with Russia.
On 14 April demonstrators marched on the Russian embassy in Yerevan and threw eggs at it, angered by what they considered Russian duplicity.
Russia has sold more than $4bn (£3bn) worth of weapons to Azerbaijan in recent years. But Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has argued that supplying arms to both sides acts as a deterrent, creating a "balance of forces" in the region.
In a deal earlier this year Russia agreed to provide a $200m loan to Armenia to buy Russian weapons, including multiple-launch rocket systems and anti-tank missiles.
Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan says the Armenia-Russia relationship continues to yield benefits.
"Russia sells gas to Armenia far below market prices, and we buy arms from Russia at their internal market prices, which is very important for us."
President Sarkisian is expected in Moscow for talks on Wednesday. He may come under pressure to do a peace deal with Azerbaijan.
But wary of growing unease at home he has publicly stated that there is no room for compromise.
"Nagorno-Karabakh will never be part of Azerbaijan. Never. I repeat again - it is out of the question," he said recently. | Armenia has maintained a special relationship with Russia since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but a recent hostage siege revealed an undercurrent of anti-Russian feeling. |
34,671,273 | Their headline pay offer is worth 1% - but some want big rises to even out inequalities between different colleges.
The row comes amid continuing debate over the impact of a huge shake-up in the college system.
Overall budgets have fallen, colleges have merged and there are far fewer part time students.
National pay bargaining has been re-introduced for college lecturers for the first time in decades.
But according to the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association (FELA) there are still widespread disparities between pay at different colleges.
The union argues staff at some colleges are receiving £7,000 a year less than others doing the same job somewhere else.
The union wants all unpromoted lecturers to earn up to £40,386, amounting to an uplift of between 3.3% and 25% across the best and worst-paying colleges.
The EIS FELA will decide what steps to take next at a conference later this month. But general secretary Larry Flanagan believes industrial action is likely unless progress is made.
He said "Scotland's college lecturers deserve a fair pay award.
"It is simply unacceptable for the management side to drag the pay round for almost a year, only to then offer exactly the same cash-terms percentage pay rise that was previously proposed and rejected. It is also extremely disappointing that the final offer reinforces the pay imbalance across the sector.
"The pay gap is already extremely wide, amounting to almost a £7,000 difference in some cases, for lecturers doing the same job in different colleges.
"This is not what Scotland's further education lecturers hoped for or expected from a return to national bargaining, and the management across the sector must now rethink both their negotiation tactics and their unrealistic pay offer. The Scottish government should also now take action to ensure a satisfactory outcome to this process."
The threat of a national pay dispute comes at a time when the whole college sector is under scrutiny.
Colleges have gone through a huge shake up in recent years. A series of mergers to create what have been dubbed "regional supercolleges" led to 1,000 job losses.
Earlier this week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon argued colleges were now "fit for the future" when she opened City of Glasgow College's new riverside campus.
But critics contend that there is little evidence to suggest the mergers have actually benefited students. Colleges now focus primarily on recognised qualifications, mostly for young people, but there are far fewer part time places.
Earlier this month, members of the governing body at Glasgow Clyde College were fired by Education Secretary Angela Constance. There had been a longstanding row at the college where the principal was suspended in February.
There have also been concerns about the pay offs at some colleges. A particular concern involves the former Coatbridge College where there have been allegations of collusion.
John Doyle, the college's former principal, and John Gray, the former chairman of the college board, defended themselves at Holyrood's Public Audit Committee on Wednesday.
Mr Doyle, who earned £116,000 a year by the end of his service, received 30 months' pay in total. Mr Doyle and six others shared half of a £1.7m severance pot between them.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she was personally "appalled" by the pay-offs, which Auditor General Caroline Gardner described as one of the most serious failures in governance she has ever encountered.
Mr Doyle told MSPs his reputation had been unfairly trashed. | College lecturers across Scotland are set to consider taking industrial action over pay. |
35,954,950 | So when he arrived for the Bahrain Grand Prix in a traditional local dress, it was perhaps no surprise that he managed to pull it off.
But he's not the first. Oh no - Lewis follows a rich tradition. Formula 1 and style statements go together just fabulously, as we can demonstrate in this stunning parade of racers. | Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Anna Wintour... Lewis Hamilton has met all the fashionistas who matter. |
36,237,748 | The Etixx-Quick Step rider pulled ahead in the final 150m of the 190km stage between Arnhem and Nijmegen before easing over the line.
Frenchman Arnaud Demare (FDJ) finished second, with Italian Sacha Modolo (Lampre) third.
Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) retains the leaders's pink jersey after winning Friday's opening stage.
No British riders are competing in the race for the second year in a row.
Sunday's third stage - taking the riders 189km from Nijmegen to Arnhem - is also expected to be won in a sprint finish.
Stage two result
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Etixx-Quick-Step) 4hrs 38mins 31secs
2. Arnaud Demare (Fra/FDJ) same time
3. Sacha Modolo (Ita/Lampre)
4. Moreno Hofland (Ned/LottoNL)
5. Nicola Ruffoni (Ita/Bardiani Valvole)
Overall classification
1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Giant) 4hrs 49mins 34secs
2. Primoz Roglic (Slov/LottoNL) same time
3. Marcel Kittel (Ger/Etixx - Quick-Step) +1sec
4. Andrey Amador (Crc/Movistar) +6secs
5. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe/Giant) +8secs | Germany's Marcel Kittel dominated a sprint finish to win the second stage of the 99th Giro d'Italia. |
32,114,531 | Mr Hammarskjold died in a plane crash in what is now Zambia in 1961, but the cause of the crash has been disputed.
There have been claims that the plane was shot down, but a previous UN enquiry did not reach a definitive conclusion.
The Swedish diplomat was on his way to negotiate a ceasefire in the breakaway Congolese state of Katanga.
He was trying to mediate between Congo's Soviet-backed government and Moise Tshombe, who had declared independence for the mineral-rich province of Katanga.
He was flying to Ndola, in what was then Northern Rhodesia, to meet Mr Tshombe, who was backed by former colonial power Belgium and some Western mining interests.
The UN set up this new enquiry after a group of independent investigators said that there was significant new evidence concerning Hammarskjold's death.
They said the evidence was "persuasive" that "the aircraft was subjected to some form of attack".
The commission said that the US National Security Agency (NSA) might hold crucial evidence.
It said that given the NSA's worldwide monitoring activities at that time, "it is highly likely" that the radio traffic on 18-19 September 1961 was recorded by the NSA and possibly also by the CIA.
The report said: "Authenticated recordings of any such cockpit narrative or radio messages, if located, would furnish potentially conclusive evidence of what happened."
The UN panel will now assess this new information and report back by the end of June. | A United Nations enquiry into the mysterious death of its former head Dag Hammarskjold is due to open. |
36,399,224 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The British number one, who has reached the semi-finals in each of the past two years, was dominant in recording a 6-1 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win.
He broke Karlovic's opening serve in each of the first two sets before sealing victory in a tie-break.
The Scot will play another big server in the next round after American John Isner beat Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.
"It was very close, especially in the third set," Murray said. "He fought right to the end.
"I started quickly and obviously it is great to get off court in a relatively quick match."
British number two Aljaz Bedene will attempt to follow his compatriot into the fourth round when he takes on world number one and top seed Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
Relive Murray's dominant performance
Latest scores from Roland Garros
Murray was understandably delighted to win in swift time - he wrapped up the first set in 24 minutes and the second in 39 - after a difficult start to the tournament.
He was taken to five sets by both Radek Stepanek and Mathias Bourgue in the opening two rounds, but was quick to take control in this match.
He set the tone with an outrageous lob over 6ft 11in Karlovic on his way to breaking the 37-year-old in his opening service game.
That tactic continued to pay dividends for Murray as he drew the Croat to the net and deftly clipped the ball out of his reach on a number of occasions.
Karlovic, the oldest player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since Jimmy Connors in 1991, was more resolute in the final set but Murray bided his time before finishing the job in the tie-break.
His opponent did not have a single chance to break serve in the entire match.
It was a far from taxing contest, with the short rallies welcome after previous exertions. Of the 174 points the two played, only 22 comprised more than four shots.
BBC Sport tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
"Murray played like a man who had an excellent night's sleep. His serve was back in the groove and the belief back in his groundstrokes.
"He did not face a single break point, and played a very composed tie-break to complete the quick win he so craved: chasing a lob to hit a backhand crosscourt winner in the first point of the tie-break provided the spark required.
"Karlovic took a while to find his rhythm on serve (hardly surprising at the age of 37 and after a four-and-a-half-hour match on Wednesday), but he became increasingly fluent and it was notable how Murray was able to maintain his high level from beginning to end."
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Andy Murray eased into the last 16 of the French Open with a straight-set victory over big-serving Ivo Karlovic. |
38,296,397 | Swinburn, who friends say died peacefully at home, retired from riding in 2000 before becoming a trainer.
He was just 19 when he won the Derby on Shergar in 1981.
Major events were his speciality and his confidence and nerves of steel in the saddle suited those occasions perfectly
Swinburn also won the Derby on Shahrastani in 1986 and Lammtarra in 1995. Other big-race successes included the Oaks, 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
He took over a training licence from his father-in-law, Peter Harris, in 2004 and went on to send out over 260 winners from his yard in Tring, Hertfordshire, before quitting in 2011.
He claimed one of the biggest victories of his training career earlier in 2011 when Julienas won the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot.
Some of the sport's biggest names have been paying tribute to Swinburn.
Twenty-time champion jump jockey AP McCoy called him a "genius in the saddle", while fellow rider Frankie Dettori, a two-time Derby winner, said: "Very saddened to hear the shocking news of Walter Swinburn passing away. A true talent and gentleman, thoughts are with his family."
Senior jockey Steve Drowne tweeted: "Shocking and sobering news of Walter Swinburn the owner of talent that most jockeys can only dream of #ripwally."
Top trainer David Pipe also took to social media to say: "Shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Walter Swinburn. RIP."
Trainer James Fanshawe, who worked with Swinburn at Sir Michael Stoute's yard, said Swinburn was "a brilliant jockey".
"He had the most sympathetic pair of hands as a rider. He was a real horseman and was good on the most difficult of horses," he added.
Trainer Richard Hannon said Swinburn was "one of the best we have seen", while ex-jockey Michael Hills said he was "devastated" to hear of the death of a "great friend" who was a "genius in the saddle".
BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght
Walter Swinburn was one of the most supremely gifted and successful jockeys in flat racing during the 1980s and 1990s, winning a string of major prizes in Britain and across the world before retiring in 2000.
It was the major events that were his speciality and his confidence and nerves of steel in the saddle suited those occasions perfectly.
Aged just 19 and looking so youthful he was nicknamed 'the Choirboy', Swinburn steered Shergar to a Derby win in 1981 that was so easy that Peter Bromley, commentating on BBC radio, famously declared "you need a telescope to see the rest".
Though the stats say he won three Epsom Derbys, eight British Classics in all and much else besides, it'll be for Shergar that he'll be ever remembered - he was a highly significant part of one of racing's - and sport's - great stories. | Former jockey Walter Swinburn, three-time Derby winner and the rider of Shergar, has died aged 55. |
33,578,770 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Bianchi, 25, had been in a coma since crashing his Marussia into a recovery vehicle at October's rain-hit race.
His family said: "Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end."
The Marussia team, now known as Manor, said Bianchi had left an "indelible mark on all our lives".
He is the first F1 driver to die from injuries sustained in a grand prix since Brazilian triple world champion Ayrton Senna was killed at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola in 1994.
Bianchi, who had suffered a diffuse axonal injury, died in hospital near his parents' home in Nice in the south of France.
His family said: "We thank Jules's colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times.
"Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world."
Bianchi made his F1 debut with Marussia in 2013 and was also a member of the Ferrari young driver academy after previously working as a test driver for the team.
The Manor team said in a statement: "Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules.
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"He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward."
F1's governing body, the FIA, said the sport had lost one of its most talented drivers.
"Jules Bianchi was a popular personality in F1, possessing the best of both human and sporting qualities," it said.
The accident happened when Bianchi's car slid off the track and into a crane picking up the Sauber of German driver Adrian Sutil, who had crashed at the same spot one lap earlier.
A working group of the sport's governing body, the FIA, investigated the accident and found that as Bianchi went off the track into the run-off area, the torque coordinator, which controls the rear brake-by-wire system, over-rode a fail-safe mechanism that should have cut the engine.
The investigation was unable to establish whether this affected the impact speed.
It also said that Bianchi "did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control".
The world of motorsport has been paying tribute to Bianchi.
McLaren's Jenson Button posted on Twitter: "Last night we lost a truly great guy and a real fighter. RIP Jules, my sincerest condolences to his family and friends."
Lotus driver Romain Grosjean said: "Yesterday we lost one of the best guys and best drivers I've ever met. I'll miss you so much my friend.
Williams' Valtteri Bottas paid tribute, saying: "Woke up to the very sad news. RIP Jules. You will be never forgotten. My thoughts are with the family."
"No words can describe what his family and the sport have lost. All I can say it was a pleasure knowing and racing you," tweeted British driver Max Chilton, who was Bianchi's team-mate last year.
"Rest in peace dear Jules. We lost a great fighter today. All my thoughts are with you and your family," tweeted endurance racer Andre Lotterer. | French Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi has died, nine months after suffering severe head injuries in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. |
36,044,329 | The McLaren driver, who broke a rib in a crash in last month's Australian Grand Prix, faces further tests before being given the full go-ahead.
The Spanish two-time champion, 34, will be given a second check-up after taking part in first practice on Friday.
Governing body the FIA took six hours to make this decision after testing Alonso on Thursday.
The FIA medical delegate Jean-Charles Piette barred Alonso from racing in the second race of the season in Bahrain two weeks ago because of his injuries.
Speaking before the decision was made public, Alonso said that he felt "100%" but expected the FIA to want to examine him after first practice.
"I guess the normal thing will be after the first session that I feel OK because F1 is a very unique sport," he said.
"It doesn't matter what activity you do before racing, with the unique position I am sitting in, with the G-forces, everything can change in the car.
"So after the first couple of laps I will feel if I am OK from my side. And if it is OK from their side, that is the normal thing or logical thing to follow."
Chinese Grand Prix coverage details
Alonso said he would not have flown to China for the race had he not been confident in his condition.
He spent the weekend in Bahrain working with the team on the sidelines, helping his replacement - reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne - with his debut.
"If I was not sure, I would not have been flying here," Alonso said. "I did it once in Bahrain and it was quite tough to be there all weekend.
"Last Sunday I took a flight from Milan to Shanghai and I am 100% confident I will be OK." | Fernando Alonso has been declared "provisionally fit" to take part in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. |
39,811,953 | After serving as interim head coach since September, Hodge will revert to his previous role as attack coach under incoming head coach Richard Cockerill.
Despite a disappointing spell in charge, Hodge believes he can help Cockerill restore Edinburgh's fortunes.
"I'm looking forward to Richard coming in and trying to get the club to where we all want it to be," Hodge said.
Edinburgh take on Glasgow Warriors on Saturday in the second leg of the 1872 Cup, trailing 25-12 from the first leg. They are unable to finish higher than ninth in the Pro12, with victory last time out against Newport Gwent Dragons halting a run of eight successive league defeats.
Hodge concedes the performances on his watch have not been good enough, and admits there are things he would do differently if given the opportunity to lead the team again.
"There are lots of little things [I'd change]," the former Scotland fly-half told BBC Scotland.
"There's always experience and learnings to be had. It was tricky coming in at that point in the season and it's hard to make too many changes in-season.
"There have been some highlights, but there have been too many losses and too many performances that haven't been up to scratch.
"We've lost too many games by narrow margins, so we are where we are and that's frustrating. We're all gutted about that."
Edinburgh confirmed on Thursday that Calum MacRae will move from Scotland Sevens to become the new defence coach under Cockerill, replacing Peter Wilkins who will leave after Saturday's match at Scotstoun.
