id
int64 10.1M
41.1M
| dialogue
stringlengths 15
174k
⌀ | summary
stringlengths 1
399
|
---|---|---|
17,941,637 | 1918 - Towards the end of World War I, Belarus proclaims its independence as the Belarusian National Republic. But, with the end of the war, these aspirations are short-lived. The Red Army invades.
1919 - The Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic is proclaimed.
1921 - The Treaty of Riga divides Belarus between Poland and Soviet Russia.
1922 - The Belarussan SSR becomes founding member of the USSR.
1930s - Belarus suffers from the purges against intellectuals and political opponents ordered by Stalin. More than one-hundred thousand people are executed in Belarus, thousands more sent to labour camps in Siberia.
1941 - Nazi Germany invades during the course of World War II. More than one million people are killed during the occupation, including many Jews. The capital, Minsk, is severely damaged.
1944 - The Soviet Red Army drives the Germans out of Belarus.
1945 - At the end of the war, much of western Belarus - previously part of Poland - is amalgamated into the Soviet Republic.
1960s - A policy of 'Russification' is pushed through.
1986 - Belarus is heavily affected by the fall-out from the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl in neighbouring Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of people receive high radiation doses. Around 20% of agricultural land is contaminated and rendered unusable.
1988 - Belarusian Popular Front formed as part of nationalist revival prompted by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of 'openness'. Details emerge of the full extent of the executions during the Stalin period.
1990 - Belarusian becomes the official state language.
1991 - Belarus declares its independence as the Soviet Union breaks up. Minsk becomes the headquarters of the successor to the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States.
1994 - Alexander Lukashenko becomes president. He introduces policies designed to strengthen ties with Russia.
1995 - Friendship and cooperation pact signed with Russia. National referenda result in a new flag almost identical to that of the former Soviet republic, and the restoration of Russian as an official language. The president's powers are also widened. There are protests on the streets, but these are broken up.
1996 - An agreement on economic union is signed with Russia. Lukashenko increases his powers again, extending his term in office.
1997 - Protesters against Lukashenko sign a pro-democracy manifesto 'Charter '97'. Belarus' observer status in the Council of Europe is suspended. Belarus and Russia ratify their union treaty.
1998 - The Belarus rouble sees its value halved. Food rationing is imposed. Belarus signs an accord with Russia, which would see their currencies and tax systems merge.
Lukashenko and Putin: Proposed union is beset by wrangling
Russia, Belarus edge closer
Belarus: Russia's awkward ally
2000 October - Parliamentary elections are criticised by election observers who say they are not free and fair. Turnout in some constituencies is so low that a re-run will be necessary.
2000 November - President Lukashenko and Russia's President Putin agree on the introduction of a single currency by 2008.
2001 March - Parliamentary elections are re-run in thirteen constituencies where voter turnout in October 2000 was too low. Belarus officials declare the votes valid. Thousands demonstrate in Minsk against Lukashenko.
2001 September - Lukashenko re-elected to serve second term. Opposition and Western observers say elections were unfair and undemocratic.
2002 August - Lukashenko rejects Russian proposals for new form of union under Russian constitution with single government and single parliament.
2002 November - US, 14 EU states impose travel ban on Lukashenko and several government ministers over poor human rights record and after OSCE officials are told to leave.
2003 April - US, EU lift travel ban on president and ministers after OSCE readmitted. But they remain critical of country's human rights record.
2004 April - Council of Europe condemns human rights abuses after report accuses authorities of blocking investigation into the fate of four men with opposition links who disappeared in Minsk in 1999 and 2000. EU imposes travel restrictions on number of senior officials.
2004 vote lifted ban on third term for President Lukashenko
Observers deplore Belarus vote
2004 October - Referendum backs change allowing president to serve more than previous limit of two terms. Opposition parties fail to win a single seat in parliamentary elections held at same time. Western observers say vote is neither free nor fair.
Street protests ensue. Demonstrators clash with police and dozens are arrested.
2004 November - EU extends travel restrictions on senior officials. US imposes sanctions.
2004 December - Opposition politician Mikhail Marynich jailed for allegedly stealing office equipment. He declares the charge to be politically motivated.
2005 August - Diplomatic row with Poland over treatment of ethnic Poles accused of stirring up unrest in a bid to overthrow President Lukashenko.
2005 December - As March elections approach, parliament approves bill setting out tough penalties for those found guilty of inciting demonstrations or distributing information regarded as harmful to national interests.
2006 February/March - Dozens arrested at opposition demonstrations in Minsk as election date draws near.
2006 March - President Lukashenko declared winner by landslide in elections condemned as unfair by Western observers.
Opposition arrests reported as protesters in capital demand fresh vote.
2006 April - EU imposes visa ban on President Lukashenko and numerous ministers and officials.
Opposition protesters said 2006 poll was fraudulent
Belarus protests spark clashes
Defeated presidential election candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich jailed for 15 days after attending rally to mark anniversary of Chernobyl disaster in neighbouring Ukraine.
2006 July - Defeated presidential election candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin convicted of hooliganism and incitement to mass disorder. He is jailed for five and a half years.
2006 November - Youth opposition activist Zmitser Dashkevich jailed for 18 months for membership of an unregistered organization.
2006 December - After tense negotiations during which Moscow threatened to cut supplies, a new gas deal is signed with Russia which more than doubles the price and phases in further increases over four years.
2007 January - Russia cuts the supply along an oil export pipeline to Europe amid a row with Belarus over taxation and allegations of siphoning. The dispute ends after Russia agrees to cut the oil duty it will charge Belarus.
2007 March - Police clash with protesters in Minsk as thousands of opposition supporters hold rally calling for an end to President Lukashenko's rule.
2007 May - Belarus fails in its bid to win a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, a result hailed by rights groups as lending credibility to the council.
2007 August - Russia says it will almost halve gas supplies to Belarus over unpaid debt.
Russia threatened to cut gas supplies in late 2006
Russia-Belarus gas deal reached
2007 October - President Lukashenko says that Belarus will have to build a nuclear power station in order to meet its energy needs.
2007 December - President Lukashenko says he is ready to host Russian missiles if the US sets up bases in Poland and the Czech Republic.
2008 March - US Ambassador Karen Stewart leaves country indefinitely after Belarus asks her to leave. Belarus withdrew its own ambassador from Washington the previous week in a row over US sanctions. US denies Belarussian accusations that US diplomats recruited citizens as spies.
2008 April - Belarus refuses to release former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin, imprisoned on charges of organising protests against the 2006 election. The US and European Union have made release of political prisoners a condition for improving relations.
2008 May - Belarus expels 11 US diplomats in row over US criticism of Belarus' human rights record.
2008 June - International tender launched for nuclear power plant.
Parliament passes new media law that independent journalists say will restrict online reporting and private media funding ahead of the autumn parliamentary elections.
2008 August - Former opposition presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin and two other dissidents freed from prison.
2008 September - Government candidates win all 110 seats in parliamentary polls; European observers say the vote fell short of international standards but note improvements since last election.
US lifts some of its sanctions after the recent release of dissidents.
2008 October - EU lifts its travel ban on President Alexander Lukashenko in an attempt to encourage democratic reform.
2009 April - President Lukashenko visits the Vatican in his first official visit to Western Europe since 1995.
2009 May - President Lukashenko does not accept EU invitation to attend "Eastern Partnership" summit with six former Soviet states in Prague.
2009 June - Russia imposes ban on Belarusian dairy products, ostensibly on health grounds. Belarus retaliates by installing a highly symbolic customs post on the two countries' joint border. Both measures are later reversed.
2010 January - Belarus threatens to cut electricity supply to Russian Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad in wake of unresolved dispute over Russian oil supplies to Belarus. The two sides eventually reach a compromise over the amount of duty-free oil Russia will supply to Belarus.
2010 June - President Lukashenko orders the shutdown of transit of Russian gas to Europe, escalating a new "gas war" after Moscow slashes supplies to Minsk in a debt dispute. Russia's Gazprom state gas company later resumes supplies after Belarus pays the outstanding debt.
2010 July - Belarus signs up for customs union with Russia and Kazakhstan despite objections to continued Russian duty on oil and gas exports.
2010 September - European Union Foreign Affairs chief Catherine Ashton calls for probe into death of Aleg Byabenin, founder of opposition website Charter '97, who was found hanged.
2010 December - Presidential elections. President Lukashenko declared winner. Opposition and western observers allege vote rigging. Mass protests in Minsk are broken up by force, with 600 arrests.
2011 January - President Lukashenko is inaugurated for a fourth term in office. The EU reinstates a travel ban on him and freezes his assets, while the US imposes stricter financial controls and widens its travel bans on senior officials.
Belarus threatens the EU with retaliation over the sanctions and pushes ahead with plans to put more than 30 political activists, including four opposition leaders, on trial over the December protests.
15 people died in the April 2011 bombing of the Minsk underground. Two suspects were executed, but motives for the attack are unclear
Were Belarus metro bombers framed?
2011 April - Explosion hits a busy metro station in Minsk, killing 15. President Lukashenko alleges a plot by "fifth columnists" to destabilize the country. Two suspects are executed.
2011 May - Opposition leader Andrey Sannikau is sentenced to five years in prison for organising protests over the December elections. His wife, the journalist Iryna Khalip, receives a suspended prison sentence for "rioting".
Belarus cuts the official value of its rouble currency against the dollar by 36%, leaving it still less than half of the freely-traded interbank rate. This follows its most serious balance of payments crisis since independence drains its hard currency reserves.
2011 June - Belarus asks the IMF for an emergency loan of up to $8bn over the balance of payments crisis. The government raises its main interest rate from 14% to 16% and freezes prices on a number of staple foods. Panic buying of basic goods ensues.
Russia halves electricity supplies to Belarus over unpaid bills and in an effort to persuade the government to privatise lucrative assets. Belarus seeks a Russian-led $1.2bn bailout, which is conditional on reforms.
2011 July - Hundreds are beaten, manhandled and arrested after a month of nationwide anti-government protests.
2011 August - Royal Bank of Scotland ceases selling Belarusian government bonds after a campaign by human rights groups. RBS cites international sanctions, the deteriorating political situation and Belarus's tardy implementation of a IMF programme.
2011 September - The rouble falls sharply after the government allows a limited flotation in its latest bid to ease the financial crisis.
2011 November - Russia agrees to sell Belarus gas at 60% below the price charged to other European countries, in return for the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom taking full ownership of the Belarusian gas pipeline firm Beltranshaz.
Presidential contender Andrei Sannikau was jailed for organising protests after elections
Belarus dissident gets UK asylum
Prominent human rights activist Ales Byalyatski is found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. The EU says the case is politically motivated and calls for Mr Byalyatski's immediate release.
2012 January - A new law restricts access to foreign websites and forces internet clubs and cafes to report users visiting sites registered abroad, prompting the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders freedom monitor to list Belarus as an Enemy of the Internet.
2012 February - The European Union recalls its ambassadors from Belarus after the government expels the EU envoy and Polish ambassador in protest at further sanctions.
2012 April - Opposition activists Andrei Sannikau and Zmitser Bandarenka are released from prison early, but others remain in jail.
2012 August - President Lukashenko sacks the foreign minister and the air defence and border guard commanders, and expels the Swedish ambassador after human-rights activists fly into Belarusian airspace to drop teddy bears with pro-democracy messages.
2012 September - Major opposition parties boycott parliamentary elections, complaining they are rigged. Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe observers say election not free.
2014 March - Belarus asks Russia to deploy extra fighter jets and military transport aircraft to its territory after Nato boosts its forces in the neighbouring Baltic countries. The moves come amid increasing tension caused by the crisis in Ukraine and Russia's annexation of Crimea.
2015 June - Prominent human rights campaigner Ales Byalyatski is released after spending nearly three years in prison.
2015 August - President Lukashenko pardons six jailed opposition leaders, including former presidential candidate Mykalay Statkevich, in move widely seen as attempt to persuade European Union to open up trade.
2015 October - President Lukashenko wins fifth presidential term. No significant opposition candidate was allowed to stand.
2016 September - Two opposition candidates win seats in parliamentary elections in what is otherwise a clean sweep for pro-government forces, although activities say the pair's success was engineered by the authorities. | A chronology of key events: |
20,541,217 | Many patients need treatment across the border because the county does not have a large hospital.
But they could have to wait at least 32 weeks under plans by Powys Teaching Health Board to save £2m this financial year.
According to Welsh government targets, only 5% of patients should spend more than 26 weeks on a waiting list.
The Welsh government said it expects everyone to be seen within its targets, which require 95% of patients to be treated within 26 weeks and for all patients to be treated within 36 weeks.
Powys Teaching Health Board said it will comply with the maximum 36 week "backstop" for non-urgent cases.
But it has written to a neighbouring NHS trust in England to say it will only pay for treatment carried out in a 32 to 36 week "window".
Powys's finance director told a board meeting in September that while there was a commitment to the 36-week limit, the board would be "utilising flexibility".
The Wales Audit Office has warned that the NHS in Wales is likely to be £70m in the red by April 2013.
In a worst case scenario, the watchdog says Powys could have a deficit of £9m at the end of the financial year.
The chief executive of the Welsh NHS told AMs this week that a £50m contingency fund was available to help balance the books.
At the end of September, 5,016 patients in Powys (98.4%) had spent fewer than 26 weeks on its waiting list, 82 (1.6%) had been waiting between 26 and 36 weeks and no-one had waited more than 36 weeks.
Of the more than 400,000 people across Wales on waiting lists, 91% had been waiting less than 26 weeks and 8% had been waiting between 26 and 36 weeks.
The move could save the board £2m in this financial year, according to minutes of the meeting.
In a letter to an NHS trust in Shropshire, seen by BBC Wales, Powys finance director Rebecca Richards says the board has decided to "extend the referral to treatment time (RTT) for its residents from 26 weeks to a maximum of 36 weeks, noting that no patients wait longer".
The letter to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Oswestry adds: "What this means in practice is that we will allow a four-week window within which we expect patients to be treated and therefore RTT completions before 32 weeks and post 36 weeks will not be funded."
Shopshire trust chief executive Wendy Farrington-Chadd confirmed it had been informed to "increase the waiting times for Powys patients from 26 to 36 weeks for the remainder of the financial year".
She said the trust was working with Powys health boards and any urgent cases will continue to be prioritised.
In a statement, the health board said: "Powys Teaching Health Board is currently performing at above 98% against the 95% target for 26 weeks, however this level of performance is achieved at a significant cost.
"Within this context, a degree of slippage can be tolerated and the health board has taken steps to utilise the flexibility within the 95% target whilst still meeting it."
The Conservative AM for Montgomeryshire, Russell George, called on Health Minister Lesley Griffiths to intervene.
"I have had constituents coming to my office in tears, because effectively they have been told they are going have to wait a further 10 weeks, and remain in that discomfort and pain over that period," he said.
"The issue we have got is that we have a hospital in England treating English patients in 18 weeks, but cannot treat Welsh patients before 32 weeks.
"I think it is appalling."
A Welsh government spokesman said: "Officials have spoken with Powys Health Board and received assurances that there is no intention to move away from this policy and any providers within England that have received letters will be contacted to make this situation absolutely clear." | Patients from Powys may have to wait longer for operations in English hospitals under plans to save money. |
30,199,131 | Michael Adebowale said he wanted to kill a soldier and discussed his plans in "the most graphic and emotive manner", according to the UK's Intelligence and Security Committee.
The ISC said the social network did not appear to believe it had an obligation to identify such exchanges.
Facebook said it does tackle extremism.
"Like everyone else, we were horrified by the vicious murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby," said a spokeswoman.
"We don't comment on individual cases but Facebook's policies are clear, we do not allow terrorist content on the site and take steps to prevent people from using our service for these purposes."
The ISC's report said, however, that the company should do more.
"Had MI5 had access to this exchange, their investigation into Adebowale would have become a top priority," it stated.
"It is difficult to speculate on the outcome but there is a significant possibility that MI5 would then have been able to prevent the attack."
The ISC does not identify Facebook as the host service in the edition of its report released to the public, but the BBC understands it does do so in the complete version given to the Prime Minister.
In it, the committee states that the company's failure to notify the authorities about such conversations risked making it a "safe haven for terrorists to communicate within".
It highlights that the UK's security agencies say they face "considerable difficulty" accessing content from Facebook and five other US tech firms: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo.
The companies in question have said in the past that they have a duty to protect their members' privacy.
"If the government believes that it needs additional powers to be able to access communication data it must be clear about exactly what those powers are and consult widely on them before putting proposals before Parliament," said Antony Walker, deputy chief executive at TechUK, a lobbying body that works with Facebook.
The ISC's report identifies a "substantial" online exchange during December 2012 between Adebowale and a foreign-based extremist - referred to as Foxtrot - who had links to the Yemen-based terror group AQAP, but was not known to UK agencies at the time.
Foxtrot is reported to have suggested several possible ways of killing a soldier, including the use of a knife.
After the murder of Lee Rigby an unidentified third-party provided a transcript of the conversation to GCHQ.
The information was also said to have revealed that Facebook had disabled seven of Adebowale's accounts ahead of the killing, five of which had been flagged for links with terrorism.
This had been the result of an automated process, according to GCHQ, and no person at the company ever manually reviewed the contents of the accounts or passed on the material for the authorities to check.
GCHQ notes that the account that contained the phrase "Let's kill a soldier" was not one of those closed by Facebook's software.
The agency added that the social network had not provided a detailed explanation of how its safety system worked.
ISC said that among the information Facebook did disclose was the fact it enabled users to report "offensive or threatening content" and that it prioritised the "most serious reports".
However, the committee reflected that such checks were unlikely to help uncover communications between terrorists.
It acknowledged that in some other cases, Facebook had indeed passed on information to the authorities about accounts closed because of links to terrorism. However, it said the failure to do so after deactivating Adebowale's account had been a missed opportunity to prevent Lee Rigby's death.
"Companies should accept they have a responsibility to notify the relevant authorities when an automatic trigger indicating terrorism is activated and allow the authorities, whether US or UK, to take the next step," its report concluded.
"We further note that several of the companies attributed the lack of monitoring to the need to protect their users' privacy. However, where there is a possibility that a terrorist atrocity is being planned, that argument should not be allowed to prevail."
But one digital rights campaign group has taken issue with these recommendations.
"The government should not use the appalling murder of Fusilier Rigby as an excuse to justify the further surveillance and monitoring of the entire UK population," said Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group.
"The committee is particularly misleading when it implies that US companies do not co-operate, and it is quite extraordinary to demand that companies pro-actively monitor email content for suspicious material.
"Internet companies cannot and must not become an arm of the surveillance state." | Facebook was the firm that hosted a conversation by one of Fusilier Lee Rigby's killers five months ahead of the attack, the BBC has learned. |
35,136,125 | In the 10 years that have followed, nearly 140,000 people have entered into one, while more than 9,000 same-sex couples have since married.
Two couples whose lives were changed by civil partnerships describe what it meant to them.
When Percy and Roger met on a blind date in 1966 homosexuality was still illegal.
As an actor and an academic in their 20s and 30s, the image of "Swinging London" and its sexual liberation was largely a myth.
They lived their lives in private with sympathetic friends, or in "sub rosa" nightclubs where you gave a false name and kept one eye on the exit in case of a raid.
Burglaries at their home went unreported for fear the authorities would be more interested in their relationship. At any one moment they risked arrest, prosecution and jail for falling in love with the wrong person.
"We were young and it was exciting in a way and almost an adventure," Roger Lockyer, 88, a former history professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, told the BBC.
"But looking back at it from now one realises that potentially it could be awful. The subject of homosexuality was really taboo it was so awful that you couldn't discuss it with anybody."
Nearly 50 years later, the couple, whose relationship spans many significant stages of gay liberation, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their civil partnership.
They made history by becoming one of the first same-sex couples in the UK to say "I do" in a legally-recognised ceremony.
Last year, they converted their civil partnership into a marriage.
Sitting in the book-lined Marylebone home he shares with his 76-year-old husband Percy Steven, Roger said: "I remember distinctly walking down the street after the ceremony thinking, 'I am as legal a person as anybody else, I am a full citizen at last'.
"I never believed that moment would come. I thought 'good God is this a fantasy?'"
Their ceremony captured the imagination of the world, and interviews were broadcasted on UK, US, Australian, French, German and Italian television.
Roger added: "I think it was a revelation for the government, who thought a few couples might sneak out of the woodwork, and there was almost a flood; a great number of people asserting their rights after living in the shadows for as long as half a century."
The passing of the Civil Partnership Act 10 years ago this week - with cross-party support in Parliament - marked a sea-change in gay rights.
Across the UK, hundreds of gay and lesbian couples were granted many of the same legal and civil rights as married heterosexuals, albeit with a few outstanding differences around issues such as pensions in the private sector.
Couples could no longer be kept out of hospital rooms where their partner lay dying. They would no longer lose their home or business because of unjust tax laws and they had parental rights over children.
By 2015, more than 138,000 people had a civil partnership - with more than 18,000 people joining their hands in marriage since the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 came into force in England and Wales in March 2014 and in Scotland in December of that year.
Last month, two gay couples in Northern Ireland took the Stormont administration to the High Court, claiming the ban against gay marriage breached their human rights.
Ben Summerskill, former chief executive of the group Stonewall, said civil partnerships were a vital "test run" that paved the way for many of the gay rights granted in the last decade, including those around fertility treatments and adoption, as well as marriage.
"We shouldn't forget, it was a pretty tough battle at the time," he said.
"Great swathes of the House of Commons and House of Lords were doggedly opposed to civil partnerships. The Church of England was doggedly opposed to civil partnerships.
"I think probably David Cameron would not have been persuaded to be quite so radical if he hadn't seen ages earlier that this had been introduced and the sky hadn't fallen in.
"The world for young LGBT people has changed transformatively in a generation."
Two of those young people are Megan Evans and Whitney Bacon, who run a blog and post on YouTube, with 40,000 subscribers.
Their relationship - and subsequent civil partnership - has made them into online role models for young gay women around the world.
But when they met on social media site MySpace in 2006 they were more than 7,000 miles apart in the UK and the US.
Megan, 28, a gay rights activist who works in HR in Windsor, Berkshire, said: "I set our blog up in 2009 called What Wegan Did Next, because we're 'Whitney and Megan - Wegan' - one of our friends gave us that name a few years ago and it's just stuck.
"Initially I just wanted to document our long-distance relationship and also put ourselves out there as a feminine lesbian couple and that we're proud to be gay."
She added: "I couldn't live in America with Whitney because gay marriage wasn't legalised then. And for four years every time I went back home to the UK without her, it was really sad.
"I think I always hoped that equality would catch up and that by the time I was able to get engaged and get married that it would be legal - and luckily enough it was."
They had a small civil partnership ceremony in a register office in Windsor in September 2012, followed by a champagne tea with family and friends.
Thanks to their legally-recognised union - bolstered by years of YouTube footage and blog posts - Whitney's visa was finally approved and the pair moved into a cottage in Windsor.
They are planning to convert to a marriage in 2017 and have children.
Whitney, 27, who grew up in Kentucky, added: "When I was young I always had this vision of meeting this amazing, blonde, beautiful girl with a nice British accent, but I never thought it would become a reality.
"It was amazing to know that I could have a civil partnership, which is pretty close to a marriage and it would also pave the way for me to move to the UK for she and I to live happily ever after.
"If it wasn't for that who knows where we would be." | On 19 December 2005, the UK's first civil partnerships took place. |
11,083,513 | They said they did not really believe in capital punishment, but wanted to highlight what they called a bias towards criminals over victims.
Under Swiss law, citizens can force a referendum on almost any issue if they collect 100,000 signatures.
The death penalty was abolished in Switzerland in 1942.
The government said on Tuesday that the campaigners could begin the process to initiate a referendum on bringing it back.
The campaigners had claimed to want to reintroduce capital punishment for murders involving sexual abuse, particularly of children.
But on Wednesday the group, apparently made up of private individuals related to a victim, said the initiative had been a way of airing their grievances. They called for further debate and for politicians to intervene. | Swiss campaigners who won clearance to seek a referendum on reintroducing the death penalty have withdrawn their application only a day later. |
35,988,673 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Tottenham's 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Monday confirmed a stunning achievement for Claudio Ranieri's side.
Leicester started the campaign as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title after almost being relegated last season.
But they have lost just three league games in what has been described as a "fairytale" and the "most unlikely triumph in the history of team sport".
Closest challengers Spurs, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and last year's champions Chelsea, have all failed to match the Foxes' consistency across the season.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Former Leicester, Everton and England striker Gary Lineker described his hometown team's achievement as "the biggest sporting shock of my lifetime".
The Match of the Day presenter had suggested the Leicester players were on the "edge of sporting immortality" last month.
He told BBC Sport: "I can't think of anything that surpasses it in sporting history. It is difficult to put over in words.
"I got emotional. It was hard to breathe. I was a season ticket holder from the age of seven. This is actually impossible."
Media playback is not supported on this device
After Leicester drew 1-1 at Manchester United on Sunday, Tottenham needed to win all three of their remaining league games to catch the Foxes.
But their title hopes were ended when they squandered a 2-0 lead to only draw at London rivals Chelsea.
Match of the Day pundit and former Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers and England striker Alan Shearer said Leicester's achievement was "the biggest thing ever in football".
Shearer, who won the Premier League in 1995 with underdogs Blackburn, told BBC Sport: "For a team like Leicester to come and take the giants on with their wealth and experience - not only take them on but to beat them - I think it's the biggest thing to happen in football."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Gianni Infantino, president of football's world governing body Fifa, said Leicester's "beautiful story" was a "fairytale".
The East Midlands club was also quick to hail the achievement of Ranieri and his players, saying they "have captured the imaginations of football fans around the world with one of the most brilliant and unlikely sporting triumphs ever seen".
Sports data analysts say Leicester are set for a potential £150m boost for winning the title, coming from Premier League prize money, Champions League participation cash and increased match-day revenues from ticket and hospitality sales.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"In terms of domestic football, Leicester City winning the Premier League is the greatest achievement ever and I think it will never be surpassed," former Leicester midfielder Robbie Savage told BBC Sport.
"It is incredible. This is a turning point in Premier League history."
Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "This is the greatest day in the history of this city. It's the top, absolutely the top to win the English Premier League, the best league in the world. It's a miracle and what Claudio Ranieri has done with this amazing team."
Former Foxes manager Martin O'Neill, who led the club to their previous highest Premier League finish of eighth in 2000, said: "Not only is it a brilliant story, but it gives everyone that little bit of hope again that romance has not left football.
"It's been the talk of Europe, there's no question about that. Everything about this season has been remarkable."
Snooker player Mark Selby, a Leicester fan, clinched his second World Championship title a little over 10 minutes after his hometown team won the Premier League crown. "To be Premier League champions is a fantastic achievement and I want to say well done to Claudio and the boys," he said.
Even Prime Minister David Cameron passed on his congratulations, saying it was "an extraordinary, thoroughly deserved, Premier League title".
Media playback is not supported on this device
It is Leicester's first top-flight title and the club, owned by Thai billionaire businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, have also qualified for next season's Champions League group stages for the first time.
The Foxes started the season among the favourites for relegation and only the three promoted sides - Watford, Norwich and Bournemouth - were longer odds for the league title.
Ranieri, who took over from the sacked Nigel Pearson in the summer, was seen as an uninspired choice by some fans and pundits after his predecessor had overseen a run of seven wins in nine games as Leicester escaped relegation in 2014-15.
Media playback is not supported on this device
The Italian's previous job ended abruptly when his Greece side lost to European minnows Faroe Islands during Euro 2016 qualifying.
Yet the charismatic 64-year-old's team - assembled for less than £30m and playing pacy, direct, counter-attacking football - has confounded the experts.
Savage added: "I'm speechless, it is unbelievable. I've seen England win the Ashes and get OBEs and MBEs. This Leicester team's achievement is greater than any of that. They should be recognised in the honours list."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Leicester's title triumph is expected to generate millions of pounds in additional income for the local economy with tourism boosted by the club's higher global profile.
Kasabian, the Leicester-born platinum-selling, stadium-filling rock band, will play two gigs at the Foxes' King Power Stadium on 28 and 29 May, saying it will be "the biggest party the city has ever seen". Guitarist Serge Pizzorno said: "It feels like we're almost centre of the universe."
Mayor of Leicester Peter Soulsby has kept celebration plans secret, but said: "Twelve months ago we were re-interring the remains of the last king of England to die in battle [Richard III] and we were worried about our football team.
"We had the eyes of the world upon us and frankly we thought that it could not get any better, or bigger. Well, it has.
"I don't believe in miracles but this is as near as it gets.
"We've had media interest from across the world. We were on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, I've spoken to two German television crews in the last few days, Chilean television and Italian television twice. It really has attracted worldwide attention beyond anything that we fully understood."
Chairman Srivaddhanaprabha bought the club in 2010 for £39m and, after Leicester were promoted from the Championship in 2014, said he would spend £180m to get them into European competition in three years.
According to BBC South Asia correspondent Jonathan Head, the Thai businessman's travel retail group King Power has "hit the jackpot" and can now start to "tap into a bottomless well of passion in this football-mad nation of 68 million people".
Media playback is not supported on this device
Leicester's story is epitomised by 29-year-old striker Jamie Vardy. Released by Sheffield Wednesday at 16 for being too small, he rose through non-league football until Leicester paid Fleetwood Town £1m for him in 2012.
He is now an England international, second in the Premier League's scoring charts this season and was named the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year on Monday.
Meanwhile, Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez, 25, was bought for just £400,000 from French second-tier side Le Havre in January 2014.
Only 14 players have made more than a dozen league appearances - illustrating how settled the side has been - and Ranieri's preferred starting XI cost an estimated £22m, less than a 10th of what is arguably big-spending Manchester City's first-choice line-up.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Leicester 3-2 Aston Villa, September 2015: The Foxes score three times in the final 18 minutes to move second in the table.
Stoke 2-2 Leicester, September 2015: Another comeback maintains the Foxes' unbeaten start to the season.
Leicester 1-1 Manchester United, November 2015: Jamie Vardy scores in his 11th consecutive game - a new Premier League record.
Leicester 2-1 Chelsea, December 2015: Defending champions Chelsea are left just a point above the relegation zone as Leicester return to the top of the table.
Tottenham 0-1 Leicester, January 2016: Rivals Spurs are beaten by a late Robert Huth header. Two further FA Cup games between the teams in the same month see Spurs go through after a replay.
Manchester City 1-3 Leicester, February 2016: Nearest rivals Manchester City are comprehensively beaten by another superb away performance. Riyad Mahrez becomes the first player to reach double figures in terms of both goals (14) and assists (10) in the Premier League this season.
Leicester 1-0 Southampton, April 2016: A fifth 1-0 win in their past six games puts Leicester seven points clear of nearest rivals Spurs with only half a dozen games left.
Leicester 4-0 Swansea, April 2016: Despite top scorer Jamie Vardy being suspended and Tottenham chasing hard, Leicester show no signs of pressure with a routine victory to go eight points clear with three games to go.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Media playback is not supported on this device
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty was one of hundreds of journalists and pundits to predict a lowly finish and probable relegation for Leicester in his season preview.
At the start of the season, 47 people placed a bet with Ladbrokes for Leicester to win the title at 5,000-1, around half of whom chose to cash out early.
One Leicester fan took £72,000 from a £50 bet, when he would have won £250,000.
Joe Crilly, from bookmakers William Hill, described Leicester's title win as "the biggest sporting upset of all time", while Ladbrokes' Alex Donohue said it was his company's "biggest payout by a distance".
Crilly added: "It is not just a one-off like Japan beating South Africa in the rugby (which was 200-1), it has been a sustained effort over a full season and one which we, as bookmakers, continued to believe was impossible until just a few weeks ago.
"The Foxes only became odds-on favourites for the first time at the end of March when they moved five points ahead at the top of the table, such was the scepticism with which we viewed Leicester's ability to continue their title push. It is quite simply incredible."
And these are the 10 most discussed Leicester moments of the season on Twitter:
The popular chant from Leicester fans - that striker Vardy "is having a party" - was never more true as the forward held a get-together at his home for team-mates to watch the Tottenham game.
Supporters also gathered outside the star's home, while many more filled the city's bars and pubs, or took to the streets to celebrate the historic moment. | Leicester City have won the Premier League title in one of the greatest sporting stories of all time. |
32,495,447 | His agent Robert C Kelly confirmed the news on Twitter.
"Sad to announce death from cancer of my client, dear friend and great talent, Keith Harris," he wrote.
Harris had his own BBC One Saturday night programme The Keith Harris Show and had a top 10 hit with Orville's Song, popularly known as I Wish I Could Fly, in 1982.
He leaves behind his fourth wife Sarah, and his children Kitty and Shenton; as well as a daughter, Skye, from his first marriage to singer Jacqui Scott and his mother Lila and brother Colin. | Entertainer Keith Harris, best known for performances with his puppet Orville, has died, aged 67. |
36,678,425 | With just hours left until the commemoration marking 100 years since the Battle of the Somme, final preparations are in full swing.
Scores of soldiers march to and from the tower and the Royal Irish Regiment band tunes up for a rehearsal.
The world's media ready themselves to capture the sights and sounds of the anniversary event.
One young soldier jokingly chided journalists - including this one - for clumsily walking through a matting of small stones, scattering them onto the temporary carpet for Friday's event.
However, the significance of this anniversary of the World War One battle is not lost on him.