Matt Cornwell will become head of rugby operations after working with Cockerill as Leicester's team manager. | Duncan Hodge believes he can still be an influential figure in an Edinburgh revival next season. |
32,771,542 | Kevin Hyland visited Boston to set up a taskforce to tackle the problem after requests from local councils.
He said victims who come forward would be supported and anyone found to be exploiting them will be prosecuted.
Those found guilty can face life imprisonment under the terms of the new Modern Slavery Bill.
Mr Hyland said: "I'm confident that there are cases here in the Boston area but I think there's a lot of investigation to be done.
"We need to actually look at the whole intelligence picture and look at the best way at dealing with these issues."
He said it was likely international organised crime groups were behind the problem.
Mr Hyland said victims tend to be moved around the UK and were often beaten and sexually abused. | The UK anti-slavery commissioner says more investigation is needed of what he describes as "modern slavery" in south Lincolnshire's agriculture sector. |
35,009,239 | A total of 12,077 appeals were made this year to the Scottish Qualifications Authority - nearly 4,000 more than last year.
The overall number of appeals which led to a grade change went up although the proportion of appeals which were successful was down significantly.
A financial charge is now made when appeals are unsuccessful.
Big changes were made to the appeal system last year alongside the introduction of new qualifications.
The appeals process was, essentially, split into two.
If a candidate could be expected to get a poorer mark than they deserve - for instance because of serious illness or a death in the family - the school makes the appeal to the SQA in advance and provides supporting evidence. That way the candidate should still get the grade they merit when the exam results are published in August.
After the exam results are released, schools can ask for a paper's marking to be checked or for the marks to be added up again if they suspect a mistake has been made.
This year 12,077 appeals were made after the exam results were published - 2,378 led to the candidate being awarded a higher grade.
That compares to 2,175 out of 8,448 last year.
The concerns alone about the Higher Maths exam are not a major factor in the overall figures.
The total number of appeals has gone up but the proportion which led to a change in the grade is down.
There is a charge for appeals which do not lead to a change in the grade - this was designed as a deterrent against the purely speculative appeals which, it is alleged, some schools previously made simply because a candidate got a disappointing mark.
But does this also lead to a reluctance to make appeals which may, just, have succeeded?
Read more from Jamie here.
In 2013, 32,000 appeals were made. But this total also included candidates whose disappointing exam day performance could have been anticipated and the so-called "speculative appeals" which the new system was designed to discourage.
Charges are now made when appeals are unsuccessful to try to deter purely speculative appeals. An appeal can also result in a lower mark now - although this only happened on five occasions.
Earlier this year, Labour warned that some state schools may have been reluctant to put in appeals because of pressure on their budgets and suggested independent schools were more likely to make them.
Dr Janet Brown, SQA Chief Executive, said: "At the heart of all our activities is a commitment to the highest possible standards in Scottish qualifications.
"As part of that commitment, we have put systems in place to ensure that our approach to assessing qualifications is high-quality, rigorous and fair for all candidates. Post Results Services were designed in partnership and consultation with representatives from across Scotland's education system."
"We constantly review our procedures to enhance and improve them with the aim of ensuring the best possible outcomes for candidates."
The controversy over this year's Higher Maths exam, said to have reduced some pupils to tears, means the number of appeals in the subject is of particular interest.
The pass mark in the New Higher was lowered to just 34% and candidates needed just 60% for an A Grade after the paper proved significantly harder than intended.
Just 29 appeals on behalf of candidates who sat the New Higher led them receiving a better grade, while 42 who sat the old Higher got a better grade on appeal.
Scottish Labour's opportunity spokesman Iain Gray said the "extraordinary" rise in appeals "shows just how chaotic the new exams system is".
He called for an urgent review of "what went wrong" with exams this year.
He said: "SNP Ministers and the SQA can't bury their heads in the sand any longer. The excuses we have heard previously from the SQA that they did their job just aren't good enough."
Lib Dem education spokesman Liam McArthur added: "Marking of exam papers needs to be consistent across the country so pupils know they are being treated equally and fairly. The increase in requests for review of results and the number of changes that have to be granted is therefore worrying."
A Scottish government spokesperson said; "This year 142,862 candidates sat a wide range of qualifications with record numbers achieving Higher and Advanced Higher passes.
"The number of requests for review is a very small proportion of the total number of entries, with grades only changing in 0.4%.
"Meanwhile, the rate of requests for review for Higher Maths is lower than the average across all Higher subjects." | The number of exam appeals in Scotland has gone up,as big changes to the education system continue to bed in. |
33,182,125 | The 28-year-old DR Congo international was released by the Baggies at the end of the season.
Mulumbu made 211 appearances in six years with Albion, having joined them from Paris St-Germain in 2009, initially on loan.
Fellow midfielder Graham Dorrans also made the move from The Hawthorns to the Premier League newcomers this summer.
Norwich are yet to officially comment on the reports of Mulumbu's move. | Norwich City are set to sign ex-West Bromwich Albion midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, reports BBC Radio Norfolk. |
39,665,911 | Two-year-old Ollie was taken to the vets after he became unwell and hardly able to walk but he could not be saved.
Ollie's owner, Corinne Dubberley, from, Bilston, Wolverhampton, also lost her cat Jess in January from anti-freeze poisoning.
She thinks there have been other cases like this in the area recently.
The RSPCA has launched an appeal for information and are advising people to keep anti-freeze lids shut tightly.
Animal welfare officer Elaine Williams said: "At this stage we do not know if these were accidental incidents or deliberate".
More Birmingham and Black Country stories here
Ms Williams warned pet owners to be vigilant and keep an eye on their cats' wellbeing. | A cat has died after being poisoned by anti-freeze a few months after another of the owner's cats died the same way. |
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An eighth defeat in 15 Premier League games means the champions are 14 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
"Our objective is to finish top four," said Mourinho.
"Before this game it was realistic to think that our quality would take us out of this position but maybe now we have to think about top six."
Chelsea are now three points above the relegation zone and 17 points behind leaders Leicester.
Mourinho added: "I am concerned of course. There is no chance that Chelsea will be fighting relegation."
But after saying he had no problem with a squad night out in midweek, he did question his players' consistency after a poor run that has also seen them suffer home defeats by Crystal Palace, Southampton and Liverpool in the league this season.
"If our players are not able to give the maximum every day that is a problem," he added. "If you analyse match after match there are a few layers where it is difficult to be consistent. You think there is evolution, but maybe it is just one moment in which they are good."
Bournemouth substitute Glenn Murray scored the winner with his first touch, only 99 seconds after coming on, and there was a slight suspicion of offside about the goal.
But Mourinho said he was more concerned by referee Mike Jones' decision not to award his team a penalty when Simon Francis slid in to tackle Diego Costa and the ball struck the Cherries skipper's arm.
Costa came on as a half-time substitute after being left out of Chelsea's previous game at Tottenham.
"We didn't deserve to lose," the Portuguese said. "Our opponent - in the period that they thought only of defence - managed to get a goal and there was a clear mistake from the referee.
"I think it is a clear handball and penalty with the score at 0-0.
"They played in a way that some call intelligent, some say is not fair play. They were taking time, calling for the medical department and drinking water like it is a basketball timeout."
On the goal, Mourinho added: "If it was offside it is another episode that goes against us, but I did not see it." | Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admitted his team might not be able to qualify for next season's Champions League after losing 1-0 at home to Bournemouth. |
40,973,336 | Frank Field warned students receiving their A-level results against pursuing "any old degree" and said vocational training could lead to better jobs.
He called for a rethink of careers advice given to 16 and 17-year-olds to avoid students being "sold a pup".
The government said universities "deliver extraordinary returns" for students.
Mr Field, a free-thinking former minister, who graduated from Hull university with a degree in economics, is chairman of the influential Commons Work and Pensions Committee.
In his article for the Times Educational Supplement, he wrote: "As we reflect on this year's A-level results, many sixth formers all over the country are mis-sold a graduate career, when the right advice, in terms of pay and happiness, is to take an apprenticeship.
"There is already a growing unease among young graduates who feel they have been ripped off."
He added: "This mis-selling scandal is so strongly embedded that it is countering any appetite across the country for alternative routes into jobs that pay decent wages and offer healthy prospects for progression."
Mr Field argued that apprenticeships could provide a better route into work for some school-leavers and they could earn more than some graduates.
"A large number of students have been sold a pup," he alleged.
His comments follow recent criticism of the cost of degrees from Labour peer and former government adviser Lord Adonis, and Theresa May's former chief of staff Nick Timothy.
Mr Timothy has argued that successive governments had assumed that an increase in university graduates would boost economic growth, when technical qualifications were more likely to boost productivity.
However, an organisation which aims to help low-paid 16 to 30-year-old women out of poverty, criticised the way apprenticeships were offered to women.
"It's right that apprenticeships should be taken more seriously as an alternative to university degrees," said Carole Easton, chief executive of the Young Women's Trust.
"They have the potential to be a great route out of poverty and into fantastic careers. At present, however, gender stereotypes and a lack of support shut women out.
"While men are encouraged into industries like engineering and construction, women are expected to go into beauty, administration and care - where they are often paid less, given less training and are less likely to get a job at the end of their apprenticeship."
Speaking to the BBC as A-level results came out on Thursday, Universities Minister Jo Johnson said: "Universities continue to deliver extraordinary returns for people who go.
"On average, if you're a woman, you're likely to have higher lifetime earnings than women who don't go."
An association representing school heads rejected Mr Field's criticism of careers advice for teenagers.
"Schools work incredibly hard to prepare young people for whatever route they want to pursue," said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.
However, he added: "Apprenticeships may be a more attractive option than university for many young people, particularly given the cost of university.
"So the more information we can give students about the range of options available, the better."
In April the government introduced a levy on employers to boost funding for workplace apprenticeships.
Labour has proposed allowing people to retrain for free at any point during their working lives.
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: "Labour's national education service would provide free lifelong learning through further education colleges as well as abolishing university fees, so that everyone could benefit from different forms of education throughout their lives." | Students have been "mis-sold" degree courses and should choose apprenticeships, a Labour MP has said. |
36,925,710 | Drake's One Dance has tumbled to number five, pushed aside by Justin Bieber's latest single, Cold Water.
Bieber's song is a collaboration with dance acts Major Lazer and MØ, whose 2015 hit Lean On is Spotify's most-streamed song of all time.
"We are amazed at the support from the UK," Major Lazer said in a statement.
Cold Water racked up 102,000 combined sales (comprising 47,000 downloads and 5.6 million streams) - almost double the number Drake achieved last week, in his fifteenth and final week at number one.
Adams' Everything I Do (I Do It For You) remains the UK's longest-running number one, having spent 16 weeks at the top in 1991.
Only Frankie Laine's I Believe has managed longer - 18 weeks - but that total was achieved over three separate spells in pole position.
The success of Drake's single was bolstered by its popularity on streaming sites, which allowed it to remain number one even when it fell to 14 in the "pure" sales chart.
His dominance raised questions about the way the charts are calculated, as songs that achieve popularity on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services linger in the Top 40 at the expense of new music.
This week is no exception. Apart from Bieber's single, there is only one new entry in the chart - by former Rudimental singer Anne-Marie, whose new song Alarm debuts at number 32.
On average, the songs in this week's Top 40 have been on the chart for 14 weeks each. Ten years ago, the average was 5 weeks.
Earlier this week, BBC Radio 1's head of music, Chris Price, suggested some music streamed from playlists, such as Spotify's "United Kingdom Top 50", should be excluded from the chart because they become self-perpetuating.
"Since the chart itself has such a massive impact on consumption, streaming editorial is being counted once when users discover music via playlists, and then many times more as later-adopting listeners discover them in the chart," he told trade paper Music Week.
The Official Charts, which compiles the weekly top 40, said its rules were constantly under review but defended the inclusion of streaming data.
"The industry is in a transitional period between the old-world sales model and new-world rental model," said managing director Martin Talbot.
"It is fundamental to ensure the chart continues to reflect the way music is consumed."
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or email [email protected]. | Bryan Adams has retained his record for the most consecutive weeks at number one, after Drake was finally dislodged from the top of the UK singles chart. |
36,566,171 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Northern Ireland shaded much of the game and largely snuffed out Wales' attacking threat, but they also lacked a cutting edge in attack.
Wales only managed one shot on target and the game was settled by the one moment of real quality at Parc des Princes.
Northern Ireland's resistance was finally broken when centre-back McAuley turned Gareth Bale's low, whipped cross into his own net.
It means Wales - in their first major tournament finals since the 1958 World Cup - will face Belgium or Hungary in the last eight in Lille on Friday.
Chris Coleman's side were blunted by their dogged opponents, but the scrappy nature of victory and the winning goal will matter little to their jubilant fans.
For Northern Ireland, the manner of defeat was galling, particularly for the 63-cap McAuley, who had scored in the 2-0 group win against Ukraine, which had helped his country reach the round of 16.
Both sides were playing a first match in the knockout stages of a major tournament since 1958, when they reached the World Cup quarter-finals.
Parc des Princes was awash with green and red as fans mingled and revelled in the enormity of the occasion - but the match failed to ignite during a cagey first half.
Northern Ireland's intention to frustrate their opponents was clear, depriving Wales of space with a careful pressing game held together by rigid positional discipline.
They also posed a counter-attacking threat, with one early break leading to a chance for Stuart Dallas, whose shot was saved by Wayne Hennessey.
Having beaten Russia so impressively in their final group game, Wales seemed neutered by Northern Ireland's containing strategy.
Coleman's men had struggled for goals during qualifying - scoring 11 in 10 matches - and this match demonstrated their occasional shortcomings against well-organised defences.
Bale saw one of his trademark dipping free-kicks saved by Michael McGovern but the Real Madrid forward's threat in open play was subdued.
That was until the 75th minute, when he unleashed a fizzing ball across the six-yard box and the sliding McAuley deflected the ball into the net.
This was the first match of the competition in which Bale failed to score, but his major contribution to Wales' winner was yet another example of the 26-year-old's ability to rise to the biggest occasions.
Tempers boiled over as Northern Ireland chased a late equaliser, with manager Michael O'Neill furiously animated on the touchline as he accused Wales of time-wasting.
Ashley Williams and Jonny Williams both received treatment on the pitch after colliding into each other, with the former holding his arm afterwards in a way which he suggested he may have broken or fractured part of it.
There was a heated exchange between O'Neill and Williams, with the Northern Ireland boss later claiming Wales coaches on the bench had told their captain to sit on the pitch to waste time.
The Swansea City centre-back stayed on the field until the final whistle but, with his arm in a sling afterwards, he could be a doubt for Wales' quarter-final on Friday.
Wales manager Chris Coleman on BBC One: "The good thing about these boys when we're not playing well is that they have spirit. And at times we were hanging on.
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"I'd rather be standing here in the quarter-final not playing at our best. We have to give credit to Northern Ireland - they made it very difficult to play against. They were the better team.
"We have to plan for the next game whoever it is. We'll enjoy this tonight."
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill on BBC One: "It's devastating. We were the better team on the day.
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"I couldn't ask anything more of the players throughout the tournament.
"Gareth McAuley knows he has to make one of those decisions on the cross - he had to judge whether there was someone behind him or not."
Wales will wait to see who wins Sunday's last-16 tie between Hungary and Belgium before facing the victor in Lille on Friday. Northern Ireland head home after a memorable tournament, which included a victory over Ukraine in the group stage.
Match ends, Wales 1, Northern Ireland 0.
Second Half ends, Wales 1, Northern Ireland 0.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Hal Robson-Kanu.
Aaron Ramsey (Wales) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Aaron Ramsey (Wales).
Steven Davis (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Neil Taylor (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland).
Hal Robson-Kanu (Wales) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Corry Evans (Northern Ireland).
Offside, Wales. Chris Gunter tries a through ball, but Aaron Ramsey is caught offside.
Gareth Bale (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Craig Cathcart (Northern Ireland).
Aaron Ramsey (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kyle Lafferty (Northern Ireland).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Josh Magennis replaces Gareth McAuley.
Delay in match Jonathan Williams (Wales) because of an injury.
Chris Gunter (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland).
Foul by Neil Taylor (Wales).
Kyle Lafferty (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Niall McGinn replaces Oliver Norwood.
Own Goal by Gareth McAuley, Northern Ireland. Wales 1, Northern Ireland 0.
Attempt blocked. Aaron Ramsey (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Conor Washington replaces Jamie Ward.
Steven Davis (Northern Ireland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Gareth Bale (Wales) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Steven Davis (Northern Ireland).
Substitution, Wales. Jonathan Williams replaces Joe Ledley.
Attempt blocked. Aaron Ramsey (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Chris Gunter.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Ben Davies.
Neil Taylor (Wales) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Neil Taylor (Wales).
Jamie Ward (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Gareth Bale (Wales) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Gareth Bale (Wales) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland).
Attempt saved. Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Stuart Dallas. | Wales reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 as Gareth McAuley's own goal gave them victory over Northern Ireland in a tense last-16 encounter. |
32,227,680 | He said the new fleet was "the only sensible policy to pursue" and would ensure a continuous nuclear deterrent.
A final decision on replacing the current Trident system is due in 2016.
Labour is committed to renewing Trident if it wins the election but will consider whether to reduce the number of submarines from four to three.
The Liberal Democrats do favour cutting the number of Vanguard submarines from four to three, saying the existing system was designed for the Cold War era.
The Clyde-based submarines that currently carry Trident are due to reach the end of their operational lives within the next decade.
In an article for the Times, Mr Fallon confirmed the existing Tory policy of four new submarines would feature in the election manifesto.
He also said a minority Labour government backed by the Scottish National Party, which wants to scrap Trident, would mean Ed Miliband was "ready to barter away our nuclear deterrent in a backroom deal with the SNP".
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's "brusque demands should alarm people right across our United Kingdom", Mr Fallon said.
He added: "Our nuclear submarines protect all of Britain including Scotland. This SNP policy is a threat to us all that would dangerously weaken our collective defence.
"When Britain could face nuclear blackmail by rogue states, this self-indulgent approach is more suited to a student protest group than a party of government."
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish leaders' debate, Ms Sturgeon said: "It is often asked of me whether Trident is a red line... here's your answer - you'd better believe it's a red line".
However she did not say the SNP would bring down a minority government if it lost a vote on the matter, saying it could "force a different direction" with enough backing from other parties.
Labour has ruled out a coalition with the SNP after the 7 May general election.
Speaking on the same debate, the party's leader in Scotland, Jim Murphy, said a majority Labour government was the only way to avoid "public horse trading" over the issue.
This election issue includes foreign policy and the role of UK’s defence forces at home and abroad.
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
Last month, shadow chancellor Ed Balls floated the possibility of fewer submarines, but said Labour would "absolutely" maintain the current number if it was needed to provide a continuous deterrent.
The issue also provoked a coalition row in the previous government when the Lib Dems requested a report examining possible alternatives.
All of the parties have faced questions during the election campaign about their plans for defence spending.
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have committed to matching the Nato target of 2% of GDP beyond 2016. UKIP says it would meet this commitment by cutting foreign aid.
Subscribe to the BBC Election 2015 newsletter to get a round-up of the day's campaign news sent to your inbox every weekday afternoon. | The Conservatives' manifesto will have a commitment to build four new nuclear missile-armed submarines, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said. |
36,275,930 | Ben Wellington made the discovery after officers kept ticketing his own car, parked on a pavement ramp on the street where he lives.
Drivers have been allowed to park in some of these spaces since 2009.
The NYPD wrote to Mr Wellington to confirm his findings and sent a message to officers clarifying the rules.
To discover the extent of the problem, Mr Wellington examined data published through New York City's Open Data portal, which includes information on the most common parking places in the city where tickets are issued to cars on pedestrian ramps.
He then checked some of the locations via Google Street View to ensure that the ramps were not connected to a crosswalk - in which case the ticket would have been justified.
At one spot in Brooklyn, $48,000 (£33,000) had been issued in erroneous fines over a two-and-a-half year period.
Mr Wellington detailed several examples on his blog, I Quant NY, including three more spaces at each of which more than $40,000 (£27,500) in fines had been given out over the same period.
"It was a surprising find," Mr Wellington told the BBC. "What I was actually most surprised by was the response from the police department who basically said, 'yep, that's all true' - that's an unusual thing to happen when working with public data."
In a statement, the NYPD said: "Mr Wellington's analysis identified errors the department made in issuing parking summonses.
"It appears to be a misunderstanding by officers on patrol of a recent, abstruse change in the parking rules.
"We appreciate Mr Wellington bringing this anomaly to our attention."
It added that while traffic agents had been trained following the adoption of new rules in 2009, officers had not.
A message has now been sent to all officers updating them on pedestrian ramp regulations.
To allow others a means of quickly checking which pedestrian ramp parking spaces are most frequently ticketed, Mr Wellington has plotted the 1,000 most common locations on an interactive map.
"I think all those spots got eight or more tickets in the last two-and-a-half years," said Mr Wellington. "The list of five or more tickets had about 2,000 spots."
Mr Wellington has used open data in the past to challenge ticketing decisions in the city.
He said he hopes his latest success will help to empower fellow citizens.
"I see it as a sign of what the future of government could look like as more data gets out and more citizens have the ability to look through that data and make recommendations for how cities could run better," he said.
Mr Wellington added that he plans to do a follow-up analysis six months or a year from now, to check whether the number of erroneously issued tickets at pedestrian ramps has fallen.
Use of public data in cities around the world has increased in recent years.
The Future Spaces Foundation think tank, based in London, recently reported on how much transport data had been made openly available in various cities around the world.
For example, there are now more than 460 apps powered by Transport for London data while, in Singapore, commuters are able to access information on the current levels of standing room and seating available on public transport.
The city's Land Transport Authority app also includes data on the availability of parking spaces near to a passenger's destination. | A blogger in New York has used public data to prove that the New York Police Department (NYPD) ticketed thousands of cars that were actually parked legally. |
36,983,793 | The 23-year-old Bosnia international, who joined the Toffees in July 2014, was injured while playing against Manchester United in Wayne Rooney's testimonial on Wednesday.
The former Ferencvaros player made 17 appearances for the Goodison Park side last season.
He tweeted: "Six months out! #devastated." | Everton midfielder Muhamed Besic has been ruled out for six months with a knee injury. |
39,693,751 | Restricted mode is an optional filter designed to hide content that may be judged unsuitable for children.
But many prominent LGBT video-makers said their videos had been targeted.
YouTube said it had fixed an error and made more than 12 million "unintentionally filtered" videos available again.
The platform was criticised in March after several video-makers noticed a drop in advertising revenue and realised their content was being blocked in restricted mode.
The wide-reaching filters appeared to block videos referring to sexuality and gender identity, even if the content was not explicit.
"YouTube's restricted mode has blocked a poem I wrote for a gay friend," tweeted musician Bry O'Reilly.
Author Tyler Oakley added: "One of my recent videos 'Eight Black LGBTQ+ Trailblazers Who Inspire Me' is blocked because of this, I'm perplexed."
YouTube said it had identified that its systems "were not working as intended".
"We want to clarify that restricted mode should not filter out content belonging to individuals or groups based on certain attributes like gender, gender identity, political viewpoints, race, religion or sexual orientation," it said in a blog post.
The company also said it would let people report videos they believed had been unfairly restricted and said it would offer more transparency about the types of content that would be filtered.
It said it would continue to restrict:
"Though Restricted Mode will never be perfect, we hope to build on our progress so far to continue making our systems more accurate and the overall Restricted Mode experience better over time," it said. | YouTube has modified its content filter after complaints it had blocked political and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) videos. |
40,308,798 | Owner Ellis Short is currently in talks with "interested parties".
The Black Cats are seeking a replacement for David Moyes, who left his post in May after relegation from the Premier League.
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes was offered the role but rejected the opportunity in favour of staying at Pittodrie.
An update on the club website read: "With this backdrop, we have been unable to give the assurances any potential candidate would need regarding the plans a new owner could have for the manager's position.
"The recruitment process, whilst still very much active, cannot therefore be concluded imminently."
Sunderland confirmed they have placed an unspecified timescale on the discussions, to allow the manager search to continue.
McInnes, 45, led Aberdeen to two cup finals last season, losing to Celtic on both occasions, and delivered European football with a second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership.
In revealing his decision to turn down Sunderland, former Rangers midfielder McInnes said felt there was "so much still to be done" at Aberdeen.
Short took full control of Sunderland in May 2009 and has been chairman since October 2011. | Sunderland say they are in talks with potential new owners, and that the search for a new manager will be put on hold while negotiations are ongoing. |
39,430,645 | The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company said the Manannan fast craft will operate a daily service to Liverpool from later on Friday.
Crossings to both Belfast and Dublin will resume in April.
The Ben-My-Chree will continue to operate a service between the Isle of Man and Heysham in Lancashire, said a spokesman. | A ferry service between the Isle of Man and Liverpool will start its summer timetable later. |
27,408,318 | Or, as a farmer, remotely monitoring the health and yield of crops on a daily basis over huge swathes of land.
Perhaps as an aid agency, effortlessly estimating the flow of human traffic across borders over the course of a week.
And for business retail analysts, estimating the footfall of a retail chain by counting the sheer number of vehicles in its car parking lots across a region.
These are just some of the countless possibilities conceivable when our world is observed from on-high every day or week, rather than the years it can currently take to completely update our planet's imagery on services such as Google Earth.
Soon these possibilities will translate into reality, as a new image-focused space race is steadily gathering pace.
Rather than being conducted by nation-states or mega-corps, it is being played out by Silicon Valley tech start-ups doing what they do best - defying conventional thinking to disrupt an entire industry.
Their goal is to reveal an unprecedented understanding of activity conducted on Earth by taking and analysing pictures of our planet in its entirety.
The new building blocks of this revolution are tiny - a fleet of shoebox-sized "cubesats" - cheap, miniature satellites, developed over the past decade in universities to aid space research.
From a characteristically untidy San Francisco start-up office no larger than a family home, Planet Labs' 40-strong team of 20 and 30-somethings is making the largest constellation of satellites the world has ever seen - 131 planned in the next 12 months, to give a comprehensive snapshot of Earth almost daily, with pictures sent back for analysis within hours.
"We're basically leveraging billions of dollars that has been spent in consumer electronics to advance space exploration and the capabilities of satellites to help people on the planet," says British co-founder and chief executive Will Marshall.
In February the first few in its initial batch of 28 were ejected out of an airlock on the International Space Station. These cubesats - called "doves" in line with their peace-harbouring ambitions - are now sending back their first images from low-Earth polar orbit, passing over Earth at five miles a second.
The pictures are detailed enough to pick out individual trees (although not individuals, addressing objections from privacy advocates) - which will give an unparalleled insight into activity on the planet's surface.
The company says its mission is ultimately to democratise access to information about our planet. "Instead of seeing a hole in the Amazon a few months after trees have been taken down there, we can see it as it's happening", says the Planet Labs co-founder.
Although the company plans to give away valuable data to NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and other suitably worthy causes in line with its humanitarian aims, Planet Labs sees no contradiction in being first and foremost a profit-making concern, backed by venture capital and already attracting paying customers.
A makeshift clean room separated by plastic sheeting from the main office is where off-the-shelf components from camera lenses to solar-charged batteries are assembled into the finished product sheathed in solar panels.
The entire package measures just 10cm (4in) by 10cm by 30cm. "Nowadays we put more capability into these little satellites than you can possibly imagine - into something just a few kilos much more capable than a satellite a few years ago that was 10 tonnes," says Mr Marshall.
With only basic manoeuvring capabilities and cheap sensors these cubesats clearly do not conform to the same rigour as conventional satellite-construction - but then again, the cost of a cubesat satellite failure comes is in at thousands of dollars, not hundreds of millions.
"If we lose a satellite, it's a bad day in the office but not a catastrophe," Mr Marshall says.
But this revolution in satellite imaging is not confined to still pictures.
Other start-ups, such as Skybox and Canadian Urthecast, are focusing their efforts on high-definition video, with far bigger fridge-freezer-sized satellites equipped with more powerful telescopes capturing far more detail than those capable in mere cubesats.
At a resolution of just over 1m per pixel, the most powerful on-board telescopes can track single cars travelling along a road, or groups of people gathering.
Skybox's first satellite of a planned fleet of 24 launched in December.
Flying in low-Earth orbit around Earth 16 times a day, it is now relaying 90-second black-and-white clips, which, cloud-cover permitting, allow unprecedented analysis of movement on Earth.
"If you show someone a still image of an area they can gain some understanding of what's happening," says Skybox founder Julian Mann. "But if you show someone even a few seconds of video we intuitively understand more."
The use cases here for deep analysis are compelling - everything from natural disaster relief to supply-chain monitoring of commodities or broadcast news coverage of conflict zones.
Urthecast delivers its so-called "ultra-HD video" in colour - and plans to open up its platform to individual consumers to be able to observe their own backyards.
There is no doubt as to the potential these systems offer.
But they also leave the door open to misuse of the technology - not for the benefit of our planet or humanity but for self-centred interests ranging from corporate espionage to greater control over rebel insurgency.
Thomas Immel has spent two decades as a scientist at the Space Science Laboratory at UC Berkeley.
"These new capabilities open up a Pandora's box," he says.
"Some applications may well be harmful or controversial.
"What is clear is that 10 years from now we'll be having another argument over the next implementation of technology that we can't even imagine."
Some consequences may be easier to predict - like attracting the attention of bigger technology firms.
Skybox is already rumoured to be in early-stage acquisition talks with Google, which bought drone start-up Titan aerospace earlier this year, following hot on the heels of Facebook's purchase of UK-based drone maker Ascenta.
Silicon Valley's behemoths clearly have stellar ambitions of their own - and the newfound opportunities presented by Earth-observation may well prove too tempting to resist.
You can see more about space technology on this weekend's episode of Click.
The following link provides the show's broadcast times in the UK and on BBC World News. | Imagine being able to monitor deforestation tree by tree - and act accordingly. |
35,489,692 | Activity has been spotted at a launch station on the west coast of the isolated nation.
Earlier this week Pyongyang announced it was planning to launch a satellite at some point in February.
The announcement was internationally condemned - critics say it is a cover to test banned missile technology.
North Korea also conducted its fourth nuclear bomb test on 6 January.
UN sanctions against North Korea prohibit it from carrying out any nuclear or ballistic missile tests.
North Korea's missile programme
How potent are the threats?
Isolated country's nuclear tests
A world leader in dramatic rhetoric
South Korean state news agency Yonhap reported defence ministry officials on Thursday as saying activity had been spotted at a site in Dongchang-ri, where the Sohae launching station is located.
Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun also said the South's military was ramping up its air defence readiness so it was ready to intercept any missile or debris falling in its territory. The South has already ordered certain commercial flights to divert their routes.
Japan's national broadcaster NHK, citing unnamed officials, also reported similar news about activity at Dongchang-ri, and added that a mobile launcher carrying a ballistic missile had also been seen moving near the east coast.
Separately, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in a statement reported by Yonhap that any long-range missile launch by the North "should never be condoned as it poses a threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world".
She said the move was "a desperate measure" by the North to maintain its regime, and showed Pyongyang was not afraid of UN sanctions.
The US-based North Korean analysis website 38 North said recent satellite images show recent activity at Sohae suggesting launch preparations.
These include heightened activity at a building used to receive rocket stages, and a complex that appears ready to conduct engine tests.
North Korean state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday that the ruling Workers' Party of Korea was holding a meeting among central and army committee members where they discussed how to "further strengthen" the party ahead of a rare political meeting scheduled for May.