"Tomorrow is just so important," he said. "This battle, the Ulster Division - that's where this regiment goes back to.
"What they did and achieved is where a lot of our reputation and pride comes from."
On 30 June 1916, the men of the Ulster Division were waiting for the seven-day bombardment of the German lines to end.
It was a bombardment of shelling and artillery that reportedly cost up to £6m.
They waited for the moment on Friday morning when they would go over the top in what would become one of the most infamous days in British military history.
By the end of the first day, 5,000 men of the Ulster Division had been made casualties and up to 2,500 had been killed.
The shock of that loss still reverberates through families today.
A bus of 49 people from the Portadown area in County Armagh visited the tower ahead of tomorrow's event.
They have been in France since last Friday touring graveyards and battle sites in memory of relatives lost.
"This trip has been five years in the making," Muriel Russell, one of the organisers, said.
"We had the idea after the 95th anniversary, but we wanted to do a trip that was personal so each family could visit where there relatives died."
Some of the group represent several generations of one family, and they range in age from two years old those in their late 70s.
The group are in high spirits and even laugh about having an Edward Carson in the group (no relation to the former unionist leader), but each has a personal story wound into the fabric of the Somme narrative.
Everett Lappin is here for three great-uncles who died in World War One, two of which were killed in the Somme.
"My grandmother used to speak about them when I was younger, though I was sorry in later life I didn't speak to her more," he said.
"She was always sad for her father and mother who had to go though it with their sons."
"This is a personal trip for many people," his wife Wendy added.
"Tomorrow will be an emotional day."
Robert Wallace, the group's tour guide, remembers his grandfather talking to him about the war.
"He didn't really speak about it to anyone else," he added.
His great-uncle was also killed at the Somme, trying to save a comrade who had fallen in No Man's Land.
When asked about what Friday's commemoration will mean to people who lost relatives in the battle, he said: "I think for most people it will be a tremendous pride in the achievements of our forebears.
"Also shock at what they actually did endure and determination that their memory will be maintained for future generations."
Sam Cameron, a Chelsea Pensioner and former soldier, is also here.
His grandfather fought in the Somme, although he only found out about it seven years ago.
Now his trips here have taken on an added significance.
"Whenever you're travelling here, there's a cemetery to your left and a cemetery to your right," he said.
"Anybody who thinks this is glorifying war - well, I don't think so."
BBC News NI will have full coverage of tomorrow's Somme commemoration event. | About 2,500 people will congregate on Friday at the Ulster Tower in Thiepval, a quiet corner of northern France. |
38,312,735 | Writing in USA Today, chief executive Ginni Rometty pledged to spend $1bn (£0.8bn) on training and developing new US employees.
She and other A-list tech industry executives are due to meet President-elect Donald Trump later on Wednesday.
The meeting may prove confrontational. On the campaign trail, Mr Trump was highly critical of the industry.
Many tech sector executives supported Mr Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton. And Mr Trump called for boycotts of firms manufacturing overseas, accused some of tax-dodging and proposed reforming immigration. Many tech companies recruit talent from overseas.
It was unclear from Ms Rometty's article how many of the new hirings would be offset by reductions among current staff, or how much of an increase the $1bn represents compared with current expenditure.
The senior executives expected to attend Wednesday's meeting in Trump Tower are expected to include Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, Google/Alphabet's Larry Page, Sheryl Sandberg from Facebook and Tesla founder Elon Musk.
IBM was one of the firms singled out for criticism by Mr Trump on the campaign trail for shifting jobs overseas.
But immediately after his election victory, Ms Rometty wrote an open letter to the president-elect, outlining suggestions on how to make it easier to employ US workers.
She is now a member of Mr Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum, an advisory council focusing on boosting growth and jobs.
"We are hiring because the nature of work is evolving - and that is also why so many of these jobs remain hard to fill," Ms Rometty wrote in USA Today.
"As industries from manufacturing to agriculture are reshaped by data science and cloud computing, jobs are being created that demand new skills - which in turn requires new approaches to education, training and recruiting."
IBM has cut thousands of jobs over the last few years, but remains the US's largest technology company.
Originally established as a manufacturer of computer hardware, the company, also known by the nickname Big Blue, has made a name for itself in artificial intelligence.
It is developing quantum computing and sells software, hosting and consulting services. | Technology giant IBM has promised to hire about 25,000 professionals in the US over the next four years. |
40,590,117 | The current rules were "unclear" and could be putting people off from making a will, it added.
It is considering whether texts, emails and other electronic communications should be recognised as a valid will in exceptional circumstances.
The commission has launched a consultation on the proposals.
Currently, for a will to be legally valid it must be voluntarily written by someone who is 18 or over and of sound mind and be signed in front of two witnesses who are also both over 18 and must also both sign the will in your presence.
But the commission wants to change the existing formality rules where the will-maker has made clear their intentions in another form.
It gives the example where a car crash victim has not made a formal will but has expressed their intentions in electronic or other messages, such as a text or email.
The family could then apply to a court to have those communications recognised as a formal will.
These messages could only then be recognised as a will if a judge approved.
Source: Citizens Advice
The Law Commission acknowledged the proposals on electronic communications could cause family arguments or worse.
It said the plans could provide a "treasure trove for dissatisfied relatives" and lead to a "variety of avenues by which probate could become both expensive and contentious".
But it said on balance it believed they should be recognised by the courts, noting that 40% of people currently die without making a will.
Law Commissioner, Professor Nick Hopkins, said making a will should be "straightforward" but the law was "unclear and outdated".
"Even when it's obvious what someone wanted, if they haven't followed the strict rules, courts can't act on it.
"And conditions which affect decision-making - like dementia - aren't properly accounted for in the law.
"That's not right and we want an overhaul to bring the law into the modern world.
"Our provisional proposals will not only clarify things legally, but will also help to give greater effect to people's last wishes."
The consultation closes on 10 November. | The law around wills should be updated and brought into the "modern world", the Law Commission for England and Wales has said. |
37,504,719 | Web hosting company OVH said it had been attacked by a botnet (zombie army) of hacked devices such as webcams.
The previous largest attack was thought to be one on security expert Brian Krebs' website which hit 620Gbps (gigabits per second).
That was also thought to be mounted via a botnet of compromised smart devices.
It is not known whether the attacks were mounted by the same botnet.
Both were so-called distributed denial of service attacks - in which websites are hit by massive amounts of data.
They have thrown the spotlight once again on the security of IoT (internet of things) devices.
According to a recent report on IoT malware from security firm Symantec, cybercriminals are increasingly looking for vulnerable smart devices - such as TVs, home security systems and webcams.
"Cybercriminals are interested in cheap bandwidth to enable bigger attacks. They obtain this by hijacking our devices and stitching together a large web of consumer devices that are easy to infect because they lack sophisticated security," said Nick Shaw from Symantec's Norton division.
OVH founder Octave Klaba has been tweeting about the ongoing attack, updating followers on the number of devices that are joining the botnet, which at one point including more than 145,000 devices : "+15,654 new CCTV participated in the DDoS last 48H," his last tweet reads.
Mr Krebs' website was offline for nearly a week and, according to Akamai - the security firm that supported the site - the attack was nearly double the size of any previous one it had seen and was "among the biggest assaults the internet has ever witnessed".
Dave Larson, chief technology officer at security firm Corero, said that IoT botnets were disrupting the industry.
"The tools and devices used to execute the attacks are readily available to just about anyone; combining this with almost complete anonymity creates a recipe to break the internet." | One of the biggest ever web attacks - in which more than one terabit of data was fired at a website to knock it offline - has been reported. |
38,716,873 | It's been a season of ups and downs for the Glasgow side, but the manner of their victories over Manchester Storm on Friday and Sheffield Steelers on Saturday was pleasing.
And the Clan boss was especially satisfied to do it with a team short of four key players, but one with great collective spirit.
"We're short and a little banged up, but the guys had a common goal to get the points and we did that," Finnerty said.
"We competed from the back and scraped two wins against two high-octane offensive teams. Our defensive zone is probably the best it's been all season.
"Our game plan was executed in the way we wanted. It was a good weekend overall and I'm proud of my guys."
The mood around the club was completely different to seven days previously when they were beaten by Edinburgh Capitals and Storm.
But they bounced back in impressive fashion, starting on Friday at home when Manchester, playing three games in Scotland this weekend, began that mini run in Glasgow.
However, Finnerty's men ended up 2-1 winners, with goals from Mike Hammond and Scott Pitt, despite a consolation from Eric Neilson.
Clan headed to Sheffield on Saturday and after goalie Michal Zajkowski denied Guillaume Desbiens' penalty shot, they went two up through Hammond and Pitt.
Steelers pulled level through Colton Fretter and Andreas Valdix, but Matt Beca's overtime winner clinched both points as Braehead took a 3-2 win away from Yorkshire, completing the points haul.
Manchester left that disappointment behind to head to Fife Flyers on Saturday and although they took a point, they were on the losing side again in a fiery 4-3 overtime defeat.
Brendan Brooks and Chase Schaber put Flyers two up, but were pegged back by Jack Prince.
The game soon turned sour when Neilson was ejected from the game for an alleged altercation with a fan in the stands.
Storm had to refocus and Cody Cartier levelled the game up after two periods. Sebastien Thinel and Darian Dzuirzynski traded goals, but Ric Jackman took it in overtime for the home side.
Flyers headed to Nottingham Panthers on Sunday and were the first visitors to the Panthers' lair after Corey Neilson's side were crowned European Continental Cup champions last week.
And the Fifers spoiled the party, taking a 3-2 win after penalty shots to make it a four-point weekend for Todd Dutiaume's side also.
Justin Fox's goal cancelled out Brian McGrattan's earlier strike before Alex Nikiforuk restored Nottingham's lead. Brendan Brooks got the equaliser and the game went beyond regulation time.
While Shane Owen performed some heroics in goal, Fox's penalty shot was the one that proved decisive, confirming a hard-fought Flyers victory.
Manchester, completed their three-game stint north of the border, finished off at Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday and once more, ended up commiserating as they went down 2-1 to the Caps.
Mason Wilgosh and Mike D'Orazio struck for the home side to bookend the second period, but was pegged back by Manchester's Matt Bissonnette early in the third, but it was all they could muster.
It was a big win for the Capitals, who reduced the gap at the bottom of the league to three points behind Dundee Stars, who had a horror show of a weekend.
They were blanked 6-0 by Belfast Giants on Saturday as Mike Forney and Steve Saviano had them two up after the first 20 minutes.
James Desmarais, Chris Higgins and Jonathan Boxill made it comfortable before Desmarais added his second to complete the rout.
The misery continued at home on Sunday when they blanked again in a game that was arguably their biggest of the season - a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Coventry Blaze.
Blaze are just above them in the play-off spots, but Marc LeFebvre's men just couldn't get near them as TJ Syner, Liam Stewart, Barry Almeida and Robin Bergman all struck to clinch victory.
Friday
Braehead Clan 2-1 Manchester Storm
Saturday
Belfast Giants 6-0 Dundee Stars
Fife Flyers 4-3 (OT) Manchester Storm
Sheffield Steelers 2-3 (OT) Braehead Clan
Sunday
Dundee Stars 0-4 Coventry Blaze
Edinburgh Capitals 2-1 Manchester Storm
Nottingham Panthers 2-3 (PS) Fife Flyers | Braehead Clan head coach Ryan Finnerty hailed the competitiveness of his team as they churned out a four-point weekend. |
38,609,892 | Lawlor failed to make a first-team appearance for City, but made his professional debut on loan at League Two club Barnet in December 2015.
The 22-year-old finished last season on loan with League One side Bury, making 15 appearances in all competitions.
He has won five caps for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 team, and has been an unused member of their senior squad.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here. | League Two side Doncaster have signed Manchester City goalkeeper Ian Lawlor until June 2019 for an undisclosed fee. |
33,285,104 | Brandon Gowland, 18, from Onchan pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing injury by dangerous driving last March.
Brad Campbell, 17, also from Onchan, died when a Renault Clio driven by Gowland crashed in Foxdale last year.
During sentencing, Deemster Alistair Montgomerie said: "This has been a tragedy for everyone."
"The constant theme was speed- you were showing off your recently purchased car and you took a number of risks in the way you drove.
"Having seen photographs of the crash scene, I regard it as miraculous that any of you survived."
The court heard on the night in question Gowland had been driving three passengers in his car on the A24 Foxdale Road.
It is thought he reached speeds of about 75mph in an area that defence counsel described as an accident "black spot".
Gowland, who lost control of the car before crashing into a road-side cottage, was still classified as an R-plate driver- a fact that restricted him to driving at speeds no faster than 50mph.
Brad Campbell, an apprentice plumber, was found by paramedics in the back seat of the car at about 00:10 BST on 24 August. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Isle of Man constabulary said: "Brandon Gowland is a young man, who, at just seventeen years of age, drove a high performance car in such a dangerous manner that he lost control, caused the death of one passenger, seriously injured another, and significantly injured the third.
"In doing so, he has had to face the consequences of his actions but no sentence will bring young Brad Campbell back to his family.
"Perhaps his legacy can be that his tragedy will serve as a stark reminder to others of the immense responsibility expected when using the road".
Gowland has also been disqualified from driving for seven years. | An Isle of Man teenager has been sentenced to a total of three years and nine months for dangerous driving. |
36,182,158 | The Welsh Labour leader said left-leaning voters should side with his party to stop the Conservatives.
With three days to go, other parties are attack Labour's record in office.
Plaid said Labour had "managed decline" while the Lib Dems said Labour should be "ashamed" of its record on education.
The Conservatives said Mr Jones' record on the NHS showed Labour were "not up to the job" of governing Wales.
As the assembly election campaign enters its final week, Mr Jones used a speech in Wrexham - one of the Tories' target seats - to say Labour wanted to see an "confident, open, outward looking Wales".
He repeatedly attacked "the Tories, Plaid and UKIP", but made no mention of the Liberal Democrats. With polls suggesting that Labour will lose seats but remain the largest party, there has been some speculation that Mr Jones could seek to form a coalition with the Lib Dems after polling day.
Mr Jones is keen to get his campaign back on track after Labour was rocked by claims of anti-Semitism last week.
In Wrexham he said the outcome would be decided in Labour/Tory battleground seats such as the Vale of Clwyd and Gower.
Opponents claim that under 17 years of Labour-led governments since devolution, standards in public services in Wales are not good enough.
But Mr Jones returned to two main planks of his campaign: that Wales has avoided a junior doctors' strike and the impact of spending cuts imposed in Westminster.
"So, if you're thinking about voting Liberal, or Plaid, or Green in the seats where it is a straight fight between Labour and Tory - think about that risk," he said.
"Think about importing that kind of politics into the assembly. And lend us your vote in those constituencies to stop it."
Speaking on Sunday, Plaid leader Leanne Wood said: "After seventeen years of managed decline in our public services, the people of Wales have a once in a generation opportunity to deliver real change for our nation."
Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams said a generation of children had been "left behind" under Labour.
She said: "Ministers say they took their eye off the ball, casually accepting that a generation of young people have been let down due to Labour complacency. They should be ashamed."
Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: "Labour's management of the NHS proves they're not up to the job.
"The election this Thursday presents voters with their best opportunity in nearly two decades to deliver new leadership for Wales, and secure a strong, properly-funded NHS backed up by a strong economy. With Labour only one seat from losing power, a new start for our NHS is within reach.
"The Welsh Conservatives are the only party to have made a manifesto commitment to safeguard the NHS budget and to increase spending on health services each and every year during the Assembly term." | Carwyn Jones has made a direct appeal to Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat and Green supporters to lend their votes to Labour. |
36,648,630 | The index ended up 2.64% at 6,140.39, while the FTSE 250 had gained 3.6%.
The FTSE 100 lost 5.6% in the previous two trading sessions, while the more UK-focused FTSE 250 had slumped 13.7%.
The pound also showed signs of recovery, rising 0.4% against the dollar to $1.3278 and adding 0.18% against the euro to €1.2018.
The pound had risen as high as $1.50 shortly before the result of the vote became clear on Friday morning.
But on Monday, the currency plunged to a 31-year low against the dollar, while some share trading was temporarily halted.
Also on Monday, yields on 10-year government bonds sank below 1% for the first time as investors bet on an interest rate cut.
The UK market recovery was led by the sectors that had been worst hit in the past two days' trading - banks, property and airlines.
Shares in gold miners, which had performed well on Monday, were among the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 as the gold price weakened.
Other European stock markets also made gains, with the Dax in Frankfurt up 1.9% and the Cac in Paris up 2.6%.
All three stock exchanges have fallen more heavily than London in the past two days of trading since the vote by the UK to leave the EU.
On Wall Street, all three major indexes opened higher, up around 1% in early trading.
"The sun is out in London, the FTSE 100 is rallying and even the pound is moving higher," said Chris Beauchamp, senior market analyst at IG.
"You might almost think there had been no Brexit vote and no downgrade of the UK economy overnight. The FTSE's unwillingness to stay below 6,000 is remarkable, and while the damage to individual shares is still immense, some of that has been repaired today.
"A bounce was overdue, of course, and it doesn't change the short-term narrative of uncertainty and fear, nor the longer-term bear market in equities that has been ticking along for over a year now.
"Nonetheless, the sight of so many major companies trading at remarkably low multiples, such as Next and Prudential on 10 times earnings, and the juicy dividend yields on offer, has clearly been too much for some investors to resist."
In another development, the Bank of England injected funds worth £3.1bn into UK banks, following a special auction for six-month finance.
It was the first such operation since the referendum vote.
Banks bid for £6.3bn worth of liquidity, but the Bank allocated less than half that amount.
Bank governor Mark Carney said on Friday that the Bank stood ready to provide more than £250bn of additional funds through its normal facilities "as a backstop, and to support the functioning of markets".
The stock market rise came as Chancellor George Osborne warned that the UK faced further economic setbacks.
"We are in a prolonged period of economic adjustment in the UK, we are adjusting to life outside the EU and it will not be as economically rosy as life inside the EU," he told the BBC's Today programme.
However, he added: "I think we can provide a clear plan."
"We are absolutely going to have to provide fiscal security to people, we are going to have to show the country and the world that the government can live within its means," he said.
When asked if there would be tax rises and spending cuts, he said: "Yes, absolutely."
Early on Monday, the chancellor had attempted to reassure investors and calm the markets, saying the UK was ready to face the future "from a position of strength". | Pressure has eased on UK financial markets after two days of turmoil in the wake of the Brexit vote, with the FTSE 100 share index closing higher. |
39,734,193 | Wednesday's ICC meeting means Ireland's application must go before a newly-created membership committee which will decide if the various criteria have been met.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said they were optimistic about getting approval from the ICC members.
The new criteria involves areas like governance, finance, the performance of national team and development programmes.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"There are some details around financial criteria which I would like to be more certain of, but it looks like we will be in a relatively good position," said Deutrom.
"I am cautiously optimistic. I do not want to give the impression it is a penalty kick as we cannot take the process for granted and must respect the opinions of the ICC members whose ultimate decision this is."
The ICC's board agreed on the new membership process at a meeting in Dubai.
The current 10 full member nations are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
As well as Ireland, Afghanistan are attempting to move up from associate member level.
In the past, teams wishing to obtain Test status had to be proposed and seconded by full members. | Ireland say they are cautiously optimistic of achieving Test status in June after the International Cricket Council announced a new process for associate nations wishing to become full members. |
36,135,626 | Michel Sapin told parliament that Antoine Deltour was "defending the general interest".
Mr Deltour is accused of passing information to a journalist.
The LuxLeaks scandal cast light on how Luxembourg helped giant companies slash their global tax bills.
Mr Deltour and his co-defendants could face up to 10 years in jail.
The government and companies named say their tax practices are not illegal.
It was the biggest leak of its kind until the Panama Papers this year showed how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.
Q&A: Panama Papers
How assets are hidden and taxes dodged
Mr Deltour, a former auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), is accused of passing information on clients to French journalist Edouard Perrin, who first broke the story on French TV in 2012, in collaboration with the BBC's Panorama.
He faces charges of theft, revealing business secrets, violation of professional secrets and money laundering.
Raphael Halet, another former PwC employee, is suspected of a separate leak and faces the same charges. Mr Perrin is accused of being an accomplice.
Prosecutors say that together the data was later used by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in their November 2014 story. The tax breaks involved 340 companies.
As he arrived for the first day of his trial, Mr Deltour told AFP news agency he was "very calm, I acted in the public interest". Supporters gathered outside the courtroom chanted "thank you Antoine, thank you Antoine!"
Addressing the French parliament, Mr Sapin said he had asked the French ambassador to Luxembourg to "assist [Mr Deltour] at this difficult time when he defends the general interest".
It was thanks to Mr Deltour, he added, that an end was being brought to the opaque system that prevented European countries finding out the tax deals made by large companies in Luxembourg. "In turn I would like to offer him all our solidarity," he said.
Mr Sapin has tabled a bill, due to be debated in June, which he says will promote economic transparency as well as protect the anonymity of whistleblowers.
While Luxembourg has laws protecting whistleblowers, they are confined to exposing illegal practices. Civil rights groups have attacked the case.
"Deltour should be protected and commended, not prosecuted," said Cobus de Swardt, the Managing Director of Transparency International.
Nearly 130,000 people have signed an online petition in support of Mr Deltour.
The scandal put pressure on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who led Luxembourg when many of the tax breaks were implemented.
He has denied wrongdoing and has backed new EU rules to make corporate taxation more transparent. | France's finance minister has offered assistance to one of three French men who have gone on trial in Luxembourg over the leak of documents revealing corporate tax deals. |
35,720,285 | 3 March 2016 Last updated at 15:35 GMT
Lord Turner, who was in charge of the Pensions Commission between 2003 and 2006, was speaking after the government launched a review of the pension age.
He predicted the pension age could be raised to 75 by 2070 or 2080. "We shouldn't be terrified by the idea that it might eventually be 80," he added.
(Image: Pensioner holding money Credit: Getty) | A former government pension adviser has suggested that graduates could have to work longer before they receive their state pension. |
37,633,766 | The five-foot long blue shark was discovered by a passer-by walking his dog on Tentsmuir Beach on Monday.
However, when wardens went to the body it had disappeared, and had possibly been washed back out to sea.
Scientists are hoping to find the remains again so that they can establish how the shark died.
Dr Andrew Brownlow, of the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), said: "It is not unusual to see this species around the Scottish coast, yet finding these animals washed up in such a fresh condition does not happen very often.
"It is from more temperate waters and we are the most northerly place that blue sharks reach.
"Although blue sharks officially do not fall under the SMASS remit, we would like to get the animal recovered for necropsy to hopefully learn a little more about what happened
"However the Tentsmuir wardens were not able to locate it on the beach this morning, and we think the high tide may have moved it elsewhere.
"If you are walking the beaches at Tentsmuir/surrounding areas please do keep an eye out for it, and if you see the animal, please phone us on 07979245893 or email [email protected]." | Marine experts are asking the public to help them find a dead shark that was briefly washed ashore on a beach in Fife. |
40,330,789 | In the leaked letters, experts warn that those living in tower blocks like Grenfell Tower were "at risk".
At least 79 people are dead or missing presumed dead after the fire at the London high-rise last week.
The department that received the letters said work to improve regulation and safety had already been under way.
The letters show experts have been worried about fire safety in tower blocks for years.
Following a fatal fire in Lakanal House in south London in 2009, a series of recommendations were made to keep people safe.
They were ignored. The government promised a review of fire regulations in 2013, but it still has not happened.
BBC One's Panorama has obtained a dozen letters sent by the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group.
Informed by experts, it warned the government it "could not afford to wait for another tragedy".
Four ministers - all from the Department for Communities and Local Government - received letters but did not strengthen the regulations.
Ronnie King, a former chief fire officer who sits on the group, says the government has ignored repeated warnings about tower block safety.
"We have spent four years saying 'Listen, we have got the evidence, we've provided you with the evidence, there is clear public opinion towards this, you ought to move on this'," said Mr King.
After six people were killed at Lakanal House in 2009, the coroner made a series of safety recommendations for the government to consider.
The government department promised a review in 2013, but it was soon delayed.
In March 2014, the parliamentary group wrote: "Surely… when you already have credible evidence to justify updating… the guidance… which will lead to saving of lives, you don't need to wait another three years in addition to the two already spent since the research findings were updated, in order to take action?
"As there are estimated to be another 4,000 older tower blocks in the UK, without automatic sprinkler protection, can we really afford to wait for another tragedy to occur before we amend this weakness?"
After further correspondence, Liberal Democrat MP Steven Williams - who was then a minister in the department - replied: "I have neither seen nor heard anything that would suggest that consideration of these specific potential changes is urgent and I am not willing to disrupt the work of this department by asking that these matters are brought forward."
The group replied to say they "were at a loss to understand, how you had concluded that credible and independent evidence, which had life safety implications, was NOT considered to be urgent".
"As a consequence the group wishes to point out to you that should a major fire tragedy, with loss of life, occur between now and 2017 in, for example, a residential care facility or a purpose built block of flats, where the matters which had been raised here, were found to be contributory to the outcome, then the group would be bound to bring this to others' attention."
The letters were written before the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower.
One went to the-then Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles, who received a letter about fire regulations from the parliamentary group in February 2014.
He had also been asked to look at fire safety in February 2013 and March 2013 by two separate coroners, investigating two tower block fires.
In December 2015, the all-party group wrote to Conservative MP James Wharton, another minister in the department at the time, and warned about the risk of fires spreading on the outside of buildings with cladding.
"Today's buildings have a much higher content of readily available combustible material. Examples are timber and polystyrene mixes in structure, cladding and insulation.
"This fire hazard results in many fires because adequate recommendations to developers simply do not exist. There is little or no requirement to mitigate external fire spread."
The last of the four ministers in the department to receive a letter was Gavin Barwell, who has since moved on to become Theresa May's top aide. He received his letter from the parliamentary group in September last year.
In November, Mr Barwell replied to say his department had been looking at the regulations, and would make a statement "in due course".
In April this year, Mr Barwell wrote to say he did "acknowledge that producing a statement on building regulations has taken longer than I had envisaged".
The fire safety group pointed out that it had been "given a similar response by three successive ministers since 2010" and it "is now time to listen to what the Fire Sector is saying".
The government has said there is still no timetable for a review.
The Department for Communities and Local Government said that a police investigation into the Grenfell Fire is already under way "but it will be some time before it is fully understood how the fire started or why it took hold in the way it did."
In a statement, it added: "The government has acted to improve fire regulation and safety, including the recommendations made by the Coroner following the Lakanal House Fire.
"The final recommendation concerned simplification of fire safety guidance, and this work was under way, with a consultation due to be published this summer.
"Fire safety requirements are complex issues and our priority has been that we have high standards. A great deal of work has been completed, including commissioning and undertaking research to support the planned consultation. Clearly, in light of this tragic event, we need to reflect on whether this consultation is the correct next step to take. We will confirm our approach shortly."
In a separate development, Panorama has discovered that firefighters put out the first fire at Grenfell Tower.
They were called to a fridge fire, and within minutes told residents the fire was out in the flat.
The crew was leaving the building when firefighters outside spotted flames rising up the side of the building.
The Fire Brigades Union say firefighters were left facing an unprecedented fire, and officers broke their own safety protocol to rescue people.
Watch Panorama - London Tower Fire: Britain's Shame on Monday 19 June at 20:30 BST on BBC One and afterwards on BBC iPlayer. | Four separate government ministers were warned that fire regulations were not keeping people safe, in letters that have subsequently been seen by the BBC. |
36,515,503 | Ethiopia has not commented on the reported fighting in the Tsorona area, about half-way along the frontier.
Residents on the Ethiopian side of the border reported hearing gunfire and seeing a large movement of troops and artillery towards the border.
A peace deal in 2000 ended the countries' two-year war but it has not been fully implemented.
Ever since, the countries have been in a state of "neither war nor peace", says the BBC's Ethiopia correspondent Emmanuel Igunza.
Eritrea says the tense relations with Ethiopia are why it has national conscription, which can last for decades.
It's not clear why the fighting has erupted now as neither country has issued any reasons.
But in recent months both sides have upped the rhetoric with the latest verbal salvo coming from Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki during celebrations to mark 25 years of the country's independence.
He accused Ethiopia of being hostile to Eritrea's sovereignty.
Earlier this year, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said his country was ready to take "proportionate military action against Eritrea" for what he described as "continuous acts of provocation and destabilisation of Ethiopia".
The conflict, over the exact location of the border led to the deaths of an estimated 80,000 people.
Africa Live: BBC news updates
Why so many people try to flee Eritrea
Eritrea celebrates 25 years of independence
Ethiopia "unleashed an attack against Eritrea on the Tsorona Central Front. The purpose and ramifications of this attack are not clear," the Eritrean government said in a short statement issued on Sunday night.
It does not mention any casualties.
Ethiopia's Information Minister Getachew Reda, who is out of the country, told the BBC he was not aware of the fighting.
As part of the Algiers peace agreement signed in 2000 both countries agreed to accept the ruling of an independent boundary commission over the location of the frontier as "final and binding".
But after the commission ruled that the disputed town of Badme, where the conflict began, was in Eritrea, Ethiopia at first refused to agree to the border demarcation and then called for dialogue before it would implement the decision.
This was rejected by Eritrea and there has been an impasse ever since, although clashes have been rare. | Eritrea has accused Ethiopia of launching an attack at the countries' heavily-militarised border. |
39,016,579 | The attack happened on the Lisburn Road shortly after 23:00 GMT on Friday night, police said.
A man armed with a hammer attempted to take the woman's handbag after she refused to hand it over.
The woman was struck in the arm several times before the man made off empty handed along Lower Windsor Avenue.
The victim suffered bruising to her arm and was left badly shaken.
Police are appealing for information.
The man was described as being around 5ft 6in tall, and wearing a grey, hooded top, blue jeans and a dark-coloured baseball cap. | A woman has been assaulted with a hammer during an attempted robbery outside a south Belfast restaurant. |
32,991,237 | They are among more than 20,000 people who have been arrested during operations against the Islamist militants, the rights group says.
The military has rejected the allegations, calling the report biased and the statistics "spurious".
However, President Muhammadu Buhari said it would be investigated.
At least 17,000 people have died in the conflict since 2009, says Amnesty.
That means around 40% of all deaths have been in military custody.
About 1.5 million people have also been displaced and hundreds more abducted since Boko Haram launched its violent uprising to impose Islamic rule in 2009.
The report comes as Nigeria's new President Buhari makes his first foreign trip since taking office - to Niger - to discuss regional operations against Boko Haram.
BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross says Amnesty International and other human rights groups have accused Nigeria's security forces of carrying out many atrocities before.
But this report goes further as the UK-based rights group names several senior officers - including major generals and brigadier generals - and calls on them to be investigated for murder, torture and enforced disappearance, he says.
Africa news updates
In response, military spokesman Maj Gen Chris Olukolade said the report "went out to gather names of specified senior officers, in a calculated attempt to rubbish their reputation".
Mr Buhari, however, said his administration would study the document and act appropriately.
"Respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law are the life and soul of the democratic system. We will not tolerate or condone impunity and reckless disregard for human rights," he said while in Niger.
The report, entitled Stars on their shoulders, Blood on their hands, says the senior officers should either be investigated for carrying out the war crimes themselves or for being in command of subordinates who did so.
Amnesty International says more than 1,000 people have been unlawfully killed.
It says in some cases captives were deliberately starved in custody and boys as young as nine years old have been detained.
The human rights group calls on President Buhari to end the culture of impunity in the armed forces.
At his inauguration last week, Mr Buhari promised to "overhaul the rules of engagement to avoid human rights violations in operations".
This year Nigeria's army - backed by regional forces - has recaptured many towns and villages from the militants.
But the group is still holding many women, girls and children captive, including 219 schools girls it kidnapped from a school in Chibok in April last year. | More than 7,000 men and boys have died in Nigerian military custody during its fight against Boko Haram over the last four years, Amnesty International says. |
29,817,714 | In particular, the regulator found that the society had been too slow to reach deals with struggling customers.
As a result, some of those customers had incurred extra fees and interest.
In February, the mortgage lender agreed to refund almost 34,000 customers at a cost of £8.4m, after an FCA probe.
The fine, the biggest imposed by the FCA on a building society, relates to the mistreatment of customers between 1 October 2011 and 31 July 2012.
The FCA found that Yorkshire staff had not been trained properly and had only "fragmented" guidance, which meant that customers did not receive consistent treatment.
"By allowing cases to drift without agreement, YBS's actions meant that customers in vulnerable circumstances risked falling into further financial difficulty," said Tracey McDermott, FCA director of Enforcement and Financial Crime.
"Customers in financial difficulty need to be treated fairly and sensitively," she said.
In a statement, Yorkshire acknowledged its failings and said that it had "completely changed" the way the building society operates.
Back in February it announced that any customer who had been charged a fee for being behind on their mortgage since 2009 would be refunded.
It also pledged to refund any interest on those fees. It says that some customers who were correctly charged fees would also receive a refund.
"As a mutual organisation owned by our members, the service we give to customers is fundamental to us and we are very sorry for letting them down," said Chris Pilling, Yorkshire Building Society chief executive.
"I hope the refunds we have voluntarily given to customers and the changes we have made demonstrate how seriously we have taken this issue and our commitment to put things right," he said. | Yorkshire Building Society has been fined £4.1m by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for failing to deal properly with customers who had fallen behind with mortgage payments. |
19,533,389 | The 25-year-old, promoted as the face of the Games, went into the final without an individual gold but won in a new Paralympic record of 46.68 seconds.