Analysts say the North's recent nuclear and missile activity could be a build-up to the upcoming seventh party congress - the first to be held since 1980 - where leader Kim Jong-un is expected to show off the nuclear programme.
North Korea had told the UN agency International Maritime Organization earlier this week that it plans to launch a satellite between 8 and 25 February.
The move sparked intense warnings and criticism from South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States.
South Korea has warned a "severe price" will be paid if the North goes ahead.
Pyongyang's main ally, China, has called on the North to "exercise restraint, act with discretion and refrain from any actions" that might escalate tensions. | North Korea appears to be preparing to launch a long-range missile, according to South Korea's defence ministry and Japanese media. |
30,312,003 | The X Factor judge was not the only winner from the talent show with 2012 finalist Ella Henderson picking up UK music artist.
The Saturdays, Abbey Clancy and Davina McCall all won prizes too at the event in central London.
The awards, hosted by Fearne Cotton, also celebrate real-life winners, chosen for outstanding achievements.
Ella Henderson said she was "very excited" to win the music award on the evening.
"To think this year has just been the year when my music has just begun to take off for me, so it's very exciting to be here," she told Newsbeat.
"I've been so crazy, especially over the last couple of months, travelling everywhere, so to come back here, get dressed up for the night. It's a really nice thing to sit down and enjoy."
Davina McCall was named ultimate editors choice for her mammoth Sport Relief challenge earlier this year, which raised more than £2m.
She spent seven days either running, swimming or cycling across the UK for the charity.
"I feel Grimmy was an enormous part of that, in fact Radio 1 helped me out a lot, just the support that I felt," she said at the awards.
Lena Dunham was named best writer for her book Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's Learned.
Abbey Clancy won best style icon and Dame Vivienne Westwood picked up style icon and The Saturdays won ultimate fabulous friends.
"We're actually really honoured," Una Healy told Newsbeat.
"To win the fabulous friend award, means the world to us, we've won lots of awards in the past but never something for the actual reason I think we are still together."
The Script's Danny O'Donoghue was part of the judging panel for the real-life winners.
"I found it incredibly hard because there are so many amazing women, so many deserved winners," he said.
"I feel very humbled just to be on the same stage as them."
Ultimate music star - Ella Henderson
Ultimate TV personality - Mel B
Ultimate #FabulousFriends - The Saturdays
Ultimate style icon - Abbey Clancy
Ultimate writer - Lena Dunham
Ultimate icon - Dame Vivienne Westwood
Ultimate sports woman - Jo Pavey
Ultimate men - McBusted
Ultimate international man of the year - Samuel L Jackson
Ultimate breakthrough actress - Natalie Dormer
Ultimate international music star - Taylor Swift
Ultimate funny woman - Morgana Robinson
Ultimate celeb inspiration - Ellen Page
Ultimate editor's choice - Davina McCall
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Mel B has been named top TV personality at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Of The Year Awards. |
36,436,517 | The pre-inquest hearing was told Surrey Police would have been aware of the claims about Alexander Perepilichny.
The force was asked why it wants some documents in its possession to be kept secret, but Surrey Police said the line of questioning was irrelevant.
Mr Perepilichny, 44, died after collapsing near his home in Weybridge.
The inquest heard Interpol was investigating Mr Perepilichny's suspected previous involvement with Russian criminal gangs.
A communication from Interpol to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) in 2010 claimed Mr Perepilichny was suspected of "fraud, money laundering and abuse of power".
Hermitage Capital Management, one of the interested parties at the inquest, said it suggested Surrey Police knew of his alleged criminal links and that this contradicted public statements made by the force to that end.
Surrey Police was asked if a move to keep some documents secret under public interest immunity rules had anything to do with a suggestion that Mr Perepilichny was "running with" or being "run by" British intelligence.
A representative for the force said this had been answered in previous hearings.
And a counsel to the inquest confirmed there were no outstanding issues for Surrey Police to answer.
Mr Perepilichny's death was originally attributed to natural causes but an earlier pre-inquest hearing heard traces of a rare poison were found in his stomach.
His death was also said to have parallels with the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
The earlier hearing heard that like Mr Litvinenko, Mr Perepilichny had apparently received threats, particularly after handing over sensitive documents to Hermitage Capital Management.
That had led to the freezing of foreign bank accounts belonging to a group of Russian officials suspected of money laundering after a tax fraud, the hearing was told.
The hearing continues. | A Russian whistleblower who died in Surrey in 2012 had suspected criminal links that were being investigated by Interpol, a hearing was told. |
37,943,720 | It follows the death of a 91-year-old woman who drowned four years ago and 400 homes were flooded when the river Elwy burst its banks in St Asaph.
The bridge will be higher than the original which became blocked by debris, creating a dam that overflowed.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is part way through the improvement work which is scheduled to last up to 18 months.
City mayor and flood warden councillor Colin Hardie said: "Everyone who suffered then still worries about bad weather.
"That was highlighted last winter when we were inches from the flood banks over-topping again.
"It's quite a worrying time and we realise we still have to go through at least one more winter before the defences are complete."
NRW is raising the flood defences as well as replacing the bridge. | A new bridge is being built in a Denbighshire city as part of major flood defence work. |
36,613,970 | It will now become an eco-park promoting environmental conservation.
Its 2,500 animals will be moved to sanctuaries in other parts of Argentina and abroad where they can be housed in better conditions.
Mr Larreta said the animals had been living in degrading conditions.
The zoo has been in existence since 1875, run by a private company which won a concession to manage it.
The zoo attracted very bad publicity in recent years, particularly over the inadequate conditions in which its polar bears were kept during the city's oppressively hot summers.
The last polar bear, called Winner, died three and a half years ago during a particularly hot season.
Among the 50 animals who will stay behind because they are too fragile to move is Sandra, an Orang-utan who made headlines two years ago.
Animal rights activists won a legal case in which she was granted the status of a "non-human with rights" after concerns were raised about her health and living conditions. | The mayor of Buenos Aires has announced that his administration has taken over the running of the city's zoo after a series of scandals about the condition of its animals and buildings. |
35,317,293 | Earlier on Thursday the parents of some of the girls had met Mr Buhari after marching through the capital Abuja.
The military has freed hundreds of Boko Haram captives in recent months, but none of the Chibok girls.
The government has faced criticism for the lack of progress in finding them.
"I assure you that I go to bed and wake up every day with the Chibok girls on my mind," Mr Buhari told the parents who visited him, according to a statement from his office.
He pointed to the sacking of the heads of Nigeria's army, navy and air force in July 2015 as proof of his determination to have the girls found.
"In spite of the dire financial straits that we found the country in, I continue to do my best to support their efforts in that regard," he added.
The new probe will be led by a panel appointed by the Nigeria's national security adviser and will look into the circumstances of the kidnapping and the government's response.
The government says it does not know where the girls are or if they are alive.
The teenagers were seized from their dormitories in the north-eastern town of Chibok.
In December Mr Buhari said he was prepared to negotiate with Boko Haram militants to secure the release of the girls.
The militants regard the girls as their most invaluable captives and their leader, Abubakar Shekau, said last year that most of them had converted to Islam and had been married off.
Although Boko Haram has been driven out from most of the areas it controlled in north-eastern Nigeria, it has continued to carry out suicide bombings and raids into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Using football to tackle Boko Haram
Why Boko Haram remains a threat | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a new investigation into the kidnap of about 200 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by the Islamist Boko Haram group in April 2014. |
29,023,502 | After Warwickshire declared their first innings on 362-8, Oliver Hannon-Dalby picked up the early scalp of England Test opener Sam Robson for 12.
But Rogers (85) and Neil Dexter (70) put on 127 for the fourth wicket before both fell to Recordo Gordon (2-45).
John Simpson contributed 53 as the hosts closed only 52 behind on 310-6.
After losing most of the second day to rain, Warwickshire's declaration was forced by the need to seek a victory to keep them in touch with leaders Yorkshire and second-placed Nottinghamshire.
It looked like a good decision as they reduced the home side, themselves looking for a win to move away from the relegation zone, to just 65-3, with Robson, Nick Gubbins and Dawid Malan all departing.
But captain Rogers and all-rounder Dexter stood firm for 39 overs, with the former becoming the first Middlesex player to reach 1,000 Championship runs in 2014 - Malan the next highest with 915.
After both went to Gordon, with Rogers taken down the leg-side by wicketkeeper Peter McKay, Simpson added his fourth half century of the season before he went lbw to Keith Barker (2-81) as they game seemingly moved towards a draw.
BBC London 94.9's Kevin Hand:
"Despite a nervy start, Middlesex kept Warwickshire at bay with a defiant batting display that leaves the match destined for a draw unless the captains can agree on a chase, but time is against then.
"The pitch was again helpful in the morning session but batting became easier as the day wore on and the ball softened. Both Chris Rogers and Neil Dexter batted with control to build the crucial partnership with the latter taking on spinner Jeetan Patel throughout, preventing him from settling into his usually dangerous pattern.
"The new ball was taken immediately but departed as quickly as it was bowled, although John Simpson's fine fifty came to a close moments after he passed the milestone.
"Middlesex could declare behind overnight and leave the ball in Warwickshire's court as to how desperate they are for a win to keep them in with a chance of winning the Championship."
Match scorecard | Chris Rogers passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season as Middlesex frustrated title hopefuls Warwickshire on the third day at Lord's. |
36,691,341 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Max Rendschmidt and Marcus Gross picked up their second gold of the regatta, after success in the K2 1,000m, as they and team-mates Tom Liebscher and Max Hoss finished in three minutes 2.043 seconds.
Slovakia edged out the Czech Republic in the race for silver and bronze.
Germany have 16 gold medals overall.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Germany's quartet won the men's kayak four 1,000m at the Rio Olympics to finish top of the canoeing table with four golds. |
30,338,231 | The appeals court in New York state said caged chimpanzee Tommy could not be recognised as a "legal person" as it "cannot bear any legal duties".
The Nonhuman Rights Project had argued that chimps who had such similar characteristics to the humans deserved basic rights, including freedom.
The rights group said it would appeal.
In its ruling, the judges wrote: "So far as legal theory is concerned, a person is any being whom the law regards as capable of rights and duties.
"Needless to say, unlike human beings, chimpanzees cannot bear any legal duties, submit to societal responsibilities or be held legally accountable for their actions.''
The court added that there was no precedent for treating animals as persons and no legal basis.
In October, the Nonhuman Rights Project had argued that chimpanzees should be recognised as "legal persons" and therefore be given the right to liberty.
The group said on Thursday it would appeal against the court verdict in New York's highest court.
Tommy's owner, Patrick Lavery, said he was pleased with the outcome, according to the Associated Press.
Tommy - who is believed to be about 40 years old - is a former entertainment chimp. He was given to Mr Lavery about 10 years ago. | A chimpanzee is not entitled to the same rights as people and does not have to be freed from captivity by its owner, a US court has ruled. |
30,710,411 | Apethorpe Hall, near Oundle in Northamptonshire, was a favourite haunt of King James I.
The mansion has been bought for £2.5m by French professor, diplomat and academic, Jean Christophe Iseux, Baron von Pfetten.
English Heritage spent £8m renovating the hall, which fell into disrepair under a previous owner.
Part of the deal with Baron von Pfetten will see Apethorpe Hall open to the public for 50 days every year for the next 80 years. English Heritage will manage public access.
Built in 1470-80, Apethorpe played host to Queen Elizabeth I, King James I and King Charles I.
Its stately apartments were where James indulged in "more commodious entertainment... and princely recreation" with his favourite, George Villiers, later to become the Duke of Buckingham.
The hall eventually became the property of Wanis Mohammed Burweila, but he left the country after the Libyan Embassy siege in 1984.
History of Apethorpe Hall
Apethorpe then fell into decay and ruin, riven with dry rot with its Jacobean plasterwork ceilings starting to collapse
The building was eventually bought by a consortium led by former QPR president Harold Winton, but the government was not happy with its plans and issued a compulsory purchase order and Apethorpe was bought for £3.5m.
In 2008, the 51,000 sq ft hall, complete with stable block, gardener's cottage and 45 acres of land, was put on the market for £4.5m.
English Heritage chief executive Simon Thurley said Apethorpe was "by far the most important country house to have been threatened with major loss through decay since the 1950s".
Baron von Pfetten said he had spent the past 10 years renovating a 17th Century chateau in France and that his aim for Apethorpe was for it to "regain the place in British history it deserves". | A Jacobean country house which had fallen into decay has been sold after six years on the market. |
39,395,928 | The incident happened in High Street, Gorseinon, Swansea on Friday at about 16:15 GMT.
A 55-year-old man died when a BMW hit traffic lights and they fell on him.
He has been named as Gerald Macey, and was described as a "fun loving character" who dedicated his life to his children and grandson.
A 21-year-old driver of a BMW was arrested and has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
Mr Macey's family said in a statement: "Gerald was a much loved and cherished husband, father, bampy, son, brother, brother-in-law and uncle.
"Nobody ever had a bad word to say about him. He was a fun-loving character, always busy and 'on the go'.
"Since losing his wife, Jackie, 12 years ago, Gerald dedicated his life to his children Melanie and Sean, and grandson."
Mr Macey, from Gorseinion, was retired having worked in the construction and coal-mining industries. | A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a man was killed by falling traffic lights. |
32,942,463 | The corroded flares had been dumped at the tip on St Mary's.
The bomb squad flew over earlier and detonated them, Sgt Colin Taylor wrote on the Isles of Scilly police Facebook page.
He said: "There may be some small explosions heard from at Deep Point this morning." Investigations were under way to find those responsible. | Illegally dumped out-of-date flares on the Isles of Scilly prompted a bomb disposal unit to be flown out. |
34,535,933 | She said it would be unfair to ask EU countries seeing the majority of initial migrant entries to secure borders as well.
Mrs Merkel was speaking as she arrived at an EU leaders' summit in Brussels.
The meeting aims to secure Turkey's agreement to a plan to halt the flow of refugees trying to reach Europe.
Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, many of them travelling from Turkey to Greece before seeking to head north.
"It's quite obvious that only a few countries today take the majority of refugees and if these countries now are asked to secure the external borders on top of that, I don't think it would be what we could call a fair distribution of effort," Mrs Merkel said.
She described the current situation as "very disorderly".
The summit aims to tackle the migration crisis by working with non-EU countries, protecting the EU's external borders and ensuring some migrants are sent back.
Estonia's Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said immediate action was needed to preserve the EU's borderless Schengen area, which has come under increasing pressure, with some states reintroducing controls to prevent migrants from crossing borders.
Meanwhile Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his country would decide whether to close its border with Croatia by Friday.
Hungarian state TV reported Mr Orban as saying he would prefer the EU to defend its external border in Greece but could seal its Croatian border "within an hour if necessary".
There were also calls for member states to address the causes of migration by providing more money for Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and for development in Africa.
"Member states need to put their money where their mouth is," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.
More than 400,000 migrants and refugees have crossed the Aegean Sea this year, hundreds have drowned. But the seas are getting rougher and many in Greece are looking to EU leaders to find a solution.
One idea mentioned in Germany was for joint patrols by the Turkish and Greek coastguards. But all this received a loud and clear "no" from the Greek government.
Sovereignty is key. The message from Athens is that the islands of the Aegean belong to the Greeks and it is down to them to patrol the waters no-one else.
The fear in Athens is that if Turkey is allowed to patrol the waters around the Greek islands, boundaries will blur and Ankara will stake new claims to islands that sit close to the Turkish coast.
Instead Greece wants Turkey to patrol its shores better, and even stop migrants leaving in the first place.
In return Athens believes the EU should offer big financial incentives and rewards to Turkey so it can improve the accommodation and build more refugee camps.
The BBC's Matthew Price is sending social media broadcasts from Calais on the EU migration crisis. You can follow his reports here.