He finished almost four seconds ahead of Blake Leeper, with fellow American David Prince taking bronze.
Pistorius also won gold in the 4x400m relay and silver in the 200m.
"I think it's how the athletics had to end. It was perfect having Oscar Pistorius as the last event. I am pleased for him as an athlete. You could tell he felt despondent about his performances in his other events, so after all the pressure on him, it's a huge amount of relief. It was never going to be easy to do the two events (200m and 400m) back to back. I was a bit disappointed with Alan Oliveira but it proves he can't run a 400m."
Defending champion Pistorius was expected to win the race easily, although at the 200m mark it appeared that Brazil's Alan Oliveira, who stunned the South African in the 200m, might just cause another Paralympics shock.
But Pistorius pulled away from his main rival coming into the final, with 20-year-old Oliveira tying up badly in the home straight and passed by the American pair.
"It is very, very special to me," Pistorius said. "It was the last event of my season, the last event of the London 2012 Paralympic Games (at the stadium). It was just so special.
"It was the 11th time I was able to come out on the track and I just wanted to give the crowd something they could appreciate and take home with them.
"I was very nervous before today's race. I was quite tired but the crowd really kept me going.
"For the first time I was actually thinking about something beside my race coming into the home straight.
"I could hear the crowd, which was very weird and so loud. I thought 'let's just finish off on a good note'."
There was no final flourish for Great Britain's athletes in front of a capacity 80,000 crowd.
Welsh world champion javelin thrower Nathan Stephens finished 12th after two throws and a poor third effort meant a premature end to the 24-year-old's participation in the F57/58 competition.
Jarrow sprinter Hazel Robson finished seventh in the T36 100m - the 33-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, won gold in the event in Sydney.
Britain have dropped from second to third in the overall medals table behind Russia, which now has 35 golds to GB's 33, with Ukraine just behind on 32 and Australia on 31 ahead of the final day of competition. China are way out in front with 95 golds.
Elsewhere in the Olympic Stadium, world records fell, including in the crowd-pleasing F46 high jump final. Poland's Maciej Lepiato shattered the previous best of 2.05m with a 2.12 clearance.
Meanwhile, South Africa's Fanie van der Merwe fell over the line to take the T37 100m title. He recorded the same time as China's Liang Yongbin - a world record of 11.51 - but was given gold following a photo finish.
The athletics competition finishes on Sunday with the marathons, with GB's David Weir attempting to win a fourth gold of the Games in the men's T54 event starting at 1130 BST. | South African Oscar Pistorius provided a fitting finale to the Paralympics track and field competition with gold in the last event, the T44 400m. |
37,753,149 | However, Time Warner itself, which had risen more than 8% amid reports of the deal on Friday, fell by 3% to close at $86.74.
AT&T closed down by nearly 1.7%.
The Dow Jones rose 0.43% to 18,222.89, while the S&P 500 added 0.47% to 2,151.31 and the hi-tech Nasdaq gained 1% to 5,309.83. | Wall Street's main indexes all rose on Monday, as the markets had their first chance to react to the news that AT&T was to buy Time Warner. |
40,565,116 | The cost-cutting measure comes as the government considers ways to privatise the debt-laden national carrier.
Critics have suggested the move is discriminatory and will make very little difference to the airline's bottom line.
But Air India's boss defended the move, saying he did not understand the fuss it has caused.
The issue of diet is highly politicised in India, where many Hindus are vegetarian but Muslims often eat meat.
On Tuesday, India's highest court will look at the government's recent decision to ban the sale through animal markets of cattle for slaughter.
And recently there have been a string of attacks on Muslims by self-styled vigilante groups who accuse their victims of transporting cow or beef products.
On Twitter, Banaglore-based chef and food writer Madhu Menon said he saw politics at play in the decision:
On his Facebook page, Air India's chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said the move "reduces wastage, saves on cost, improves service and eliminates possibility of a mix up."
He said on short flights, "the meal is just an add on and not really worthy of a major concern."
The airline's in-flight food options are still more generous than those found on many European and US carriers.
Passengers with budget and full-service carriers have become accustomed to paying extra for meals in economy class on domestic and shorter international flights.
However one rival, Vistara, was quick to point out that it still was offering customers a meatier option.
While the move may save Air India some money, it will have to forego many chicken or lamb meals to make a dent in its $8bn debt pile.
Last month, the government gave an "in-principle" approval to sell a stake in the airline, and formed a committee to decide how much of the airline to sell off, and whether to write off some of the airline's debt.
The Tata Sons conglomerate and IndiGo have both expressed interest in potentially buying Air India assets.
The airline was given a $5.8bn bailout in 2012 and relies on taxpayer funds to stay afloat. | Air India has stopped serving non-vegetarian meals to its economy class passengers on domestic flights. |
37,779,953 | Lesley Smith and young winners Hannah Faith Jackson and Henry Memmott all hail from Strathaven in South Lanarkshire.
The coincidence was only discovered when Lesley, 45, revealed her win on town's community Facebook page.
"There's no connection between us at all," she said.
"I only realised after they announced the winners."
Medical secretary Lesley won the Urban view category for her photo of the demolition of Glasgow's Red Road Flats.
"I waited five and a half hours to get the shot," she said. "I found the only hole in the fence for my camera and didn't want to lose my spot."
Henry, 17, won two awards in the youth category for his photos of Glasgow at night and Glengavel Reservoir in Strathaven.
He says his hometown produced three winners because the scenery makes people want to pick up a camera.
"Strathaven is one of the most beautiful places I've seen. The landscape here really inspires you," he said.
Henry, who studies Ecology at St Andrews University, honed his skills when he took Higher Photography at Strathaven Academy.
Hannah, 15, is at the same school. She won the overall Young Landscape Photographer of the Year 2016 prize for her shot of a bar window in Glasgow's West End.
She said she has always been interested in taking pictures, as are her dad and sister.
Hannah said: "I have contacted the Queen to tell her about my winning the competition but she's probably already read it in the newspaper or something.
"I've sent her a letter. I also said I'm going to take some pictures of Buckingham Palace when we are down in London.
"I haven't had a response back yet."
An exhibition of all the winning photographs will be held at London's Waterloo station from 21 November. | Three budding photographers from the same Scottish town have scooped top prizes in the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year awards. |
39,717,724 | Police said the 32-year-old was punched in the face and knocked to the ground before being sexually assaulted at about 21:00 on Tuesday in West Lothian.
The attack took place on a popular path in woodland next to the A89, east of the Armadale Speedway racetrack.
The suspect is white, aged between 30 and 40, about 6ft, with dark hair and has a Scottish accent.
He was wearing dark clothing.
The woman is still being treated in hospital for multiple injuries.
Detectives have suggested it could have been a premeditated attack.
Police Scotland said the investigation was a top priority with 50 officers on the case.
Forensic experts are examining the scene, officers are trawling CCTV footage and making door-to-door inquiries.
The police said they are "extremely eager" to speak to anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious on the popular walking and running route.
Officers said they have had a good response locally. There are also officers patrolling the area on bicycles.
Det Supt Pat Campbell said the victim had gone through an "absolutely terrifying ordeal".
"We are extremely eager to hear from anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity on the footpath or around the racetrack," he said.
"The area is popular with dog walkers and joggers and so we are hopeful that someone may have vital information relevant to our inquiry.
"If you believe you saw something, or can help provide us with a better description of the suspect then please contact police immediately."
The man ran off after the attack and the woman was taken to hospital with injuries to her face, back and shoulder.
Ch Insp Barry Blair added: "Horrific crimes such as this remain rare within West Lothian, but nevertheless, we recognise the significant impact they can have on the community and local officers will be supporting the investigation by conducting high-visibility patrols in and around the area where the attack took place.
"In addition, a police command vehicle will be in place at the scene and members of the public can attend at this unit to provide information, or speak with the officers out on patrol." | A woman jogging on a footpath near a racetrack has been raped in what police have called a "horrific" attack. |
33,592,987 | They were abducted near a compound owned by Italian oil and gas group Eni in the western Mellitah area, the ministry said.
Italy closed its embassy in Libya in February, calling on Italians to leave because of the dangers to foreigners.
The country is beset with warring factions four years after the civil war that ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni told Italian media on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers that it was difficult to speculate about who was responsible for the abduction at this stage.
The workers are employed by Bonatti, a company that provides services to the oil, gas and energy sector, a spokesman confirmed.
They were kidnapped while returning from Tunisia on Sunday evening, La Repubblica newspaper reports.
Two rival governments are vying for legitimacy and territory in Libya and so-called Islamic State (IS) is among the armed groups operating in the country.
Nine foreign oil workers were kidnapped by IS in March. | Four Italian construction workers have been kidnapped in Libya, the Italian foreign ministry has said. |
39,315,637 | "'You are crazy', I told them," the new Caf president told BBC Sport.
A few months on, the 57-year-old holds the future of the African game in his hands.
He sent shockwaves throughout Africa on Thursday when managing what no one else ever had - beating Issa Hayatou, who took power in 1988, in a Caf election.
Prior to announcing his candidacy in January, few had ever heard of Ahmad.
But the reason he was approached by 15 or so FA presidents from across the continent - first in May, and then again in September (when the seed started to germinate) - was because he was on the Executive Committee (ExCo).
And after Hayatou oversaw a rule change in 2012, seen by many as a plot to prevent a rival seeking his job, only voting members of the ExCo can run for the presidency.
So who exactly is Ahmad, what does he hope to achieve during his four-year spell in charge and how did he rise to power?
Firstly, Ahmad - who goes by just the one name - once played and coached in Madagascar's top division.
After quitting football, he ultimately ventured into politics - holding positions as his country's minister of sport, and then of fisheries - before becoming a parliamentary senator, a role he still holds today.
After becoming Madagascar FA president in 2003, he was elected onto Caf's ExCo ten years later - before, in January, he confirmed rumours by announcing he was challenging Hayatou.
"At the beginning, I heard the comments of people - 'he's nothing, he's like a joke,'" he told BBC Sport.
Today, the 'joker' is king and holding all the aces.
Ahmad wants improved governance, greater transparency and to develop African football from the grassroots up.
"The first thing is reform of administration: good governance, financial transparency and to redistribute the Caf money - not only keep it in the office," he told BBC Sport.
As Caf revealed on Thursday, its finances are healthy - with $108m in cash and $131m in equity.
For cash-strapped Malawi, who briefly withdrew from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations because of financial concerns, the redistribution cannot come soon enough.
"The member associations will now have a chance to enjoy the wealth that Caf has had all these years," Malawi FA boss Walter Nyamilandu told BBC Sport.
"We have been marginalised, suffering a lot, paying a lot of expenses for our national teams and exerting unnecessary pressure on our governments. It is now time to be inclusive."
Ahmad also wants to reorganise Caf's competitions, which could mean the expansion of many, including the flagship Nations Cup - 'an idea,' admits Ahmad.
Under Hayatou, secrecy was the watchword when it came to financial dealings but Ahmad's stance is entirely in contrast.
'All contracts signed by Caf will be officially published and their amounts communicated by media releases,' his manifesto boldly pledged.
'Caf will be fully transparent with regards to finances, management and its competitions. Nothing will be hidden or covered during my mandate.'
With that in mind, the BBC can reveal that a Caf insider says the eight-year deal signed with energy company Total last year is worth 'about $190m.'
Having declared that long-term contracts should be 'banished,' could Caf's agency deal with Lagardere - worth a whopping $1 billion to the African football body, and which runs from 2017-2028 - be at risk?
"I can't talk about that because I've never seen the contract. I have to look at all of this," he said on Friday. "My duty is to protect the interest of Caf."
Following his election, Ahmad said his first step would be a thorough managerial and financial audit of the Cairo-based organisation.
To develop the African game to its ultimate potential, he wants to open talks with a range of personnel - 'legends, stars, coaches, referees' etc. - boost women's and youth football as well as, among other measures, stop the talent drain of Africans overseas.
Crucially, with half a dozen of Ahmad's supporters elected onto a new-look ExCo in place of Hayatou's men, the Malagasy has the backing to push through his reforms.
He succeeded because of an overwhelming desire for change among the voters and, says Ahmad, 'government authorities' too.
So long had Hayatou's reign - encompassing 29 of Caf's 60 years - been that the hashtag 'Hayatoumustfall' circulated on social media.
Yet had Gianni Infantino not won last year's Fifa presidential elections, beating Sheikh Salman of Bahrain - who Caf had publicly asked its members to support, Ahmad may not even have run.
"It's one of the arguments that pushed me to go for this election," he told me on Tuesday.
Infantino emerged as a potential kingmaker when attending a party in Harare hosted by Ahmad's campaign manager Phillip Chiyangwa, in what was seen as a sign of support for Hayatou's rival.
"(Infantino) could not go back and support people who did not support him (in the 2016 Fifa elections) - it doesn't make sense," Dennis Idrissa, one of Ahmad's campaign team, told BBC Sport.
"But he did not interfere - he stayed as the president - but in his heart, he liked change."
Members of Hayatou's camp have argued otherwise. Infantino has denied any collusion.
Just like the latter's speech which swayed many voters in Fifa's presidential elections of February 2016, Ahmad spoke in various languages while also promising more cash to member associations (and business class travel) as he addressed delegates before the vote.
"It was a statement full of promises," said Lesotho's Khiba Mohoanyane. "Ahmad's speech changed the mood of the house."
Minutes later, a campaign full of twists and turns - threats and accusations - ended in a 34-20 win for the Malagasy.
Perhaps fittingly, the last man to vote was Zimbabwe FA boss Chiyangwa , who is also president of southern African football region Cosafa.
Cosafa led the call for change and one wonders what would have happened had outgoing president Suketu Patel, a Hayatou ally down the years, decided to contest Cosafa's elections in December - since his absence ultimately handed Chiyangwa a platform upon which he screamed for change.
Will the Egyptian legal case against both Hayatou, 70, and secretary general Hicham El Amrani quietly fade away?
Brought by the once little-known Egyptian Competitions Authority, Caf has firmly dismissed allegations its deal with Lagardere broke the country's anti-monopoly laws.
In a statement earlier this week, the African football body accused Egyptians of trying to tarnish Hayatou's reputation in the run-up to the vote. Whatever the truth, the Cameroonian has now gone.
In one small way, Ahmad can already claim to wield more power than his predecessor.
After Zanzibar was voted in as Caf's latest full member, Africa now has 55 votes at Fifa - so enlarging its status as the most powerful continental voting bloc in world football.
Finally, one thing about his reign is absolutely certain.
He won't be around for three decades since a recent rule change means the maximum tenure for a Caf president is now three terms - or twelve years. | When the idea was first put to Madagascar's Ahmad that he could lead the Confederation of African Football (Caf) one day, his riposte was succinct. |
39,747,958 | Sharapova beat Anett Kontaveit 6-4 6-3 to set up a last-four match with Mladenovic at the Stuttgart Open.
This is one of three events for which the Russian has been given wildcard entries after returning from her ban for testing positive for meldonium.
"I understand tournaments want her in the draw," said Mladenovic.
"She is very famous and they want more attention, which is part of the business.
"On the other hand, you can ask if it is fair to get a wildcard. It's a fact that she was caught by anti-doping, but she wasn't the first one.
"Others have also had the right to come back and play tennis, but with a different road - they wouldn't get invitations to tournaments.
"Of course, she is authorised to play tennis again, but why would she get that extra help compared to other players?"
When asked whether Mladenovic's comments would motivate her in their encounter, Sharapova replied: "Not at all".
She added: "I am not someone that uses it as part of my comeback. I have let my tennis do the talking.
"My results have spoken for everything that needs to be said. The biggest part of my comeback is what happens on court."
Five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova's world ranking points expired during her suspension.
But she is yet to drop a set in Germany and will earn an automatic place in qualifying at the French Open if she reaches the final in Stuttgart.
She has also been given wildcard entries for the upcoming events in Madrid and Rome.
The former world number one was called "a cheat" by 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard on Thursday.
Sharapova said she was "way above" replying to criticism of her comeback by her rivals.
Sharapova continued her fine form following her return with a straight sets victory over Estonian qualifier Kontaveit to reach the last four in Stuttgart.
The 30-year-old broke twice in the first set, and dug deep in the second to take victory in one hour 23 minutes.
"I served quite well, which gave me confidence. I'm happy," said Sharapova.
"I kept myself in good shape, because once you lose it, it's hard to get it back."
Mladenovic booked her place in the last four with a 6-3 6-2 win over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 6-2 on Friday.
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
The draw has been kind to Sharapova - the frailties of the sport's leading lights mean she has not yet faced a top-30 player - but she is playing exceptionally well after 15 months free of competition.
She says she will take no extra motivation from the comments made by Mladenovic, or from the knowledge just one more win will guarantee a place in French Open qualifying.
But her tone changes significantly when the issue of drugs is raised: her answers became very curt when replying to questions about the proposed increase in annual tests.
And when asked whether her team - about whom she had just spoken glowingly - were upset she did not tell them about her meldonium use, she replied: "That is such an inappropriate question. Can we do one last one from someone else?" | Maria Sharapova is receiving "extra help" to qualify for tournaments following her 15-month doping ban, says her next opponent Kristina Mladenovic. |
35,512,025 | Eric Garcetti recorded an R&B-style number, complete with music video, in an attempt to soften the news that the 101 freeway will shut for 40 hours.
As factual as it is funky, depending on your tastes, the song contains lots of useful information about the closure.
The freeway is being closed while the city demolishes the 6th Street Bridge.
Backed by the local Theodore Roosevelt High School Jazz Band, Mr Garcetti sings: "See we're bringing down the 6th Street Bridge, making way for something new and the demolition will cause delays.
"But sometimes, just sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty to build something beautiful.
"So on Friday night the 101 Freeway east of downtown will take a break for 40 hours of R&R ... and R&B."
The music was an original score written and performed by the band, according to the LA Times.
The 84-year-old 6th Street Bridge is being torn down because of deterioration in the concrete, the Times said.
The work is expected to take nine months and a replacement bridge is planned for completion in late 2019. | The mayor of Los Angeles has come up with novel way of warning residents about a major traffic closure this weekend: singing a slow jam. |
30,996,338 | The government of the western state of Maharashtra has announced a memorial for the cartoonist, who was cremated with state honours.
Laxman died in hospital of multiple-organ failure, aged 94, on Monday.
He was renowned for chronicling Indian daily life and politics. His daily cartoon appeared in The Times of India for more than 50 years.
He was best known for his iconic "Common Man" character, an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of which was unveiled in Pune in December 2001.
"Laxman was not just a cartoonist. What he said through his cartoons will inspire future governments. Though he is no more, the Common Man he created will live forever," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, while announcing the memorial for the cartoonist.
Top political leaders and media personalities attended the cremation.
By Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent
Laxman's daily cartoon in Times of India was known for lampooning political leaders, sparing no-one.
One of those caricatured by Laxman, former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, surprised the cartoonist by ringing him up, not to complain, but to request a signed copy of the cartoon to frame.
In 2005, the government honoured Laxman with the Indian civilian award Padma Vibhushan.
The youngest of six sons, Laxman began drawing as a boy but was turned down to study at Bombay's prestigious Sir JJ School of Art because, it said, he lacked talent.
He began working as a cartoonist in the 1940s, working for The Times of India from 1947 just as the country gained independence from Britain. | The funeral of legendary Indian cartoonist RK Laxman has been held in the western city of Pune. |
32,209,877 | Ryanair has cancelled more than 250 flights across Europe so far, including at least 26 flights in and out of Dublin and Shannon airports.
Easyjet cancelled 118 flights, with two between Belfast and Paris included.
Aer Lingus flights EI522 Dublin to Paris and EI523 Paris to Dublin on Wednesday have both been cancelled.
Air France has cancelled Wednesday afternoon's AF1816 flight from Paris to Dublin, as well as its AF1817 Dublin to Paris service.
Ryanair's cancellations at Dublin airport include flights to and from destinations in France, Spain and Portugal.
George Best Belfast City Airport said it did not expect its flights to be affected by the industrial action.
Customers have been advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Irish state broadcaster RTÉ said all other Aer Lingus flights between Ireland and France are scheduled to operate.
"We will notify customers through all available communications channels should this situation change," an Aer Lingus spokesperson said on Tuesday night.
In a statement, Ryanair said: "We sincerely apologise to all customers affected by this unwarranted strike action and we call on the EU and French authorities to take measures to prevent any further disruption."
The company added: "It's grossly unfair that thousands of European travellers will once again have their travel plans disrupted by the selfish actions of a tiny number of French ATC [air traffic control] workers."
An Easyjet spokesperson said: "We can assure our passengers we are doing everything possible to limit the inconvenience of this strike on them."
Air traffic controllers in France are due to go on strike on Wednesday.
The SNCTA union of air traffic controllers told the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGCA) that the strike would take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
The DGAC said "disruption is expected over the whole country".
It requested that companies cancel 40% of flights as a preventative measure.
Further strike action is planned between 16 and 18 April and 29 April and 2 May. | Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Easyjet have cancelled flights on Wednesday as a result of planned industrial action by French air traffic controllers. |
32,529,134 | Launching Labour's final week of election campaigning, he told voters: "This is your time and your chance."
And he claimed that Labour has had "four million conversations" with voters on the campaign trail and set a target of one million more.
With one week to go, polls show Labour and the Conservatives neck-and-neck.
The latest BBC poll of polls put the Conservatives on 34%, Labour on 33%, UKIP on 13%, the Lib Dems on 9% and the Greens on 5%.
At a campaign event in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, the Labour leader said the election was "not just about parties or leaders".
Labour has claimed it has had "four million conversations" with voters on the doorstep since January.
"Because we've achieved that, I'm setting a new target," Mr Miliband said, aiming for a total of five million by polling day on 7 May.
He said Labour policies such as an £8 per hour minimum wage and an end to what the party calls "exploitative" zero-hours contracts would provide a "bedrock of security for working families".
He accused the Conservatives of "planning to devastate family finances" by cutting tax credits and child benefit in order to make £12bn of welfare cuts.
The Conservatives have dismissed Labour's claim and said their opponents would "wreck" the economic recovery.
* 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. | Voters have "seven days to take your chance to run Britain for working people once again", Ed Miliband has said. |
37,275,361 | It is hoped the Donside Hydro project - aimed at powering about 130 homes on the site of the former Donside paper mill, as well as selling energy to the National Grid - will be generating electricity later this month.
Aberdeen Community Energy (ACE) is behind the project.
The hydro power scheme will harness energy from the River Don. | The main part of a new community hydro power scheme in Aberdeen has been lowered into place. |
20,555,952 | Avril and Clive Mumford had newspapers brought in by helicopter until the service ended in October amid rising costs.
Daily newspaper deliveries by Skybus planes from Land's End airport have been affected by a waterlogged runway.
Skybus owner, Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, said it was planning to put a hard surface on the grass runway.
Mr Mumford said: "It's pretty disastrous, we are selling day old papers and losing money hand over fist."
The business, which counts newspapers as a "core" part of its income, has been in the same family for 108 years.
Mrs Mumford said: "Without newsprint I am redundant. It will be very tight if this weather goes on."
The couple said the end of the helicopter flights after nearly 50 years had hit other businesses.
Nick Sanders, from the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, said: "Our business was set up by the islanders for the islanders, so we do sympathise."
He said an announcement on giving the grass runway at Land's End airport a hard covering would be made "soon".
He said: "We are doing what we can to mitigate the situation."
However, Skybus added it was temporarily transferring all flights to Newquay Cornwall Airport until 6 December in light of further heavy rain being forecast for the weekend.
Managers said the move would allow time for the grass runway to dry out during better weather forecast for the middle of next week.
The islands, which have a population of 2,200, have plane flights six days a week in good weather and a ferry, the Scillonian, which only runs in the summer. A freight ferry runs to the islands every other day. | Isles of Scilly newsagents say bad weather and the axing of a helicopter link has hit their business. |
37,145,189 | Elgin City sustained their first league loss of the season, 1-0 at home to Arbroath.
Annan Athletic got the better of Clyde 3-2 and Stirling Albion were 2-0 winners over Montrose.
Edinburgh City remain without a point after a third straight defeat, losing 2-0 away to Cowdenbeath.
Lewis Milne and Josh Peters netted for Forfar, Jordyn Sheerin replying for hosts Berwick.
A late Josh Skelly goal gave Arbroath a narrow win over Elgin.
Peter MacDonald scored twice for Clyde, but it proved fruitless as goals by David McKenna, Darren Ramsay and Rabin Omar secured victory for Annan.
Goals by Darren Smith and Marc McKenzie for Stirling defeated Montrose, while Kriss Renton and Lewis Moore netted for Cowden against Edinburgh. | Forfar Athletic are the only side with three wins out of three in Scottish League Two after their 2-1 win away to Berwick Rangers. |
35,648,284 | Raptic Ltd was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay almost £1,800 costs.
The Crown Court in Belfast heard that the joiner fell at Galgorm Resort and Spa in September 2014. He broke nine ribs and fractured his left hand.
The judge took into account that this was the company's first health and safety offence in 25 years of business.
The case was taken following an investigation by Northern Ireland's Health and Safety Executive.
The Dungannon construction company, which is based on Granville Road, employs eight people.
It admitted a breach in its duty of planning supervision and failing to ensure the safety of someone who was not an employee but who was working at the hotel, outside Ballymena.
A prosecuting lawyer had told an earlier hearing that the joiner had been working for Harvey Formworks, Glenariffe.
The company was acquitted last week of failing to plan, manage or monitor work on site.
Harvey Formworks had supplied several tradesmen for Raptic Limited, including the joiner, to work on the extension.
The lawyer said the joiner fell four metres and was in hospital for 17 days. The court heard that he continues to have difficulties with his hand.
The lawyer said that while Raptic, which co-operated fully with the safety investigation, had carried out a number of risk assessments, they failed to ensure that the people on site were aware of those assessments.
A defence lawyer said Raptic was a "highly reputable company" and that, in its 25-year history, it "had never darkened the door of any court".
The judge said the company had not circulated the detail of its risk assessments and had not inquired about whether the necessary safety equipment was available on site.
Speaking after the hearing, Kevin Campbell, HSENI, said: "All employers must ensure that proper precautions are put in place so that falls from height incidents can be prevented.
"It is essential that the proper management and monitoring of contractors on site, along with appropriate training and equipment will help to ensure that all workers are able to work safely." | A Tyrone company has been fined for breaking safety rules after a joiner fell from a height while working on one of Northern Ireland's top hotels. |
38,539,289 | It was a result that extended the Grecians' unbeaten run to eight League Two games, while the Mariners lost for the first time since December 17.
Chances were few and far between in the first half, with Shaun Pearson going closest for Grimsby - heading over from a corner.
At the other end, Craig Woodman saw home skipper Craig Disley block his powerful free-kick, before Reid then grabbed the opener on 41 minutes, prodding home from six yards.
It prompted a defensive switch from the hosts at the break, as Gavin Gunning was brought on for his debut in place of Pearson.
However, following an initial upturn, the Mariners gift-wrapped an opportunity to the visitors, and it was expertly taken by Wheeler, who fired past Dean Henderson.
Grimsby pushed and probed for a way back into the contest, but the points were settled as Watkins plundered home a late third.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 3.
Second Half ends, Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 3.
Substitution, Exeter City. Robbie Simpson replaces Ryan Harley.
Attempt blocked. Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Exeter City. Jordan Tillson replaces Lloyd James.
Goal! Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 3. Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jake Taylor.
Attempt saved. Liam McAlinden (Exeter City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Zak Mills (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Ryan Harley (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Exeter City. Liam McAlinden replaces Reuben Reid.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Craig Woodman.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Lloyd James.
Attempt saved. Reuben Reid (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Jake Taylor (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Foul by Ben Davies (Grimsby Town).
Lloyd James (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Ben Davies (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Jack Stacey.
Craig Disley (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Dominic Vose replaces Brandon Comley.
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Tom Bolarinwa replaces Adi Yussuf.
Attempt saved. Reuben Reid (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Lloyd James (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Lloyd James.
Goal! Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 2. David Wheeler (Exeter City) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jake Taylor.
Foul by Craig Disley (Grimsby Town).
Craig Woodman (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Danny Collins (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Gavin Gunning.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Craig Woodman.
Attempt blocked. Brandon Comley (Grimsby Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Grimsby Town. Conceded by Jack Stacey.
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Gavin Gunning replaces Shaun Pearson.
Attempt missed. Danny Andrew (Grimsby Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right.
Second Half begins Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 1.
First Half ends, Grimsby Town 0, Exeter City 1.
Omar Bogle (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Troy Brown (Exeter City).
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Dean Henderson. | Goals from Reuben Reid, David Wheeler and Ollie Watkins gave Exeter City a deserved 3-0 victory over Grimsby Town at Blundell Park. |
37,832,995 | The decommissioned Transocean Winner came ashore at Dalmore, near Carloway on Lewis, in a storm while being towed to the Mediterranean.
It was later refloated and anchored at Broad Bay, Lewis, before being put on board the heavy lift ship Hawk.
The rig was first taken to Malta before being transported to Turkey.
The rig's grounding on 8 August sparked pollution fears due to the 280 tonnes of diesel on board.
Investigations found two of its four fuel tanks were damaged in the incident which resulted in the loss of 53,000 litres of fuel, most of which is thought to have evaporated with no damage to the environment.
Three weeks later it was towed to the safer anchorage at Broad Bay before being floated on to the deck of the Hawk, a semi-submersible ship used for transporting large maritime structures over long distances. | A 17,000-tonne oil rig which ran aground on the Western Isles in August has arrived off Turkey where the structure is to be scrapped. |
26,645,400 | The changes to Mr Zuma's private home, including a pool and cattle enclosure, cost taxpayers about $23m (£13.8m).
In a more than 400-page report, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela accused Mr Zuma of unethical conduct.
She said that Mr Zuma, who faces re-election in May, should repay costs for some of the unnecessary renovations.
All figures in 2013 financial terms
Source: Public protector report
How President Zuma's home has grown
The refurbishment of the residence in Nkandla, in Mr Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal, has turned into a major political controversy in South Africa.
A government probe in December cleared President Zuma, who came to office in May 2009, of any wrongdoing, saying the improvements were needed for security reasons.
Correspondents say it was one of the reasons why Mr Zuma was booed in December at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president.
At a press conference in the capital, Pretoria, Ms Madonsela, South Africa's ombudsman, said the cost of the Nkandla upgrades were now estimated at 246m rand ($23m; £13.8m).
The original estimate for the work in 2009 was about 27m rand and the public protector launched her investigation in 2012 after it was reported that about 206m rand had been spent.
Her report, entitled Secure in Comfort, shows that the total amounts to eight times the money spent securing two private homes for Mr Mandela and more than 1,000 times that spent on FW de Klerk, South Africa's last apartheid-era president.
By Milton NkosiBBC News, Pretoria
As I watched Public Protector Thuli Madonsela painstakingly ploughing through the long report, I wondered what former South African President Nelson Mandela would be saying had he been alive.
It is ironic that in a year when the country is supposed to be celebrating 20 years of democratic rule, President Jacob Zuma has been found to have violated the very rules he is meant to protect.
The most devastating line was when the softly spoken, but tough Ms Madonsela stated paragraph 10.10.1.6: "His failure to act in protection of state resources constitutes a violation of executive ethics code and accordingly, amounts to conduct that is inconsistent with his office as a member of cabinet."
She ends the report with this quotation from Mr Mandela: "Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates."
"The president tacitly accepted the implementation of all measures at his residence and has unduly benefited from the enormous capital investment in the non-security installations at his private residence," Ms Madonsela said, reading from the report's executive summary.
Correspondents say Mr Zuma has in the past repeatedly told parliament he used his own family funds to build his homestead.
The report said that while it could be "legitimately construed" that Mr Zuma had misled parliament over the renovations, it said it was a "bona fide mistake".
"Some of these measures can be legitimately classified as unlawful and the acts involved constitute improper conduct and maladministration," the public protector's said.
Ms Madonsela said Mr Zuma had 14 days to respond to her report before parliament.
The BBC's Andrew Harding says the report comes just two months before the governing African National Congress (ANC) faces national elections.
Mr Zuma has successfully brushed aside previous scandals, but Nkandla seems to have touched a particular nerve, he says.
The ANC is not about to lose power, but its popularity is shrinking, our correspondent adds. | South Africa's top corruption fighter has said President Jacob Zuma has "benefited unduly" from using state money to improve his rural residence. |
35,287,223 | Harrad, 31, made 17 appearances in four months with National League North club Worcester.
The ex-Burton and Notts County forward finished last season on loan at Cheltenham, scoring once in 12 games as they were relegated from League Two.
"We've signed a proven player," said Gulls player-manager Kevin Nicholson.
"Things maybe have not gone so well for him at Worcester this season, but that only adds to the appeal as I have a good, experienced player on my hands with a point to prove."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | National League side Torquay United have signed Worcester City striker Shaun Harrad on a deal until the end of the season. |
38,649,175 | A video of Atif Aslam interrupting his live performance in Karachi on Saturday has been shared thousands of times.
The popular singer told the alleged harassers: "Have you ever seen a girl? She could be your mother or a sister."
Pakistani media said the venue was overcrowded and that several girls reported being harassed.