The pull of Europe: Five migrant stories
Merkel under pressure: Chancellor's migrant policy faces criticism at home
Focus on Turkey: Why the EU views Syria's northern neighbour as key
Crisis in graphics: Migration numbers explained
BBC Europe correspondent Chris Morris says most EU leaders are convinced that efforts to contain the migration crisis will not succeed without closer co-operation with the Turkish government.
But, he adds, Ankara wants plenty in return. It is reportedly asking for €3bn in aid to ease the strain of hosting refugees, as well as visa liberalisation and progress on Turkey's stalled application for EU membership.
A German diplomat in Brussels told reporters negotiations between European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans and Turkish officials in Ankara were "going in the right direction" but said there was still a long way to go.
EU sources say several countries - Greece, Cyprus and France among them - are cautious about rushing into an agreement with Turkey too quickly.
Discussions continued over dinner following the end of the first session, Mr Tusk's spokesman tweeted.
593,432
migrants have arrived by sea in 2015, says IOM
3,103
migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean
76% arrived in Greece via the eastern route
70.1% of arrivals in Greece were from Syria
10,043 migrants arriving in Italy were unaccompanied children
710,000 migrants have crossed EU borders this year, according to Frontex figures
Turkey is hosting some two million migrants, most of them fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria.
Turkey has also called for the establishment of an international "safe zone" for refugees inside northern Syria - but Mr Tusk said Russia's involvement in Syria made the idea more difficult.
The 28 EU leaders meeting in Brussels are hoping the Turkish government will sign up to a joint action plan that includes: | All EU countries must be prepared to send security staff to the bloc's external borders, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said. |
36,265,079 | Hay, a former world champion himself, has worked with Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Sarah Reid for the past four years.
His departure is part of a major overhaul which will also see the replacement of Reid, who came into the team in place of Claire Hamilton.
Muirhead's rink were world champions in 2013 and won a 2014 Olympic bronze.
In all they won seven medals at World and European Championships during Hay's time as coach and four prestigious Grand Slam events in Canada.
But they failed to make the semi-finals of the recent World Championships in Saskatchewan, with seven wins from their 11 round-robin games.
The decision comes less than two years before the next Winter Olympics in Korea, with Hay urging Muirhead's rink to go on and win gold.
"It has been an enjoyable and, most of the time, a successful journey for both the girls and myself over the past four years," said Hay.
"Eve, Anna, Vicki, Sarah and Claire (not forgetting our outstanding fifths Lauren Gray and Rachel Hannan) are totally professional, very committed and talented athletes who have been a pleasure to work with both on and off the ice.
"I wish all the girls the very best for the future and hope they have continued success and go on to obtain the ultimate goal of gold at the 2018 Olympics."
Muirhead said no decisions have been made yet about replacements for Hay and Reid and they "will consider our options over the next month".
"We must say a heartfelt thank you to both Sarah and Dave who have given so much of themselves to the team and we take that contribution with us," she said.
"It's been a total pleasure working with Sarah for the last two seasons and she has brought a lot to the team. We consider her a great friend and a great curler and wish her the very best for whatever she decides to do next.
"No longer working with Dave is going to be a real shake-up for us as a team as he has been our coach for the last four years. He is a fantastic coach and has been an inspiring and committed member of our team for the last four years." | Eve Muirhead's rink are parting company with British Curling team coach Dave Hay at the end of the season. |
37,599,648 | Hamilton refused to answer questions in his post-qualifying news conference on Saturday, accusing the media of being "disrespectful" and then walking out.
It was in response to some reports of his behaviour in an earlier conference.
"Let him do his talking on the track," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told BBC Sport.
"His performances in the car justify some collateral damage."
The controversy started with a news conference on Thursday, in which Hamilton posted images of himself and fellow driver Carlos Sainz on Snapchat with 'bunny faces' and gave minimal answers.
Some outlets criticised his behaviour and on Saturday he made a brief statement in his usual news conference at Mercedes and then departed.
Hamilton said: "I'm not here to answer your questions, I've decided.
"With the utmost respect, there are many of you here who are super-supportive of me and they hopefully know I know who they are. There are others unfortunately that often take advantage of certain things.
"The other day was a super light-hearted thing, and if I was disrespectful to any of you guys, or if you felt I was disrespectful, it was honestly not the intention. It was just a little bit of fun.
"But what was more disrespectful was what was then written worldwide.
"Unfortunately, there are some people here who it is not them who has done it. And unfortunately the decision I will take affects those who have been super-supportive, so that is why I am saying with the utmost respect.
"But I don't really plan on sitting here many more times for these kind of things so my apologies and I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend."
Some insiders believe Hamilton's behaviour is a response to the pressure he is feeling in the championship.
The world champion qualified second for Sunday's race behind team-mate Nico Rosberg, who has a 23-point advantage in the championship with fives races to go and 125 points still available.
Hamilton did not specify which particular articles he was offended by, and Mercedes said they did not know. The team did not know Hamilton was planning to make his statement.
The issue is likely to be dealt with privately behind the scenes following the race in Japan. It remains to be seen whether Hamilton's news conferences will be reinstated after this race.
Listen: 'Hamilton's behaviour isn't normal for F1 driver'
Japanese Grand Prix coverage details | Mercedes say they are prepared to accept "some collateral damage" from Lewis Hamilton following his controversial behaviour in Japan. |
35,933,922 | From 1 April, the £6bn health and social care budget will be managed by councils and health groups as part of an extension of devolved powers.
The Greater Manchester Strategic Partnership will now make decisions on how to target specific health issues.
Integrating health and social care services will ease the pressure on hospitals, said the government.
The new partnership, chaired by Lord Peter Smith, comprises 37 organisations including hospital trusts, NHS England, the 10 borough councils and GP commissioners.
How Greater Manchester is smashing the Whitehall model.
Lord Smith, who is leader of Wigan Council, said: "The big vision is about people and getting people's health in Greater Manchester better.
"We spend £6bn on health and social care but life expectancy in Greater Manchester is not as good as it should be.
"Lots of people suffer from long-term illness and we've got great ambition to do something about their health.
"But it's wider than health we want to do something for the economy.
"A lot of people can't get into work because they have health problems, so if we can help them there will be more people getting back into work and we will have more wealth created in Manchester."
Politicians and NHS leaders in support of the move say it will enable them to reshape health and social care according to the needs of local people.
But it comes at a time of financial pressure as £2bn needs to be saved from the budget by 2020 due to cuts in government funding and increasing costs.
Dr Zahid Chauhan, a GP in Failsworth, Oldham, raised questions about how that money will be saved.
He said: "My concerns with all this funding deficit and loss of £2bn is that we might struggle to achieve it and who will be responsible for that?
"Will it mean less doctors, appointments and operations? I don't know, but those are the questions that need to be answered." | Greater Manchester has become the first English region to gain control of its health spending. |
39,063,616 | Janet Hart told BBC Scotland that Alexander Gartshore, who died in 2006, attacked her two years after her 11-year-old sister vanished in Coatbridge.
She said police spoke to her after the incident, but nothing more was done.
Ms Hart now lives in Australia, and has come to Scotland to mark the 60th anniversary since Moira disappeared.
She told BBC Scotland she was out during her lunch hour from school when a man called her over to his car.
"He had the bonnet up at the side," she said.
"He told me to hold his dipstick, and under he went and up - groping me.
"I dropped the dipstick and ran."
She said she turned back to note down his registration plate.
Two policewomen came to the school and spoke to Ms Hart, but she said "nothing more was heard".
"Wouldn't you think something would have happened then?" she said.
Afterwards, the school rector spoke to pupils and advised them to go around the community in pairs, she said.
"That was Alexander Gartshore, I identified him, I remembered him so clearly," she said.
"Luckily I was in an area I could get away - it was broad daylight.
"Unfortunately Moira was trapped on his bus."
The last time Moira was seen, she was boarding a local Baxter's bus. But detectives appear to have failed to follow it up properly at the time.
Had they done so, they would have discovered that the bus driver was Alexander Gartshore, who was on bail at the time facing charges of raping his children's babysitter.
Later that year, he was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison for the rape of the babysitter.
Ms Hart said Moira was a tomboy who was full of fun, who loved to buy magic tricks and "play fun on everyone".
She said her sister also had a serious side.
"She wanted to be a missionary and she wanted to go to Africa," she said.
"She wanted to give herself to God."
Ms Hart said the Moira Anderson Foundation was her sister's legacy and was continuing to support children who needed help.
"Children now have a voice and someone who will listen," she said.
She was joined at the commemoration by Sandra Brown, the daughter of Alexander Gartshore.
Ms Brown was convinced her father was the killer and campaigned to have him charged.
In 2014, prosecutors took the unusual step of announcing that Mr Gartshore would have faced prosecution for the schoolgirl's murder if he were still alive.
Police have launched a final bid to find the remains of Moira.
Detectives are to examine specific locations in Coatbridge where Moira's body may have been hidden.
Ms Hart said: "I feel that this time that if she is to be found she will be found." | The sister of Moira Anderson, the schoolgirl who went missing in 1957, said she was sexually assaulted by the man suspected of her sister's murder. |
34,908,580 | Lord Fellowes was presented with the honorary Founders award by Downton actress Elizabeth McGovern, who plays the Countess of Grantham.
The only other British winner was Sky's 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy in the non-scripted entertainment category.
France was the big winner of the night, taking home three awards including best drama series.
That was won by crime thriller Engrenages - which is shown on BBC Four under the translated name of Spiral. It won the award for its fifth series.
Executive producer Anne Landois paid tribute to the victims of the recent Paris terror attacks and thanked police for their efforts "to preserve our values".
Engrenages star Caroline Proust added: "I would like to dedicate this award to the victims of despair and hate, and I hope that love and generosity will win in France and all over the world."
'Mum so happy!'
The Man Who Saved the Louvre - a film about Jacques Jaujard, the director of the French National Museums during the Nazi occupation of France - won best arts programming, while Soldat Blanc (White Soldier) won the TV movie/mini-series award.
It tells the story of two soldiers, former friends who become deadly enemies during the Indochina war.
50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy follows Irish TV presenter Baz Ashmawy as he takes his 71-year-old mother on thrill-seeking adventures including skydiving and alligator wrangling.
Ashmawy tweeted a picture of himself and his mother after the awards saying: "Thanks everyone for all the love I'm very touched. Mum so happy!"
Brazilian television won two Emmys: Best telenovela - a limited-run serial drama - for Imperio (Empire) and best comedy for Doce de Mae (Sweet Mother).
Best actor went to Maarten Heijmans of the Netherlands for Ramses, which chronicles the rise and fall of popular Dutch singer Ramses Shaffy.
Norway's Anneke von der Lippe won best actress Emmy for Eyewitness, in which she plays a small town police chief caught in the middle of a murder investigation. | Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has received an International Emmy at an event in New York. |
39,209,480 | HM Inspectorate of Prisons, which visited Eastwood Park in November, also noted there were three self-inflicted deaths in 2016.
Its report raised concerns over inmates being victimised, and a lack of support for women to find secure accommodation on release.
However, it said it still considered the prison to be "generally safe".
The jail, in South Gloucestershire, was last inspected in 2013. Since then its population has increased by 100 to about 400 inmates.
Chief inspector of prisons Peter Clarke said: "We still considered Eastwood Park to be a well-led... and decent prison, but it was showing signs of being under strain.
"Efforts to understand the recent self-inflicted deaths needed to continue, and urgent action should be taken to address any deficiencies.
"The increase in violence needed to be addressed with renewed vigour, and aspects of the prison's activities and resettlement provision required further work."
Mr Clarke added that Eastwood Park, near near Wotton-under-Edge, was among 10 prisons that would be prioritised to receive extra resources and support.
Inspectors noted that the prison remained "reasonably safe" for most inmates, support for vulnerable women was "generally strong" and issues with drugs were "well managed".
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said: "Eastwood Park is currently recruiting additional staff for around 20 new posts to introduce new 'dedicated officer' arrangements, which will significantly improve the quality of support that can be provided to women in their care." | Violence has increased at an "under strain" women's prison, a report has found. |
30,175,846 | DARD is facing cuts along with most other Stormont departments, apart from health, following a cut in the grant Northern Ireland gets from Westminster.
Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill has said this will mean tough choices.
In advance of a consultation paper to be published later this week, she has set out her spending priorities.
They include funding for farmers in the most difficult areas, known in European Union terminology as Areas of Natural Constraint (ANCs).
Ms O'Neill said she was also committed to policies to tackle poverty and isolation in rural areas.
She said that as well as facing cuts, the industry needed to grow to deliver employment in agriculture and food processing.
On that basis, the minister said she would retain funding for the farm development side of the Going for Growth strategy, a joint project run by her department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI).
Ms O'Neill also said that rural development funding for community-based Local Action Groups would be protected, once the 2014 to 2020 rural development plan was approved by the European Commission.
She underlined that the cuts would not affect plans to decentralise many DARD functions, including the move of its headquarters to Ballykelly, County Londonderry, beginning in 2017.
Staff will apply for redundancy to a central fund across all departments.
It is believed that the scale of decentralisation within DARD will see a significant interest in the redundancy plan, particularly amongst senior staff based in Belfast.
Asked about providing services with reduced staff numbers, Mrs O'Neill said ways would have to be found to deliver more from reduced resources.
If this includes greater efficiency and fewer individual inspections as part of EU monitoring of Common Agricultural Police (CAP) spending, this will be welcomed by farmers as one positive result of the budget cuts.
The minister confirmed that all three College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) colleges at Greenmount, Loughry and Enniskillen would remain open, but that they would face staff cuts.
Research projects will be reassessed to focus on those likely to deliver the greatest short-term gain for the industry.
The proposals will now go out for a six-week consultation. | The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is set to cut £30m from its annual budget, largely funded through 300 redundancies. |
35,782,797 | Baucher was asked to explore the theme of immigration as part of the Imagine Festival in Belfast, and so set about coming up with an idea that would open the viewer's mind to a new way of seeing.
He set upon a plan to take pictures from the viewpoint of the sitter, each person looking down on a possession that reflects their journey to Northern Ireland.
He began with a few friends and then used social media to spread the word.
"Over two-thirds of the images came about because of this approach," says Baucher.
"Whilst I contacted some of the statutory bodies dealing with migrants there was an understandable reticence to be involved. With this in mind, I continued to find people who wouldn't necessarily fall into the broad term immigrant."
His pictures are simply captioned.
"The identities of the sitters is not revealed, just the countries their families lived in before their arrival here in Northern Ireland," adds Baucher.
"These images are just a very small sample of the complex demographic of Northern Ireland yet hold truths for us all."
The pictures are part of Belfast's Imagine: Festival of Ideas and Politics and are on show at the Framewerk Gallery in Belfast until 19 March.
You can see an earlier piece I wrote on John Baucher's Through the Viewfinder work here. | John Baucher has always approached his subject matter in new ways, and his latest series is no exception. |
18,995,370 | The actress, who was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, fought a long battle with cancer and died in hospital in London.
Agent Barry Langford, who confirmed the news, said she had a "zest for life".
"She was a darling companion and wonderfully witty and kind," said Tom Baker, who played the fourth Doctor. "I'm so sorry to hear of her death."
Colin Baker, who played the sixth Doctor,
wrote on Twitter
: "Shellshocked to hear Mary Tamm is gone. A funny, caring, talented, lovely and down to earth lady."
Tamm's stage and screen career also included films The Odessa File and The Likely Lads, as well as recurring roles in EastEnders and Brookside.
"She was a fantastic actress," said Langford, who was her agent for 22 years.
"She played stage parts of such range, parts that would take your breath away. She could play any role, and do so wonderfully."
Tamm, who lived in London, had been suffering from cancer for 18 months.
The actress played Romana, a Time Lady from the Doctor's home planet of Gallifrey, alongside Tom Baker's Doctor and his robot dog K-9 in a season of six connected stories in 1978-9.
Her first story, The Ribos Operation, saw her join the Tardis crew on a quest to find the six scattered segments of the Key to Time.