Aslam, who is also a film actor, called security after seeing the attack. A video posted on Twitter shows the guards pulling the girl by the arms from the crowd and taking her to the stage.
The successful women embracing 'girl power'
Giant alligator caught on film in Florida
Should you be allowed to delete yourself from the internet?
The audience applauded the singer, chanting "Atif, Atif". Some social media users said he only resumed his performance after making sure the girls in the audience were safe.
It was not the first time that a singer interrupted a concert to stop harassment in the audience. Last year, Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz confronted a man who was allegedly attacking a woman during a performance in Rosario, Mexico. | A Pakistani singer has been praised after stopping his concert mid-song to rescue a girl from the audience who was being harassed. |
40,205,281 | Roedd rhan o nant yn Sir Gaerfyrddin wedi ei gorchuddio gyda rhwng "80 a 90% o ffwng carthffosiaeth", yn ôl swyddogion.
Fe glywodd Llys Ynadon Llanelli fod y nant yn agos at ddwy fferm sy'n cael eu gweithredu gan gwmni Cwrt Malle Ltd.
Y perchnogion ydi Howell a Susan Richards, ac mae ganddynt 1,900 o wartheg godro ar y fferm.
Clywodd y llys fod profion wedi cael eu cynnal gan swyddogion o Gyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ar yr afon ger fferm Cwrt Malle, lle'r oedd y dŵr yn "afliwiedig ac ewynnog, gydag arogl cryf".
Fe ddaeth dadansoddiad llygredd i'r casgliad fod lefelau uwch na beth sy'n ddiogel ar gyfer ocsigen yn y dŵr (sy'n cael ei fesur fel BOD).
Dywedodd yr erlynydd, John Tarrant mai tri BOD yw'r lefel derbyniol gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.
Ond roedd lefelau'r BOD yn y nant yn 5,178.
Ond er bod y lefelau yn uchel, nid oedd y gollyngiadau wedi lladd unrhyw bysgod nac achosi unrhyw niwed yn y tymor hir.
Hefyd, dywedodd Mr Tarrant wrth y llys fod Cwrt Malle eisoes wedi cael dirwy o £5,000 am drosedd debyg yn 2013.
Dywedodd cyfreithiwr yr amddiffyniad, Aled Owen, fod rhan o'r bai ar law trwm iawn a oedd wedi cwympo ar y tiroedd.
"Roeddynt wedi gweld y glawiad uchaf a gofnodwyd mewn 100 mlynedd," meddai.
"Mae hon yn fferm sy'n cael ei rhedeg yn dda iawn ac yn fferm fodern."
Mae Cwrt Malle Ltd wedi cyfaddef chwe trosedd o dorri rheoliadau amgylcheddol.
Fe ddigwyddodd pump o'r troseddau rhwng mis Rhagfyr 2015 a Medi 2016 yng Nghwrt Malle.
Fe ddigwyddodd y drosedd arall ar Fferm Wernolau ym mis Ionawr 2016.
Yn ogystal â dirwy o £ 36,000, mae'n rhaid i'r cwmni fferm hefyd dalu £ 8,500 o gostau erlyn. | Mae fferm laeth fwyaf Cymru wedi cael dirwy o £36,000 ar ôl i wastraff slyri gwartheg lygru nant gerllaw. |
22,540,468 | The tournament's recent history has offered little other than unrelenting misery for Robben and Bayern - but the agony is over after a colourful, enthralling final that confirmed Germany as the new power base of European domestic football.
Bayern had lost two finals in three years, including defeat on penalties to Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena 12 months ago, but on this occasion they cast off the tag of losers to claim the crown for the fifth time.
Only Real Madrid (nine) and AC Milan (seven) have won this tournament more times and the taste of victory was even sweeter for 29-year-old Robben and veteran Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who steps aside to hand over to Pep Guardiola at the end of this season.
"Bayern Munich were magnificent but the man who should take all the plaudits is manager Jupp Heynckes. He has changed this team completely, he has got them fitter than Dortmund. He has got wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben so fit. He has changed their mentality and he deserves this win."
Read Steve's final analysis
Heynckes will have the chance to bow out with a Treble; Bayern have already won their league and face VfB Stuttgart in the German Cup final next Saturday.
Robben was reduced to tears at the final whistle after playing in Bayern's losing finals against Inter Milan and Chelsea, when he missed an extra-time penalty, and also losing semi-finals to Liverpool in 2005 and 2007 during his Stamford Bridge career.
And for 68-year-old elder statesman Heynckes, this was the perfect parting gift and proof of his enduring powers. He has provided a hard act for Guardiola to follow, even with his outstanding track record of success at Barcelona, which included two Champions League triumphs.
Robben, however, was the central figure as he set up Mario Mandzukic's first for Bayern on the hour but Dortmund, under the guidance of charismatic coach Jurgen Klopp, quickly equalised through Ilkay Gundogan's penalty after Dante fouled Marco Reus.
And Robben finally had his revenge on a competition that has been so cruel to him in the past, showing great composure to taken Frank Ribery's flick in his stride in the 89th minute and beat Dortmund's outstanding keeper Roman Weidenfeller.
Robben's goal was the decisive moment of a Champions League final that saw the Bundesliga come to London and deliver a powerful statement of intent about its current status.
As well as the quality of the football, which was truly exceptional, the supporters of Dortmund and Bayern splashed their yellow and red colours spectacularly across Wembley's canvas and the dignity and grace in defeat and victory of Klopp and Heynckes only confirmed this was an occasion that did great credit to these two German heavyweights.
Heynckes cut a mellow figure beside the animated Klopp in Wembley's technical area but Dortmund's coach, with his flamboyant gestures and trademark grin, has established a reputation as one of football's most significant figures.
And he will know, just as much as his players, that this was an opportunity missed by Dortmund. They paid a heavy price for failing to capitalise on a first half hour in which they dominated Bayern and were only kept at bay by the brilliance of Germany keeper Manuel Neuer.
The intense pressing style that is the trademark of Klopp's team pushed Bayern on to the back foot in the opening phases and left Dortmund regretting they did not take at least one of a succession of opportunities.
Neuer made five important saves in the first 35 minutes as Dortmund tested Bayern in a manner that proved way beyond Barcelona when they were humiliated 7-0 over two legs in the semi-final.
He thwarted Robert Lewandowski twice and saved superbly at his near post from Reus, who saw another shot blocked. Neuer was also tested by Sven Bender.
Reus then tested Neuer once more as Dortmund poured forward, urged on from the technical area by the animated Klopp as he delivered a constant stream of encouragement and applause in the direction of his players.
Bayern - finally emerging as an attacking force - may have had the feeling it was going to be another night of Champions League final misery when Weidenfeller touched Mandzukic's header on to the bar and denied Robben one-on-one before unwittingly blocking another effort from the eventual match-winner with his face.
The Bundesliga champions had been a growing threat after a poor start and the breakthrough finally came on the hour when Ribery played in Robben and his cross gave Mandzukic the simplest of tasks to finish from six yards.
Dortmund required a swift response and it came inside seven minutes - thanks to a piece of recklessness from Dante.
The Bayern defender, who had already been booked, needlessly raised his foot and caught Reus in the stomach. Gundogan stepped forward to score coolly from the penalty spot.
It took a magnificent piece of last-ditch defending from Neven Subotic to keep Dortmund on terms. Thomas Mueller rounded Weidenfeller and his shot looked destined for the net until the lunging Subotic somehow recovered to clear, prompting a fierce fist-pumping response from Klopp.
Both goalkeepers had been outstanding throughout and it was Weidenfeller's turn to demonstrate his ability once more with fine stops from David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger as this enthralling final drew towards a climax.
It was Robben who made the decisive contribution and when Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli sounded the final whistle to start wild Bayern celebrations, he was reduced to tears as he finally realised his dream. | Arjen Robben's late winner exorcised the demons that have haunted him and Bayern Munich in the Champions League as they won a pulsating all-Bundesliga encounter against Borussia Dortmund. |
35,494,071 | The former tannery at Wirksworth station was built around 1750 and has been renovated by volunteers.
It sits on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway tourist line to Duffield, which was re-opened in 2011.
Transport Secretary, and local MP, Patrick McLoughlin officially opened the booking office earlier.
Updates on this story and more from Derbyshire
Leigh Gration, the railway's commercial manager, said the stone building was originally used to store raw animal skins before they were sent away for processing.
The line was built in 1862 and by the turn of the last century, the building was being used by an animal feeds dealer.
The doorway through which feed was delivered directly by rail is now the booking office's main entrance.
"Coincidentally this mezzanine floor level is at platform height," he said.
The building cannot, however, claim to be the world's oldest ever ticket office.
That accolade belongs to the Red Hall in Bourne, Lincolnshire, which was built in around 1650.
It became a booking office for the Bourne and Essendine Railway Company in 1860, until its closure in 1959.
Volunteers have renovated the tannery, installed internal partition walls, heating, lighting, a counter and disabled access.
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway was closed to all traffic in 1989, having closed to passengers 40 years earlier.
It was fully re-opened in 2011. | An 18th Century building which railway enthusiasts believe is the oldest in the world to house a working ticket office has opened in Derbyshire. |
20,595,228 | Fracking, as it is known, is a controversial technique for recovering gas and oil from shale rock. But how concerned should people be about the environmental impacts?
Hydraulic fracturing is widely used across the US to exploit reserves of oil and gas that were once believed to be inaccessible.
But in the UK, the use of fracking was halted in 2011 after some minor earthquakes near Blackpool, in north-west England, were attributed to test wells being drilled by the energy company Cuadrilla.
The company carried out its own report into the incident and found that it was "most likely" that the seismic events were caused by the direct injection of fluid into the fault zone.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) then asked three experts to make an independent assessment. Their report indicated that future earthquakes as a result of fracking could not be ruled out - but the risk from these tremors was low and structural damage extremely unlikely. The experts also made recommendations on how to minimise these risks.
Another review, carried out by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering, also gave fracking the green light - provided that strong regulations were in place.
Earthquake issues have also been attributed to fracking in British Columbia, Canada, and in some parts of the United States.
But according to the Francis Egan, chief executive of Cuadrilla, there needs to be a sense of proportion about the risk of earthquakes from fracking.
"If you look at the British Geological Survey website, in the last two months alone there were nine events of the same magnitude," he told BBC News.
"We have a host of measures in place to ensure there is no recurrence."
It is expected that if fracking resumes in the UK, the government will insist on constant monitoring and a threshold of seismic activity.
If fracking causes a tremor above the limit, it could lead to a suspension of drilling.
Many people have concerns about the fluid used in fracking. It is normally a mixture of water, sand and some chemicals that is pumped into the well under high pressure to force the gas from the rock.
There have been worries that the fluid is dangerous - suspicions that were fuelled by the reluctance of many companies in the US to disclose what's exactly in the mixture. Democrats in the US Congress released a report that detailed some 750 different chemicals and other components used in fracking fluid.
In the UK, Cuadrilla has been open about what is in its fracking mixture.
But the liquid going down into the well isn't the whole story.
Fracking requires tens of millions of litres of fluid - much of what goes down the well comes back up as "produced water".
It can contain a mixture of organic hydrocarbons, and naturally occurring radioactive material.
In the US, this water is often stored in open pits before it is processed but in the UK the pits will have to be covered.
In many locations where the facilities don't exist on site, the water has to be trucked away to be cleaned.
Prof Richard Davies, director of the Durham Energy Institute, says that this would also be the likely scenario in the UK if fracking becomes more widespread.
"It'll be a bit like Pennsylvania, where a whole industry has grown up to deal with waste-water," he said. "We'll have to clean the water if we want to re-use it."
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested ways of cleaning up the water that is used in shale gas exploitation. The IEA says that the technologies to address these issues exist or are in development and if they are adopted, fracking might be more widely accepted.
The other water issue associated with fracking is the potential of the technology to contaminate existing drinking supplies. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigated complaints from residents in Pavillion, Wyoming, who complained that fracking was affecting their drinking water.
The EPA's initial report concluded that there was a link with the waste-water produced by drilling for gas. Further investigations into this incident haven't yet conclusively shown the sources of contamination.
There have been many other reports of a similar impact on drinking water from people living near fracking operations across the US.
Prof Davies says that when water has been contaminated in the US it has not been the fault of fracking. It has been as a result of cracks in the wells or surface spillages.
"We have been distracted by hydraulic fracturing," he told BBC News. "It is really at the bottom of the list when it comes to contaminating water supplies. Drilling wells properly and cementing them are the critical things."
In a report published in the journal Marine and Petroleum Geology, Prof Davies found that in the UK the possibility of fracking causing rogue fractures that would allow methane gas to contaminate water was a fraction of 1%.
The study recommended a minimum vertical separation distance between fracking wells and water supplies of 600m (2,000ft).
Some scientists have proposed adding chemical tracers to fracking fluids as a way of confirming that any contamination of drinking water comes from the drilling process.
Horizontal drilling can offer many advantages to the gas extraction process, allowing wells to be drilled in several directions from one pad. But there are downsides as well. Horizontal drilling means companies can extract oil and gas from locations that were once inaccessible, and these may be under built-up areas as they are in several cities in the US.
The disruption that this can cause is considerable. Road traffic, drilling noise, and the danger of accidental fuel spillages are all associated with the process.
Mark Boling, executive vice president with Southwestern Energy, a US oil and gas exploration company that uses fracking technology, says the fracking industry needs to be more honest about the real impacts.
"We need to think more innovatively above the ground," he told BBC News. "We need to figure how to do better on surface impacts, water supply, water transfer and disposal, drilling locations - we really didn't come out and say, 'yes, these are risks, and there are obstacles'."
Mr Boling says that in many parts of the US, people have accepted the technology because they have seen a direct financial benefit from selling mineral rights. That's not something that pertains in the UK.
"You are going to have even more difficulty where the minerals are owned by the Crown - if you don't have something that is going to put money in the pockets of people that are suffering through all the trucks, road damage the compressor noise all these sorts of things."
Follow Matt on Twitter | The government has announced that it will remove a temporary ban on hydraulic fracturing across the UK. |
37,487,107 | Petrov, 37, retired in 2013 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, but trained with Villa in the summer.
He was not offered a playing deal, but Nuneaton boss Kevin Wilson says he could join them in a player-coach role.
"We're trying to give him the opportunity to get the coaching hours in and get the experience," he said.
The former Bulgaria captain, who made 218 appearances for Villa, played Sunday league football for Wychall Wanderers during his retirement, helping them win the Central Warwickshire Over-35s Premier Division One Cup.
Nuneaton are currently 13th in English football's sixth tier having won just three times in their first 12 league games.
"People say he's been in the professional game, but everybody has to learn and take the process that comes," Wilson told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire.
"We'll wait and see how it goes, but it's exciting for a football club like ours." | Former Aston Villa player Stiliyan Petrov has been offered a coaching job with National League North side Nuneaton Town. |
23,361,380 | He posted a tweet at the weekend calling the country an "apartheid state" and saying that "Zionists" were "losing the battle".
It comes after a long-running dispute with the party's leadership over his use of language and comments he made about "the Jews".
Mr Ward said he would not apologise for his tweet.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said his suspension from the Lib Dem parliamentary party, which lasts until 13 September, was "too little, too late" and "an empty gesture".
Mr Ward, MP for Bradford East, wrote on his website in January that he was "saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps, be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza".
This led to a complaint to the Lib Dems from the Holocaust Educational Trust.
At the weekend, Mr Ward posted a tweet, asking: "Am I wrong or are am I right? At long last the #Zionists are losing the battle - how long can the #apartheid State of #Israel last?"
Following a meeting on Wednesday with Mr Clegg and chief whip Alistair Carmichael, the party whip was withdrawn until 13 September.
This means he has been expelled from the parliamentary party, although the Commons will rise later on Thursday for the MPs' summer break, which ends on 2 September.
In a letter to Mr Ward, Mr Carmichael wrote that he had felt "immense disappointment" at the latest comments.
He said: "We were in unanimous agreement that questioning the continued existence of the state of Israel fails the test of language that is 'proportionate and precise'.
"We want to be clear with you that in this process we are not concerned about your views and opinions on the policies of present or previous Israeli governments, nor the situation in the Israeli-occupied territories, nor the strength of feeling with which your views are held.
"As we have sought to impress upon you repeatedly, we are having to decide on whether language you chose to use in January and February, and now this month, is language which brings the party into disrepute or harms the interests of the party."
Mr Carmichael continued: "It is also immensely frustrating for us to find ourselves constantly responding to questions about disproportionate and imprecise language from you.
"These interventions cause considerable offence rather than addressing questions of political substance about the plight of the Palestinian people and the right of Israel's citizens to live a life free of violence."
But, questioned about his tweet at the weekend, Mr Ward said: "I will not apologise for describing Israel as an 'apartheid state'. I don't know how you can describe it as anything else.