Romana's other adventures included a story called The Pirate Planet, written by Douglas Adams, and The Stones of Blood, which was the 100th story since the sci-fi show started in 1963.
When Tamm left Doctor Who the role of Romana was taken over by Lalla Ward.
Tamm trained at Rada, beginning her career at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, alongside Derek Jacobi, Joan Sims and Ronnie Barker.
Her stage work included the roles of Amanda in Private Lives and Beverley in Abigail's Party.
She moved on to work in television and film. Her first feature film was Tales That Witness Madness, with Kim Novak.
More recently, she starred in Wire in the Blood, Paradise Heights and Jonathan Creek on TV.
Actress Helen Lederer, a friend of Tamm's, said: "Mary was such an energised, talented woman with a great twinkle in her eye and she was so very beautiful."
Tamm leaves behind husband Marcus Ringrose, daughter Lauren and seven-year-old grandson Max.
Mr Ringrose paid tribute to her "sheer talent".
"Mary was truly beautiful in every way. On set and offstage, her earthy northern humour and self-deprecating wit brightened every occasion."
"We will miss her every day."
Her agent Langford revealed that Tamm had been saddened by the recent deaths of contemporaries Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who, and Angharad Rees, who died last weekend.
He said: "All of these people who she knew were going." | Doctor Who star Mary Tamm, who played companion Romana alongside Tom Baker, has died aged 62. |
36,128,466 | Matthew, ranked 70 in the world, had been on the fringes of contention throughout the first three rounds.
But the 46-year-old was among those who suffered the most on a windy final day as she carded a six-over par 78.
That sent her down into a share of 13th, ultimately 10 shots off the pace set by winner Haru Nomura, of Japan.
Matthew birdied the eighth, but that was a rare bright spot amid five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-four 16th.
Nomura completed her final round in 73, but that was still good enough for her to win by four shots from South African Lee-Anne Pace. | Scotland's Catriona Matthew slipped out of the top 10 on the final round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in difficult conditions in San Francisco. |
30,399,377 | The islands had been occupied by the German military since June 1940 and the Allied thrust through Europe had cut off supplies.
"Everyone was shouting Vega, Vega, you could hear it all over town, everybody was emotional, but gave it a rousing welcome," said Molly Bihet, who has written several books on the occupation.
"We were all crying, a lot of people have told me they thought that parcel meant more than Liberation Day."
John De Jersey, who had been imprisoned by the German authorities, said: "I actually saw the ship enter St Peter Port harbour from my cell window.
"If it hadn't been for that wonderful ship there would have been a lot of people [who] would have died of starvation in Guernsey."
To mark the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Vega and its vital role in bringing supplies, a group of model boat enthusiasts have completed a 6ft 8in by 1ft replica of the ship.
Occupation of the Channel Islands
As the German Blitzkreig launched at the start of World War Two, the UK government decided to demilitarise the Channel Islands, which lie just off the coast of Normandy, France.
As a result about 30,000 islanders, about one third of the population, left as evacuees, with entire schools and families being put up across the British Isles.
Having occupied the islands the German military was responsible for feeding the 60,000 civilians as well as its own garrison, which at its largest was 26,800 troops, with supplies shipped in from German-occupied France.
This all changed with the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, when the Allied advance across Europe disrupted the supply lines.
Guernsey resident Tom Jehan described the situation: "Every available piece of ground at our house was used for growing vegetables, even the front lawn became a cabbage patch.
"Some of the 'delicacies' were carrageen moss to make a jelly or blancmange, sweet corn ground into flour to make cakes, bramble-leaf tea, parsnip coffee [and] fried potato peelings."
"Many are in a very poor condition, so the extra reduction in food values will have a serious consequence for them," said Dr Robert Noel McKinstry, Jersey's medical officer of health, in August following the announcement of further rationing.
On 5 November, the bailiff of Guernsey was given permission by the military authorities to send details of the desperate situation in Guernsey, Sark and Herm to the International Red Cross. A similar report was sent by Jersey's bailiff a few days later.
Letter from the bailiff of Guernsey to the secretary general of the International Red Cross
Conditions rapidly deteriorating here. Will soon become impossible. We appreciate difficulties, but civilian population need urgent supplies of essentials. We urge immediate visit of Red Cross Representatives.
All rations drastically reduced. Bread finishes December 15th. Sugar finishes January 6th. Fat production much below subsistence levels. Ration of mild reduced to one third of a point per head by the end of the year. Soap and other cleaners, stocks completely exhausted. Vegetables generally inadequate to supply civilian population, through the winter.
German consumption heavy. Salt exhausted. Clothing and footwear stock almost exhausted. Fuel, gas and electricity finish end of year. Coal stocks exhausted. Wood fuel inadequate. Many essential medical supplies finished.
(Signed) Victor G. Carey, Bailiff of Guernsey
On 9 November, the UK Home Office suggested the Joint War Organisation (JWO) of the British Red Cross and Order of St John take action to help islanders.
The Vega left Lisbon on 20 December, carrying food parcels and diet supplements for the sick. The ship arrived in Guernsey on 27 December and in Jersey on 31 December.
Herbert Nicholls described the ship's arrival: "There was rumours all the time and there was talk of a ship coming, then it arrived, and it was there with the big red cross on, red and white.
"That was the excitement, everybody was waiting for their Red Cross parcels."
On its first visit SS Vega delivered to the islands:
Alfred Roussel summed up the feelings of many islanders: "That name, Vega will always dwell in the minds of those who were in the island at that time as the turning point in the food situation."
The Vega visited the islands six more times with the last being about a month after the islands had been liberated in May 1945, but before a regular ferry service was reinstated and the return of the many evacuees.
Mr Jehan said of one of the later deliveries: "Everybody commented on how white the bread was, it was such a change as the bread we had been accustomed to was made with oatmeal, husks and all."
Red Cross parcels
The Canadian parcels contained:
And the parcels from New Zealand held:
The Red Cross had also been involved in delivering vital medical supplies to the island with medicines, drugs and medical stores sent from 1942 onwards.
This included some individual requirements including a surgical boot for an elderly woman, a new truss for a man, special powders for a man who had been badly gassed in World War One and new equipment for a radiologist. | Christmas lunch for Channel Islanders in 1944 was a meagre affair and only the arrival of the Red Cross ship the SS Vega a few days later kept thousands alive. |
33,692,051 | Media playback is unsupported on your device
29 July 2015 Last updated at 09:26 BST
Writing in the journal , an international team of researchers described the animals eating clay and drinking clay water, often by using leaves as sponges.
This behaviour, shown in the footage above, increased after 2005, at the same time as the animals started to feed much less on raffia palms, which became scarce because they were used by local tobacco farmers.
"Raffia is a key source of sodium, but to our surprise the sodium content was very low in the clay so this does not appear to be the main reason for the new clay-bingeing," said Vernon Reynolds, an emeritus professor at Oxford University and the study's first author.
"Instead, we believe the low concentrations of minerals present in their normal diet of fruit and leaves suggests that the clay is eaten as a general mineral supplement."
Eating earth, which scientists call "geophagy", is a known habit among chimpanzees as well as other animals.
A different community of the animals elsewhere in Uganda has been shown to self-medicate using a particular combination of soil and leaves with anti-malarial properties.
Footage courtesy of Brittan Fallon | A study suggests that chimpanzees in Uganda are eating clay to boost their mineral intake. |
37,418,521 | Fifty conservation bodies have produced the findings to highlight the plight of nature across the country.
Naturalist and TV presenter Iolo Williams said the erosion of Welsh wildlife was "staggering".
This is the second publication of its kind, following the first in 2013.
Williams said many species were declining at an "alarming rate".
He said the report highlights "sustained action" and "innovative projects" could help reverse the decline and he urged scientists, communities, businesses and government to work together to create a "brighter outlook" for future generations.
However, the situation is better in Wales compared with the rest of the UK, where throughout the UK, more than one in 10 species are threatened with extinction.
Following the publication of the UK wide version of the report last week , the Welsh breakdown will be launched officially in the centre of Cardiff, with musicians, poets, graffiti artists and circus acts highlighting the importance of nature through a series of performances.
State of Nature Wales 2016 key findings:
Both reports state that the net loss of biodiversity appears to be ongoing as a result of persistent, and in some cases, intensifying pressures.
The report highlights conservation success stories in Wales, but warns the overall decline of wildlife is continuing.
RSPB Cymru biodiversity manager, and one of the report authors, Stephen Bladwell, said: "For the first time, we've been able to identify and quantify the main reasons why our wildlife is changing - and it's clear that changes in land management and climate change are the two greatest factors that impact nature."
However, he said there was good news, as conservation measures work and can help reverse species and habitat decline, which was evident with the "rise in numbers of otters and bats, as well as butterflies like the ringlet and birds such as the red kite".
Pressures and threats to nature in Wales:
The publication admits estimating change in the UK's wildlife was difficult due to lack of data, and data reliability.
The report attempts to overcome this problem using a new measure.
The Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) assumes a starting point of 100% estimate of the average abundance of originally present species in an area, relative to their abundance in an undisturbed habitat.
As wildlife declines a country loses biodiversity and the figure declines from that point.
If the figure drops through 90% it indicates ecosystems may no longer be able to reliably function to meet society's or nature's needs.
Wales' BII score is 82.8% which sees it ranked in the lowest fifth out of the countries measured.
However, this is the highest figure compared with the rest of the UK, with England scoring 80.6%, Scotland 81.3% and Northern Ireland 80%.
The average UK BII figure is 81%. | One in 14 species in Wales is at risk of disappearing altogether according to figures collected as part of the State of Nature Wales 2016 report. |
34,991,949 | Other customs that made the cut include classical horsemanship in Austria, folk dances in Peru and Romania and a Namibian fruit festival.
Unesco announced the new additions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list on Wednesday.
International delegates are meeting in Windhoek in Namibia.
North Korean kimchi joins its southern counterpart which is already on the list. Unesco paid tribute to the practice of making of the pickled cabbage dish, saying that it contributes to social cohesion.
Making and serving coffee in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar is meanwhile considered "a ceremonial act of generosity".
The traditions of the classical horsemanship at the Spanish Riding School Vienna ensure communities in the school have a "strong sense of identity".
Marble craftsmanship practised on the Greek island of Tinos was recognised as part of the island's cultural identity which draws from "a shared symbolic system of religious, magical and oral traditions".
The ornamental painting technique known as filete porteno from Buenos Aires, ubiquitous in Argentina, was also recognised.
Also recognised is the Oshituthi shomangongo, a festival in Namibia where communities gather to drink a beverage made from the marula fruit.
Others on the list include the epic art of Gorogly in Turkemenistan, which is a tradition of oral performance describing the achievements of the hero Gorogly; and the tugging rituals in rice-farming cultures in Cambodia, Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam. | The traditions of making North Korean kimchi and Arabic coffee are among 20 practices newly recognised by Unesco, the UN's cultural agency. |
36,620,044 | A motorcyclist was badly hurt after a collision with a Fiat 500 on the route near Selkirk at about 11:20.
Two women travelling in the car also suffered minor injuries.
Another woman was then seriously injured in another crash, involving a car and a van, which happened on the same road at about 12:50.
She was driving a Nissan Micra which was in collision with a Mercedes van near the Waterwheel Cafe.
All of the injured have been taken to the Borders General Hospital. | Two people have been seriously injured in separate accidents on the A707 in the Scottish Borders in the space of an hour and a half. |
37,084,977 | The 30-year-old has scored three centuries and seven half-centuries across all competitions this season.
Denly made his first-class debut for Kent in 2004 and rejoined the club ahead of the 2015 campaign following a three-year spell at Middlesex.
"I am enjoying my cricket as much as I ever have and feel I'm entering my prime years as a batsman," he said.
Kent have not disclosed the length of Denly's new deal. | Kent batsman Joe Denly has signed a new long-term contract with the Division Two club. |
38,582,554 | He was responding to concerns local knowledge has been lost following the closure of fire control rooms in Inverness and Aberdeen.
Highland Council and Shetland MSP Tavish Scott have been among those raising the concerns.
Mr Hay said there were "checks and balances" to ensure the right response.
Earlier this week, Highland Council's ruling administration renewed its call for the region to have a dedicated fire control room service.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) shut its operations control room in Inverness last month and its site in Aberdeen in November.
Calls that were handled by those control rooms are now dealt with in Dundee.
But Mr Hay said: "I want to give strong reassurances that at no point did we not dispatch the right resources across the north of Scotland.
"We have a number of checks and balances that make sure we send the right resources to the right incident as quickly as we can."
He said the fire service would also continue to improve systems, processes and operations to provide "the best possible and most robust service" to communities. | Scotland's chief fire officer Alasdair Hay has said the right resources are being sent to incidents after claims about the handling of some call-outs. |
32,113,355 | In 1955, British Pathé cameras captured one particularly impressive ceremony at which the cities of Belfast and Londonderry jointly awarded freedoms to Winston Churchill.
The proceedings were in some ways very similar to the way the honour would be awarded today - a gala dinner, speeches, and lord mayors in all their regalia.
But otherwise, the local authorities of years gone by worked very differently to those we have known recently.
For most of the last century, councils in Northern Ireland ran most local services.
They had education powers and even ran parts of the NHS.
There were 73 local authorities, which tended to be dominated by unionists.
Consensus grew in the late 1970s that the system was too complicated
The BBC interviewed the then Stormont Prime Minister Brian Faulkner.
In remarks that mirror those of our present politicians, he proclaimed his local government reforms were the most significant in decades.
The number of councils was cut to 26.
Many of their powers were transferred to Stormont.
Councils were left cleaning the streets, emptying the bins, and looking after cemeteries.
But of course politics was going through a much bigger change.
When Stormont was suspended in 1972, the newly redesigned councils became the only forum in Northern Ireland in which politicians debated with each other.
Those debates often turned to dust-ups.
On a search through the archives, I found a report from Magherafelt council in 1985.
Police reinforcements had to be called in after a fight broke out in the chamber, after the SDLP and Sinn Féin voted in an SDLP chair and a republican vice-chair.
One councillor explained it really didn't bother him, as he had been "hospitalised out of the chamber" before, and spent two nights in hospital recovering from the political punch-up.
Unionists were angry that the Sinn Féin vice-chair had raised his fist and said "victory to the IRA". The DUP said they "wouldn't take any threats from skunks like that".
The vice-chair told the BBC reporter he had no apology to make: "I have been elected to represent the republican people."
Back in the capital, journalists nicknamed Belfast City Hall "the dome of delight" - where discussions were rarely dull.
Sit-ins, walk-outs and fisticuffs were far from unusual.
Ulster Unionist Chris McGimpsey was elected in 1993.
"It was very fraught," he says. "There was a joke which did the rounds: 'I went to a fight last night, and halfway through a council meeting broke out.'"
But politicians and reporters agree that in spite of all the strains, councils did play a valuable role.
Sunday World northern editor Jim McDowell covered City Hall for many years.
"Beneath all the bluster, there was a sense of civic responsibility here," he says.
"Murders could be condemned, bombings could be condemned. City Hall was an escape valve - and I think that was a good thing."
While high-profile disputes still happen, council politics these days is a comparatively benign affair.
And with the onset of a new type of politics has come new ideas about how councils should be run.
This week, local government is getting some of its powers back.
On Wednesday, 11 new "super-councils" are taking over.
The 26 local authorities will be no more.
They were brought into being at the height of the Troubles, and their politics reflected the fraught times.
But over the course of the councils' existence, Northern Ireland changed profoundly.
Many of the retiring councillors played a role in bringing society into a more peaceful era.
Now it will be down to a new generation of local politicians to take on extra powers - and make the most of the biggest change in local democracy in more than 40 years. | Some council functions don't ever change. |
34,665,667 | The 48-year-old sent abusive tweets and texts to Amanda Thomas, Bournemouth Magistrates' Court heard.
He also admitted assaulting photographer Steven Shepherd and damaging his £200 glasses.
Gascoigne, who now lives in Poole, Dorset, won 57 caps for England during a 19-year playing career.
District Judge Stephen Nicholls sentenced him to a community order for 12 months and issued a restraining order for two years prohibiting him from contacting Miss Thomas or posting about her on social media.
The court heard the relationship between Gascoigne and Miss Thomas ended at the end of last year and she started seeing another man, Andrew Stone, who works with Mr Shepherd.
On 16 March, it was heard the former footballer telephoned Miss Thomas at a Post Office shop where she works in Bournemouth, but she told him not to contact her again.
He went on to send her text messages and a "series of abusive tweets" in the following days, the prosecution said.
Prosecuting, Lee Turner said: "As a result of those tweets, it encouraged other persons using Twitter - which led to further harassment of Miss Thomas.
"She was alarmed and distressed at their content. Mr Stone telephoned Mr Gascoigne asking him to stop, however the abusive tweets continued."
The next day Gascoigne called his former girlfriend and told her: "I am going to destroy you, I am going to hammer you, I am going to come into the post office tomorrow."
The court heard he turned up at her place of work "causing a scene" and started shouting her name.
He then sent a further tweet saying: "If they do not sack the cow I am going to sue the Post Office."
Miss Thomas made a complaint to police and officers arrested the 48-year-old.
Gascoigne also admitted assaulting Mr Shepherd and a charge of criminal damage.
The court heard the photographer was taking pictures of the former footballer as he signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans at a cafe in Bournemouth on 16 June.
Gascoigne confronted Mr Shepherd and demanded he hand over his camera's memory card.
The altercation resulted in a one-inch graze to Mr Shepherd's head and damage to his prescription glasses, it was heard.
In defence, Gavin Harris told the court his client had been in a relationship with Miss Thomas dating back five years, but it started to go downhill when paparazzi photographers Mr Stone and Mr Shepherd came into contact with them.
Mr Harris accused Mr Shepherd of a "brazen attempt" to provoke Gascoigne so valuable photographs could be taken by Mr Stone, who was by "no coincidence" also at the scene of the attack.
Gascoigne, who has faced a high-profile battle with alcohol addiction in recent years and has spent a number of spells in rehab, played for the likes of Newcastle United, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton.
He was also fined £100 for the harassment and ordered to pay £1,535 in compensation and court costs, as well as a £60 victims' surcharge.
It has been reported he is being lined-up to appear on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, due to start in November. | Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has been fined and made the subject to a restraining order after he admitted harassing his ex-girlfriend. |
37,620,995 | Claire Sumner, 41, from Leeds, said her son Noah suddenly went downhill one night and started thrashing around in bed as his temperature soared.
"I was worried about meningitis or that he would start having convulsions. It was awful," she recalled.
Claire was reliving her concerns as English health officials launch an expanded winter flu jab campaign.
The vaccination programme starts this week - and this year it will be extended to children in school year three (seven and eight-year-olds).
She said that at one point that night she almost took Noah to hospital, but once she had got his temperature down she waited for an emergency appointment with a GP the following day.
Flu was diagnosed and Noah, who was two at the time, eventually started getting better.
"It took him three weeks to get over it," Claire said. "There were times when he was really lethargic and off his food. You just don't expect children to get flu like that."
She said this year she will make sure he gets the flu jab along with his older brother Oliver.
The expanded campaign means there are four million children eligible this year for the vaccination, which is given to them via a nasal spray rather than an injection.
Chief medical officer Prof Dame Sally Davies said: "Flu can be much more dangerous for children than many parents realise and when children get flu they tend to spread it around the whole family.
"Every year thousands of children have flu and it is not uncommon for them to be admitted to hospital."
The vaccination is also offered to the over 65s, and those in at-risk groups such as people with long-term conditions such as diabetes and respiratory problems, and pregnant women.
The launch of the vaccination campaign will be accompanied by a TV, radio and online advertising push encouraging people to get immunised.
Only half of school-aged children eligible for the vaccination got it last year and around a third of two to four-year-olds.
Over-65s had the best uptake - nearly three-quarters received it, while for pregnant women and at-risk groups it was under half. | A mother of a three-year-old boy has described the terrible moments when he got flu last winter. |
19,863,304 | About 150 Communities First projects are being reduced to 50 "cluster" areas while a dozen partnerships will cease.
The action is being taken after reports criticised the effectiveness of the project's spending.
The Welsh government said the changes followed a consultation and community involvement would remain central to it.
Some people are concerned the changes will impact on those it is meant to help most.
The Communities First programme was set up in 2001 to help people living in some of the most deprived areas of Wales.
Over the past 10 years more than £300m has been spent by the partnerships trying to improve the health, education and quality of life of people in concentrated areas such as community wards and housing estates.
Around 20% of the Welsh population are said to live in Communities First areas, but it varies greatly with 24 partnerships in Rhondda Cynon Taf and one each in Monmouthshire and Denbighshire.
Now, the programme is undergoing a major shake-up between October and January following a series of critical reports in 2010 and 2011 which will cut the annual spending by £5m to £40m.
But there are concerns the changes will mean the partnerships will not be able to connect with local communities in the same way if they are based elsewhere and cover a wider area.
"Some of the communities we met were extremely concerned that they wouldn't have a resident worker with them and they felt they would be lucky to get one for one day a week," said Shan Aston.
She is director of a community development programme at Bangor University and has been studying Communities First areas as part of her work.
A total of 13 partnerships will cease as part of the overhaul because they are no longer regarded to be among the most deprived areas. They are:
"In the restructuring process, I think the danger is that they will have lost what is best about Communities First - that element of working from the bottom up and people becoming empowered to make a change in their own lives," she said.
The Welsh government insisted local people were a central focus of the changes.
"We want to see more local people becoming actively involved in Communities First and so each cluster will develop a community involvement plan to ensure that this happens," said a spokesperson.
One of the most damning reports about the programme came from the assembly's public accounts committee in 2010 which said the programme had failed to deliver value for money.
The most recent assessment found around two-thirds of partnerships were performing well but there were "significant concerns" about several.
Despite the criticisms, Christine Thomas, who was chair of Wrexham's Caia Park Communities First executive board for a decade, said it had helped the housing estate.
"There's still lots and lots of things to do and I'm not going to tell you that if you come and live in Caia Park, you'll be living in Utopia, you're not," she said.
"Some communities, particularly the mining communities in south Wales, as well as urban communities like us, have been in areas of deprivation for a long time.
"You are not going to come out of that in a few years with a few hundred thousand pounds spent on you - it's takes investment in people and the communities itself. "
She said she feared that perhaps there would not be the same resident involvement under the new programme.
Helen Cocks, chair of the Gibbonsdown and Court Communities Partnership Board in Barry, is backing the changes, saying trying to get employers to mentor young people was "virtually impossible" with no big businesses in her immediate area.
Dave Adamson, chief executive of the Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales which was part of the team which helped set up in Communities First in 2001, said the programme was only one part of the strategy to tackle poverty.
"It should never have been conceived of as a cure all programme," he said.
"By definition it's an utter impossibility to do that.
"I think a realistic reappraisal suggests it does need to work in partnership with the overall strategy against poverty, has to work with the health agenda critically, has to work with the education and skills agenda.
"And when Communities First really gets to grips with that, that's when we'll see the best results." | Concerns have been raised about the impact of changes to the Welsh government's flagship anti-poverty scheme. |
40,831,861 | The 22-year-old came through the youth system at Stamford Bridge but spent time on loan at six different clubs.
Chalobah joined Watford for a reported £5m fee on a five-year deal last month, having made 15 appearances for Chelsea - all last season.
"I wanted to come out and play," Chalobah told BBC Three Counties Radio.
Chalobah signed professional terms with Chelsea in 2012 and regularly captained both the reserve and youth sides.
He found a path to the first team difficult, instead making temporary moves to Watford, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley, Reading and Serie A side Napoli.
Many Chelsea players are sent out elsewhere; the club have 25 players on loan at clubs around England and Europe.
Chalobah added: "Being at Chelsea, I would have signed a new deal and gone out on loan again and got frustrated. That was the choice I had to make, but it was emotional leaving Chelsea.
"The conversation I had with the manager Antonio Conte was positive but it was a decision I had to make after being on loan six times."
Chalobah spoke highly about his loan spell at Vicarage Road in 2012-13, when he made 42 appearances.
He said: "Watford was my first loan and things went well. It was my best loan and positive when I was here. I was looking forward to coming back."
Chalobah was part of the England Under-21 side who reached the semi-finals of the European Championships in Poland in June.
He is aiming to break into the senior England side, who face Malta and Slovakia in their next World Cup qualifiers in September.
"It is an opportunity for me," he said. "England manager Gareth Southgate has always said that if I am doing well at my club, he likes what he sees, then there is a definite chance of getting in his team. I have got to grasp it with both hands and put the performances forward.
"He has had this conversation with the whole of the Under-21s and made it clear. He has drafted in Southampton's Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse who are the same age as me.
"That is positive because it shows if you are doing well at your club, there is no reason why you won't get your chance." | Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah says he decided to leave Chelsea as he would have "got frustrated" at being sent out on loan again. |
38,915,691 | Thomas Keating, 22, has been charged with reckless driving over the death of 20-year-old Emily Jayne Collie.
The pair were riding separate jet skis when they collided on the resort island of Phuket on Sunday.
Mr Keating was accompanied by Ms Collie's parents when he was formally charged by police on Thursday.
The charge of reckless driving causing death carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 20,000 Thai baht (£450; $570).
Ms Collie suffered neck and shoulder injuries in the crash and died while being taken to hospital.
Police told local media Mr Keating's case would be heard in about a month.
"The deceased's relatives have told police they understand that this was an accident and will not pursue the case," Col Sanya Thongsawad told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
"Police don't have to detain him but he is now banned from leaving the country until the court process is completed."
Col Sanya told the Phuket News he expected Mr Keating to receive a suspended sentence.
Mr Keating's passport was confiscated as "standard procedure", police said.
Australian consular officials released a statement from Ms Collie's parents.
"This was a tragic accident. We do not believe anybody was at fault," Ian and Sally Collie said.
"We do not place any blame on Tom Keating, who we care about very much and who we know loved Emily deeply.
"We are all heartbroken beyond words, and at this extremely sad time, we wish to be together with our family, with Tom, and with other loved ones to grieve and celebrate Emily's life."
Friends of the couple have written messages of support for Mr Keating on Facebook. He has also shared his grief online.
"I'll always be your boy and you'll always be my girl! We had so many plans for our future Emmy," Mr Keating said.
"I love you such much Emily and I wish I could just bring you back into my arms."
Ms Collie's parents are expected to return with her body to the state of Victoria this weekend.
Tourism is a key component of Thailand's economy, but the Australian government warns travellers of the risks of hiring jets skis and motorcycles in the country. | The parents of an Australian woman who died in a jet ski collision in Thailand say they do not hold her boyfriend responsible. |
40,714,575 | The FTSE 100 rose 32.94 points to 7,410.67. Anglo American shares added 4% and Antofagasta was up 2.3%.
Top riser was media group Informa, which rose 6.8% after it posted a 40% rise in half-year revenues thanks to its global exhibitions business.
Virgin Money shares fell 8% after it warned on the UK housing market.
The FTSE 250-listed bank said that while the market should remain "resilient", there could be some "areas of weakness to be navigated" in the short term.
Its comments overshadowed news of 26% rise in half-year underlying profits to £128.6m.
Domino's Pizza Group fell nearly 7% after the company reported a slowdown in its sales growth.
Half-year pre-tax profits rose 9% to £44.6m, but UK like-for-like sales growth slowed to 2.4% from 13% a year earlier.
Acacia Mining shares were down a further 11% as investors reacted to news that the company had been handed a $190bn bill for unpaid taxes and penalties from Tanzania.
The company has been accused of under-reporting export revenues, which Acacia denies.
On the currency markets, the pound was unchanged against the dollar at $1.3025, and down 0,1% against the euro at 1.1179 euros. | London's benchmark share index opened higher, boosted by mining companies after the price of copper hit its highest level since February. |
35,323,627 | The US Episcopal Church - which has an openly gay bishop - is to be barred from Anglican decision-making bodies.
Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said the church's stance on homosexuality would one day be seen to be as wrong as its 19th Century support for slavery.
He said Jesus preached peace and understanding, not hatred and division.
Anglican leaders from all over the world have been meeting in Canterbury to try to heal deep rifts within the church over issues such as same-sex marriage and gay clerics.
Bishops in African countries such as Uganda and Kenya oppose the more liberal stance on homosexuality taken by some churches in the west.
A statement issued on Thursday acknowledged "deep differences" over the understanding of marriage, but said the Episcopal Church's approval of gay marriage was "a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching" of the majority of Anglicans.
Before the meeting, more than 100 senior Anglicans had urged the Church of England to repent for "discriminating" against lesbian and gay Christians in an open letter.
Mr Bryant, a former curate and youth chaplain, later tweeted: "I've finally given up on Anglican church today after its love-empty decision on sexuality. One day it will seem wrong as supporting slavery."
Speaking to BBC Wales, he added: "The whole point of the Anglican communion is that we agree in the autonomy of its churches.
"I think we've behaved disgracefully to the American church.
"This is the established Church of England taking a stance against homosexuality.
"Ironically the Church in Wales is much more liberal on this issue.
"Church leaders should read the Bible - Jesus's message was not one of hatred and division, but one of peace and understanding." | An MP and former Anglican cleric has said he is giving up on the church for taking action against its American arm for approving same-sex marriage. |
37,150,198 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Rio was our last chance to delight in the talents of sprinter Usain Bolt, swimmer Michael Phelps, cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins and heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill on the biggest sporting stage of all.
While British cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny, and American decathlete Ashton Eaton, among others, are young enough to continue to carry the torch of Olympic greatness, new stars must come to the fore for Tokyo 2020.
The list is not definitive - and no-one knows what the future will hold - but here we select 10 athletes who could be the headline acts in four years' time.
With a stunning attack on the final sprint to win gold, Dibben stirred the 8,000-strong crowd during the points race at the World Championships earlier this year.
It was a performance that had team-mate Owain Doull tweeting of his tears.
The world champion - and European omnium bronze medallist - was also part of the men's team pursuit that won world silver in London in March.
But the 22-year-old Team Wiggins rider was not selected for Rio, with Mark Cavendish - who went on to win omnium silver - preferred.
The 30-year-old Manxman is unlikely to compete in Japan and with Rio also being Wiggins' Olympic farewell, Tokyo could be Dibben's time.
Rio 2016 saw Britain's 'other' divers come to prominence. Jack Laugher became the nation's most successful diver in Olympic history with gold and silver, while Dan Goodfellow ably supported Tom Daley as the pair won 10m platform synchronised bronze.
Daley is still his sport's headline act, but the 22-year-old cannot twist and tuck forever and failed to reach the 10m platform final.
Step forward Toulson, at 16 one of the youngest British athletes competing in Brazil. The teenager from Huddersfield was accustomed to winning medals in junior championships and was ranked third in the world, with partner Tonia Couch, in the women's synchronised 10m prior to the Games.
Toulson - who will soon receive her GCSE results - and Couch did not finish in the top three in Brazil, extending Britain's run without a women's Olympic diving medal to 56 years, but Tokyo could be the city where the long wait ends.
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Many a British gymnast will return home with their reputations enhanced and names in British sporting history - such as double Olympic champion Max Whitlock, 16-year-old bronze medallist Amy Tinkler and Nile Wilson, the high bar Olympic bronze medallist.
It was a record seven Olympic medals for Britain's gymnasts, but amid the celebrations, it is easy to forget those who did not win a medal.
Downie, the first British woman to win an all-around medal at a major gymnastics championships, described Rio as a "rollercoaster experience".
She fell on her neck during the qualifying stages and went on to finish 13th in the all-around, but the Nottingham athlete will only be 20 when the Olympic flame arrives in Japan and, along with Tinkler, could by then be matching the world's best somersault for somersault.
There will be no Bolt at the next Olympics to inspire and entertain. While no-one can replace the greatest track and field athlete who has ever lived, De Grasse could be the man to dominate men's sprinting once the nine-time Olympic champion says his final goodbyes to the sport.
The 21-year-old, who only took up athletics seriously four years ago, recorded personal bests in both the 100m (9.91 seconds) and 200m (19.80 seconds) in Rio. He went on to win three medals - 200m silver, 100m bronze and sprint relay bronze - to become the first Canadian since 1932 to win three medals in track and field at the same Games.
"He has a lot of talent," Bolt has said of De Grasse, who himself has made clear his intentions. "It's a dream come true for me," he said of his Rio spoils. "For next time around, I just want to upgrade those medals."
It is Adam Peaty, the Olympic champion and world record holder, who will return to Britain as the nation's swimming superstar.
But in Tokyo, he may have to share the limelight with 21-year-old team-mate Ben Proud, the man acknowledged as the fastest junior swimmer in history.
Proud set a new British record of 21.54secs in qualifying for the 50m freestyle final and went on to finish fourth - 0.19secs adrift of 35-year-old champion Anthony Ervin.
His performances in Rio have strengthened many people's belief he could become the world's fastest swimmer. They enhanced the reputation he gained two years ago in winning double Commonwealth gold - an achievement that included a stunning swim to beat South African heavyweights Roland Schoeman and Chad le Clos to the 50m butterfly title.
Fiji have dominated men's rugby sevens for decades and it was the Pacific islanders who beat Britain emphatically in the final to become Olympic champions.
But semi-finalists Japan played their part in the sport's successful Olympic debut, rocking the old order by beating New Zealand in sevens for the first time in 17 attempts and rekindling memories of the Brave Blossoms' sensational victory over South Africa at last year's Rugby World Cup.
Described as an "outstanding team" by Britain's coach Simon Amor, Japan's magnificent seven would also have drawn with Britain but for a missed late conversion by Lomano Lemeki.
Such was the impact of their success, Japan's players were told to turn off their phones because of the number of supportive messages they were receiving from home.
Japan will host the next World Cup in 2019 and, with the Olympics in Tokyo the following year, both formats of the game could grow significantly in the country.
"This is for the entire nation," said Dina Asher-Smith after winning sprint relay bronze, Britain's first medal in the event since Los Angeles 1984.
Britain's fastest woman will end her first Olympics with a medal and an individual fifth-place finish in the 200m. For a 20-year-old who combines athletics with studying for a history degree, that is no small feat.
Four years ago, Asher-Smith was a kit carrier at London 2012 and since then has gone on to become the first British woman to win the European 200m title, plus the British record holder over 100m and 200m and, in finishing fifth at last year's World Championships, the fastest teenager ever over 200m.
She is almost certain to create more history over the next four years and, who knows, could become the first British female to win Olympic medals over 100m and 200m since Dorothy Hyman in 1960.
Tokyo 2020 could be the Games where Kanak Jha - the first American born in the 2000s to qualify for Rio - will come of age.
The 16-year-old has been described as a table tennis prodigy. Even though he failed to progress in Rio, the youngest male player to compete in his sport at an Olympics has potential.
"When he was six or seven years old, he just had that knack," his father Arun has said. As a junior, this Californian son of Indian parents reached the national semi-finals of the men's senior tournament.
Can he help break China's hegemony over the sport? They have won 28 of the 32 gold medals since table tennis made its Olympic debut in 1988 so it is a tall order, but any teenager who moves from the US to Sweden to hone his skills is clearly planning for a big future.
It might seem strange to name a five-time Olympic champion as a potential headline-maker, but for Missy Franklin, Tokyo could be the Games where her star is reborn.
The American cleaned up in the pool in London 2012 when she was just 17, winning five medals - four of them golds. Yet she did not advance to the final in either of her individual events in Rio - although she did win relay gold.
She appears not to have regained form or confidence following a back injury in 2014 and was upstaged in Rio by Katie Ledecky, her country's new darling in the pool. Franklin described her performances in Brazil as heart-breaking, but could she become Phelps-like again in Tokyo? It will be interesting to find out.
Japan has grown accustomed to dominating men's gymnastics, with Kohei Uchimura, the two-time all-around Olympic champion, their superstar.
The 27-year-old is a great of his sport, winning 10 world titles as well as three Olympic golds, but whether he can still dominate in four years' time and win a record third consecutive all-around gold is open to question.
The man who could be the heir to Uchimura's throne is 19-year-old Shiral. In 2013, aged 17, he mesmerised on the floor to become world champion on that apparatus and retained his title in 2015.
He surprisingly failed to shine on the floor in Rio, with Britain's Whitlock claiming gold, but that should not rule him out of potentially vying for Olympic titles on home soil. He did, after all, win team gold and vault bronze in Brazil. | When the flame was extinguished at the Maracana on Sunday, so ended the Olympic careers of some of the finest sportsmen and women to have lived. |
39,326,534 | Dr Brian Harris, 77, who worked at the Trealaw Clinic in Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taff, denies 13 charges of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault.
The man told his trial Dr Harris groomed him during appointments between 2009 and 2011 when he was a student.
He said the doctor raped him and got him addicted to prescription drugs.
Merthyr Crown Court heard the former Cardiff University student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was being treated for anxiety and depression after leaving his university course because of his symptoms when the assaults began.
He told police Dr Harris got him addicted to diazepam and gave him Viagra.
In recorded interviews played to the jury, he said: "He abused his position as a doctor.
"I was very vulnerable at the time and I didn't have any friends - he took advantage of me."
He claimed the initial incidents took place at the Trealaw Clinic in 2009 and said the memory of the assaults was "eating me alive".
He added: "I can't understand how he was so brazen about it in that damn office - I wish someone had walked in."
The court heard Dr Harris used to tell the man's mother to leave the room during their consultations and would then sexually assault him.
The alleged assaults took place at both Trealaw and the mental health department of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant, the court was told.
In the interview, the man said Dr Harris had "control over my tablets, he can make my life difficult, so I went along with it".
He added: "I didn't want to do what I was doing. He had so much power, he was in charge. He could say if I could stay out of hospital."
The man said as a result of the assaults he put bleach in his mouth which burnt his teeth and "felt dirty".
In another interview in 2016, the man told police Dr Harris had come to the hostel where he lived and after inviting him out for a drink the doctor had invited himself inside afterwards and raped him on his bed.
"After that I took to drink. I put on weight so much that my father didn't recognise me. Even though his demeanour is mild and he's so small, he's the worst sexual predator ever. He's studied psychology," the man said.
He added the experience made him feel "worthless" and "like a piece of meat".
The alleged assaults eventually stopped when the doctor went on sick leave with cancer.
Dr Harris worked for the NHS and in private practice in Cardiff for 40 years.
Some of the alleged incidents date back to 1991.
The trial continues. | A psychiatrist accused of rape and assaulting patients is a "sexual predator who knows how to handle people like me", a former patient has said. |
40,520,596 | Joe Delaney, of the Grenfell Action Group, told the BBC that Sir Martin Moore-Bick "couldn't even control the crowd" at the meeting on Thursday.
A video of the meeting shows the ex-judge saying he would "find the facts as I see them from the evidence".
He has already faced calls to step down just days after being appointed.
Sir Martin said he had been invited to the meeting by the Lancaster West Residents Association, and left after almost three hours.
He described it afterwards as a "very useful meeting".
Mr Delaney told BBC Radio 5 live that Sir Martin "wasn't jeered or booed. It was more scepticism. You could hear people signing and tutting".
"It got a bit loud before the end. The man couldn't even control the crowd and hold them. I have heard public speakers who can shut up a stadium full of thousands of people. This man couldn't hold a room with 200 or so people."
Local resident Melvyn Akins, 30, said there was "frustration, anger and confusion" in the meeting, and that Sir Martin told those gathered that he could not start work on the inquiry until his terms of reference were established.
"It is going to be an uphill struggle. People feel abandoned. Now you have got somebody coming in and saying 'I am going to look into it all thoroughly' and it is not good enough.
"People firmly believe that arrests should be made as a result of the outcome of all of this. If arrests are not made, people are going to feel justice may not be being done."
In a short video recorded at the meeting, Sir Martin tells those at the meeting: "I can't do more than assure you that I know what it is to be impartial.
"I've been a judge for 20 years, and I give you my word that I will look into this matter to the very best of my ability and find the facts as I see them from the evidence.
"That's my job, that's my training, and that's what I intend to do. Now if I can't satisfy you because you have some preconception about me as a person that's up to you."
Earlier it emerged that cladding samples which failed safety tests in the wake of the fire will be subjected to further "large-scale" testing.
Experts will fix a complete cladding system to a 30ft-high (9m) demonstration wall and subject it to "a severe fire", the government said.
It comes after 190 samples out of 191 failed initial combustibility tests.
Urgent tests were ordered on cladding from about 600 towers blocks in England after the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 80 people, on 14 June.
However, questions have since been asked about the nature of the process after all but one test resulted in a failure.
The independent expert panel on safety has now said further testing will be carried out "as the next step".
So far, tests have covered only the plastic "core" on panels similar to those used on Grenfell Tower.
The new process will subject a demonstration wall to a "severe fire in a flat breaking out of a window" and aim to establish whether it will then spread up the outside wall.
It will also assess how different types of aluminium composite material (ACM) panels behave with different types of insulation in a fire, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said.
ACM in the cladding is thought to have been a factor in the rapid spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower, in west London.
The results will help landlords decide on further actions they may need to take to ensure buildings are safe, the DCLG added.
The Local Government Association - which had called for the tests to be changed - said the new testing "needs to be undertaken urgently".
"We have been clear all along that entire cladding panels and the insulation behind them need to be fire tested together as a system, rather than just the core of the panels on their own," chairman Lord Porter added.
The Fire Industry Association, a trade association with more than 700 UK members, said it applauded the decision to carry out the fire tests.
Testing so far had simply focused on the combustibility of the core material in the cladding, it said, adding that the new tests would determine whether cladding would "actually perform well in a real fire".
However, social housing provider Salix Homes said it had halted work to remove cladding from eight tower blocks in Salford, Greater Manchester, saying government advice was now "unclear". | The retired judge who will head the Grenfell Tower inquiry "lost the room" when he met residents and survivors, according to a community group member. |
40,332,616 | Father-of-four Darren Osborne, 47, was held on suspicion of attempted murder and alleged terror offences after a van hit Muslims in Finsbury Park.
They had been helping a man who had collapsed. He later died but it is not clear if it was because of the attack.
Met Police chief Cressida Dick and faith leaders were among hundreds who took part in a vigil on Monday night.
Ms Dick said the incident was "quite clearly an attack on Muslims", and the community would now see more police, including armed officers, in the area, "particularly around religious establishments".
Mr Osborne's mother, sister and nephew said in a statement: "We are massively in shock, it's unbelievable. It still hasn't really sunk in."
They added that their "hearts go out to those who've been injured".
Police have carried out searches at an address in the Cardiff area.
Security Minister Ben Wallace said the suspect was not known to the security services, and was believed to have acted alone.
The BBC understands Mr Osborne grew up in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, and has lived at more than one property in Cardiff. He is also believed to have lived in Swindon.
The Metropolitan Police said he was being held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorism including murder and attempted murder.
The attack took place shortly after midnight close to Muslim Welfare House on Seven Sisters Road, which is also a community centre.
Police say 11 other people were injured - including nine taken to hospital and two treated at the scene.
Several of the injured are believed to be seriously hurt.
On Monday night, faith leaders addressed a crowd at a vigil outside the nearby Finsbury Park Mosque.
After a short silence, chairman of the mosque Mohammed Kozbar told those gathered that the attack was "on our families, on our freedom, on our dignity".
He said the man who died was a father of six children.
The Bishop of Stepney, Rt Rev Adrian Newman, said "an attack on one faith is an attack on us all".
It is the fourth terror attack in the UK in three months, after incidents in Westminster, Manchester and on London Bridge.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the attack was "every bit as sickening" as the others.
"It was an attack that once again targeted the ordinary and the innocent going about their daily lives - this time British Muslims as they left a mosque having broken their fast and prayed together at this sacred time of year," she said.
After speaking outside Downing Street, the prime minister visited Finsbury Park Mosque, where she held talks with faith leaders.
Labour leader and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn also visited the area, telling the BBC that "an attack on a mosque, an attack on a synagogue, an attack on a church is actually an attack on all of us".
By Cherry Wilson, BBC News
Locals say this is a proudly multicultural area, where the biggest rivalry is whether you support Arsenal or their north London rivals, Tottenham.
Now the mood here is one of shock, as residents stand by the police cordon seeing the aftermath of yet another attack in London.
Mother-of-four Nicola Senior, 43, is walking back from taking her children to school when she stops to take in the scene.
She said: "I'm frightened. Is there going to be retaliation?
"I am fearful for my kids. Can we go to the park? Can we go to the church? It feels like this is happening all the time."
The driver of the van was detained by bystanders before police arrived.
People at the scene said he had told them he wanted to kill Muslims.
The imam of Muslim Welfare House said a passing police van was flagged down.
Mohammed Mahmoud told reporters: "We told them the situation - there's a man, he's restrained, he mowed down a group of people with his van and there is a mob attempting to hurt him and if you don't take him then, God forbid, he might be seriously hurt.
"We pushed people away from him until he was safely taken by police."
Toufik Kacimi, chief executive of Muslim Welfare House, said the suspect had told those holding him "you deserve it" and was also saying "I did my bit".
By BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner
This incident risks playing right into the hands of those planning further attacks on vulnerable citizens in the UK.
Online followers of the so-called Islamic State have been quick to seize on the Finsbury Park attack as proof of what they see as widespread hostility towards Muslims who live in the West. Inevitably, it will be used by recruiters and propagandists to incite further attacks - extremism breeds extremism.
The one thing that far right anti-Muslim extremists and violent jihadists have in common is the belief that peaceful coexistence between Muslim and non-Muslim is impossible.
The unified prayers and solidarity across communities that followed recent terror attacks are anathema to them. Extremists of both types want instead to divide society and will keep trying to bring this about by criminal acts of provocation such as this. | The family of a man arrested after a terror attack near a London mosque say they are "shocked" and "devastated". |
38,745,349 | Blair Logan, 26, also faces two other charges - one of attempted murder, and one of assault to injury, danger to life and attempted murder.
Cameron Logan, 23, died in the fire at his family home. His partner Rebecca Williams was rescued and his parents were treated for smoke inhalation.
Mr Logan made no plea or declaration at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.
He was fully committed for trial and remanded in custody.
He had also been remanded in custody after his first court appearance on 16 January, where he made no plea or declaration.
Ms Williams, a journalist with Global Radio, was initially taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in a critical condition.
She was later transferred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary and has since been discharged. | A man charged with murdering his brother in a house fire on New Year's Day has made a second court appearance. |
34,128,612 | MYC Rowing Porthmadog aims to reach the Wales Millennium Centre in time for its 10th anniversary celebration finale.
Rowers like Maggy Clarke, 71, from Porthmadog, plan to work in relays, completing between 20-30 miles a day.
Their planned arrival on 12 September coincides with a celebration in the Bay to mark the art centre's anniversary.
They will join a flotilla of boats playing their part in an outdoor theatrical production, Ar Waith Ar Daith, which involves 700 participants.
The rowers from Porthmadog are also carrying a slate plaque for the arts centre taken from Llechwedd Quarry, Blaenau Ffestiniog.
It is symbolic gesture because slate for its construction was to be ferried along the coast on a schooner in 2003 before bad weather thwarted the plans and it was transported by a helicopter instead. | Members of a Gwynedd rowing club have started a 230-mile (370km) challenge to row a longboat down the west coast to Cardiff Bay. |
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