"I am genuinely quite shocked at the reaction to the kind of thing many people say."
Mr Ward initially defended the comments he made in January, saying the party's response - reprimanding him - had been "regrettable", but later apologised for the "unintended offence" which his words had caused.
He also insisted that neither he nor his comments had been anti-Semitic.
Mr Ward, who visited the West Bank in December last year, denied in March that he had been ordered by the party leadership to attend "language classes".
Following the withdrawal of the whip, Jonathan Arkush, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: "We note that the Liberal Democrats have at last taken some action to address the completely inappropriate and offensive comments that he has made.
"However, suspension of the whip for just two months when Parliament is not sitting is too little, too late. It is a token and frankly an empty gesture."
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: "David Ward has never fully apologised for his comments, which deliberately abused the memory of the Holocaust and caused deep pain and offence.
"It is about time the whip was withdrawn, but the timing allows Mr Ward to repeat his unacceptable views when Parliament returns in the autumn." | Lib Dem MP David Ward has had the party whip withdrawn over comments he made about Israel. |
36,446,875 | The foot was discovered by a walker on Tal y Foel, near Dwyranh, on 6 April.
North Wales Police said DNA testing has confirmed it is that of Richard Thomas, who was reported missing from his Bangor home on 31 December 2013.
Mr Thomas, who was then 47, was last seen in the Bangor area on seven days earlier.
Police carried out inquiries, searches and media appeals at the time but he was not found.
Det Ch Insp Brian Kearney said: "Mr Thomas's death is not being treated as suspicious and HM Coroner for north west Wales Mr Dewi Pritchard-Jones has been notified.
"Mr Thomas's family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time." | A human foot which was found on an Anglesey beach has been identified as the body part of a missing man from Gwynedd. |
39,620,487 | The men forced their way in to Bilquis Choudry's home in Giffnock, near Glasgow, on Monday 10 April and made off with £4,500 and jewellery.
Police spoke to motorists and residents in Rouken Glen Road one week on.
Writing on Facebook, Fayyaz Rahman said the men had targeted his mother-in-law's home between 17:45 and 18:15.
In his social media post, Mr Rahman urged people to help police identify the men he described as "scumbags" who robbed their victim at knifepoint.
He said a "cousin and a nephew" disturbed the raiders, and managed to take photographs after chasing them along a road.
The pictures showed two people attempting to get into a dark grey Volvo car, with their faces covered.
In an earlier statement, Police Scotland said three masked men had broken into the woman's home at around 17:30 on Monday 10 April. | Police have returned to the scene of a robbery at the home of a 69-year-old woman in which she was threatened by three masked men. |
38,963,289 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Jackson Page trailed Jason Weston 3-1, but won three frames on the trot to eliminate the world number 123.
He attends school in Ebbw Vale and told BBC Radio Wales: "School let me have whatever time off I want because they know there could be a career in it."
"When that black went in, I didn't know what to feel. It was just unreal."
The teenager, who hopes to turn professional "as soon as possible", added: "I was a wildcard [entry] so everyone was telling me just to enjoy it, for experience. But I knew I could still do well and hopefully win a few games and that's what I did first game.
"I'm really happy with that."
Page attends Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Blaenau Gwent and while his focus is on competing in Cardiff, he will head to Cyprus in March where the European Under-18, Under-21 and men's championships take place.
He has won £2,500 for reaching the second round and would earn another £1,000 if he progresses to the third round.
Another win to reach the last 16 would earn Page £6,000.
Meanwhile, world number three John Higgins, winner of the Welsh Open four times, suffered a shock 4-2 defeat by Sam Baird.
Just 24 hours after his defeat by Barry Hawkins in the World Grand Prix final, Ryan Day beat David Gilbert 4-3, while world number 95 and six-time World Championship finalist Jimmy White was beaten 4-1 by 2016 finalist Neil Robertson.
Stuart Bingham, the 2015 world champion, beat Welshman Matthew Stevens 4-2, Wales' Dominic Dale overcame Zhang Anda 4-0 and Shaun Murphy defeated Jamie Curtis-Barrett 4-0.
View the scores and schedule of play from the 2017 Welsh Open.
Find out how to get into snooker, pool and billiards with our fully inclusive guide.
Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news and reports on the BBC app. | A 15-year-old Welsh schoolboy says it feels "unreal" to have reached the second round of the Welsh Snooker Open, his first professional tournament. |
34,983,730 | Wheelchair user Myrtle McCreath was caught with the haul in her luggage at Glasgow Airport after returning from Brazil on 26 February 2014.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how the 53-year-old, from Ayr, was lured into making the trip through an online romance with a man she had never met.
McCreath denied wrongdoing but was convicted of supplying cocaine.
Jailing her, judge Lord Bonomy told McCreath that it appeared there were "shadowy figures" behind the trafficking operation she had become involved in.
Bu he said a jury had rejected her claims that she did not know she was transporting drugs.
The judge went on: "I have to make sure that the people behind these crimes do not manipulate naive individuals like yourself, who provide great cover going through an airport in a wheelchair.
"I have to deter the big boys as well as the smaller individuals, who might be tempted by the money on offer."
The court heard that McCreath had struck up an internet romance with a man called John Edwards, who was said to be from Ghana, after splitting from her husband.
Edwards claimed to have ran a gold-mining business in Africa and later introduced McCreath online to another man, Philip Okoko.
Edwards claimed Okoko had been left $50m by his "ancestors" but the banknotes were stained and he needed someone to go abroad and transfer a special solution to clean them.
McCreath agreed and believed that she would get a share of the cash and be able to live with her online boyfriend, Edwards.
In December 2013, she travelled to Melbourne, Australia, where she handed over a case to two men called Ben and Matthew.
McCreath had hoped to meet Edwards for the first time there but he never turned up.
She then agreed to carry out a second trip in February 2014 to Sao Paolo in Brazil.
On her return, McCreath - who had a liver transplant years earlier - was wheeled off the plane into arrivals at Glasgow Airport.
When UK Border officers searched her luggage they found dozens of cosmetic containers with cocaine hidden inside.
After being convicted of drug trafficking, judge Lord Bonomy told McCreath that her ill health meant the jail term could be restricted from a double-figure sentence. | A woman who was convicted of trying to smuggle £1m of high-purity cocaine into the UK has been jailed for seven years. |
39,798,015 | The US media giant reported profits of $1.4bn (£1.1bn) in the first quarter, up 17% from the same period in 2016.
Its movie business, Warner Bros, drove revenue gains, with an 8% year-on-year rise.
The CNN news channel also helped fuel growth, reporting its most watched first quarter in 14 years.
"The heightened political climate continues to benefit CNN," said John Martin, head of Turner, Time Warner's cable division.
"There's a lot of demand," he said on a call with financial analysts on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump's unpredictability has boosted interest in national news. Separately, the New York Times media group reported a rise in subscriptions on Wednesday.
Daytime ratings at CNN are up 21% in the key 25-54 demographic, Time Warner said. The company also highlighted the audiences attracted by comedy news shows such as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
Overall revenue increased 5.8% year-on-year to $7.7bn.
That was helped by Lego Batman and Kong: Skull Island movies, which together have grossed nearly $900m globally, according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.
Higher subscription fees for its HBO cable channel and the Turner broadcast network, which includes CNN, also buoyed revenues, helping to offset a decline in advertising.
Time Warner last year announced it would be acquired by telecom giant AT&T. That deal is expected to close before the end of 2017.
The company recorded $82m in costs associated with the pending merger. | Profits at Time Warner jumped in the first three months of the year, lifted by box office success for its Lego Batman and Kong: Skull Island movies. |
36,022,515 | Pre-tax profit for the six months to the end of February was £21.2m compared with £18m a year earlier.
The results are the first under new chief executive Nick Beighton.
Asos said the half-year figure was in line with expectations and maintained its outlook for the year.
The online retailer reported a 17% rise in active customers to 10.9 million people.
The UK market remained its strongest, with sales up 25% to £289.5m, accounting for almost half of the firm's revenue. International sales rose 24% to £359.1m.
Mr Beighton said: "We've had a good start to the year and I'm pleased with progress on a number of fronts. These results demonstrate improving momentum in the business with group sales up 21% (25% in constant currency)."
Nick Robertson, the founder of Asos, stood down in September last year after 15 years at the helm. although he remains on the company's board as a non-executive director. | Online fashion retailer Asos has reported an 18% rise in half-year profit, helped by what it called "improving momentum" within the business. |
38,682,762 | The 27-year-old joined the Hatters in the summer of 2015 following his release by Bournemouth and has since scored seven goals in 42 appearances.
But just three of those have come in the league this season and the Northern Ireland international has joined a Boro side 15th in the table.
McQuoid has found the net 22 times in 197 career league appearances.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page or visit our Premier League tracker here. | Stevenage have signed forward Josh McQuoid on loan from League Two rivals Luton Town until the end of the season. |
26,082,700 | Darpa, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has awarded computing giant IBM a $3.5m (£2.1m) contract to work on its Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) project.
It is looking to develop a class of "transient" electronics that can be destroyed by remote control.
The kit could be used in combat zones.
IBM's proposal involves the use of a radio frequency trigger that could shatter a glass coating on a silicon chip and turn it into powder.
"A trigger, such as a fuse or a reactive metal layer will be used to initiate shattering, in at least one location, on the glass substrate," the US government said in its grant award notice.
Darpa wants to develop large distributed networks of sensors that can collect and transmit data for a limited period and then be destroyed instantly to prevent them falling into enemy hands.
VAPR tech could also have applications in medical diagnosis and treatment, Darpa believes, if sensors can be developed that the body can reabsorb.
The Pentagon's research arm also granted $2.1m to Xerox company, Palo Alto Research Center (Parc) - a specialist in bioinformatics and large-area electronics.
Its proposed solution is similar to IBM's and relies on the materials being engineered under stress, so that when an electrical signal is received, the circuit crumbles into dust instantly as the stress is released.
Other companies involved in the VAPR transient electronics project include Honeywell Aerospace, awarded $2.5m, and SRI International, awarded $4.7m, late last year.
Honeywell's microelectronics experts are looking to develop components that would decompose naturally when they are no longer needed - a new take on the old "built-in obsolescence" concept. | The US military is funding a project to develop electronics that can self-destruct like the secret messages in the Mission Impossible TV show. |
26,358,874 | Wildlife groups said trawlers fishing illegally had not used devices to stop turtles getting entangled in nets.
Experts say such a large number of turtles has not been found dead on the southern Indian coast for 10 years.
Olive ridleys are endangered in India. They are one of five species of marine turtle to mate and nest on its shores.
The turtles were found dead near an estuary along the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh, about 130km (80 miles) north of Chennai (Madras).
"The trawlers are supposed to fish beyond eight kilometres [five miles] from the coast. But we found out that this time they were fishing in less than four kilometres from the beach to catch shrimps. As a result, many turtles got entangled in the nets," Dr Supraja Dharini of Tree Foundation, a marine conservation organisation based in the city, told the BBC.
Tens of thousands of olive ridley turtles come to the shores of eastern and southern India to lay eggs every year between January and April.
In 2003 more than 3,000 olive ridleys were found dead on the eastern coast of Orissa state. | More than 900 olive ridley turtles have been found dead along the coast of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, conservationists say. |
26,317,438 | Contractor Bear Scotland said the slip happened at about midday on Sunday at Butterbridge, close to the Rest and Be Thankful.
Bear said an emergency diversion using the Old Military Road was not possible because of where the slip happened.
Diversions in both directions have been put in place via the A82.
Bear Scotland said specialist engineers examined the site and found that the slope remained unstable and a large boulder needed to be removed.
It is the eighth time in five years that the road has been closed by a landslip.
The Old Military Road, which runs parallel to the main carriageway through Glen Croe, was reopened last year as an emergency diversion route to be used if the A83 was blocked. | The A83 road in Argyll will be closed overnight due to a landslip, with motorists in the area facing an almost 60-mile detour. |
35,265,452 | Guilfoil, who has been playing for 80 years, will attend the trials in Greensboro, North Carolina in February.
He also attempted to make the team for the 2012 Games, but missed out on a place in London.
"This year I'm going to practise more," Guilfoil told KMBC News. "It's exciting."
Guilfoil, who also plays tennis, has been teaching both sports at the Overland Park Racquet Club in Kansas City for nearly 40 years.
The oldest competitor at the London Games was 71-year-old Hiroshi Hoketsu, who took part in the dressage for Japan.
At the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn won a gold medal at the age of 64 years and 280 days. | There's nothing unusual about Bill Guilfoil entering the trials for the US Olympic table tennis team - other than the fact he is 93 years old. |
37,581,000 | Fifty-two ex-internationals with an average of 14 concussions each were examined by the University of Glasgow.
Multiple sports concussions have been linked to the neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
It has been found in the brain tissue of deceased former NFL athletes, boxers and rugby players.
The former players were examined alongside 29 control subjects.
"Overall there is not a suggestion of widespread decline in daily function in ex-rugby internationalists who had a high number of repeat concussions," said Tom McMillan, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology.
"Although some differences in memory were found, these were mild overall and their cause uncertain.
"Despite a high number of repeat concussions in the retired rugby players, effects on mental health, social or work function were not evident some 20 years after they had stopped playing."
Dr Willie Stewart, the consultant neuropathologist who discovered the first case of CTE in the brain tissue of a former rugby player was also involved in the research.
Dr Stewart advises World Rugby, the Football Association and other governing bodies on their concussion protocols
Annual injury audits of England's Premiership have shown an increase in reported concussion in each of the past five years, although rugby's governing bodies say improved awareness and recognition have boosted those figures.
Meanwhile this week, prop Nathan White of Connacht and Saracens lock Alistair Hargreaves both announced their retirements having sustained multiple concussion injuries.
Scotland's most-capped international, Chris Paterson, was among those who participated in the study, due to be published on Friday in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
It found that "despite multiple concussive injuries in the retired rugby players, there were not significant effects on daily life overall".
The former internationals performed less well on a test of verbal learning, and a separate test of fine co-ordination of the dominant hand, but the study says these effects were "mild".
The research also found that there were no "significant associations" between the number of concussions and the participants' performances on cognitive tests.
Scottish Rugby welcomed the publication of the study's findings.
A spokesman said: "Our support in actively recruiting former Scotland internationalists to take part in the study once again demonstrates the proactive approach the sport is taking to better understand concussion in both current and former players.
"While the results in this study show no evident effects on general long-term health, Scottish Rugby believes it is important knowledge of concussion continues to grow and we will contribute to relevant future studies whenever possible.
"The study also appeared to demonstrate the wider benefits of being active and playing sport, with the former players recording good cardio-vascular results and nearly all reporting being in good or excellent health." | A study on the long-term effects of concussions in former Scotland rugby players has found they displayed "only some mild memory effects". |
39,836,055 | A cordon has been set up around the area in Maidstone and up to a dozen police vehicles have been at the scene.
Kent Police said the discovery was made at Cave Hill in Tovil at about 07:15 BST and inquiries were under way. A spokesman said it was being treated as suspicious.
Officers said the man, believed to be in his 20s, was found in Crisbrook Meadow, near a mill pond.
A police spokesman said the cause of death was currently unexplained and was being investigated.
Conservation volunteers were supposed to pick up litter in the area but were turned away.
Bryn Cornwell, chairman of the Valley Conservation Society, said police had told the group the area was being treated as a crime scene.
Kent Police has appealed to anyone who saw anything between Saturday and Sunday to contact them. | A man's body has been found in woodland in Kent. |
36,190,208 | Campaign group Reclaim the Power said it hoped to stop operations at the Ffos-y-Fran site - two days before the assembly election.
About 300 protesters were joined by Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, with the majority leaving by 17:00 BST.
Miller Argent, which runs the site, said it supports 230 jobs and affordable electricity.
South Wales Police said there was "nothing to suggest a risk of disorder".
"However, we do have a visible police presence around the area and sufficient police resources on standby to manage any public safety issues," Supt Phil Ashby said.
The mine has coal reserves of 11 million tonnes.
Caerphilly council rejected Miller Argent's application for a new 478-hectare (1,180-acre) opencast mine at Nant Llesg near Rhymney in August 2015. The company is appealing against the decision.
Neil Brown, managing director of Miller Argent South Wales, said: "It's a local industry, it's Welsh jobs, people don't realise we support the steel industry and we support affordable generation."
The protesters want a moratorium on Welsh opencast mining, saying a suspension would prevent the pollution of homes and the environment.
Ellen Gibson, from Reclaim the Power, said: "Now we are joining them to resist coal company Miller Argent's attempts to override local democracy and force through a new mine next door."
Welsh Green Party leader Alice Hooker-Stroud has also joined the protest.
She said: "Fossil fuels must stay in the ground if we're to act responsibly on climate change. We don't need or want more opencast in Wales."
Early this morning, a small group entered the site and chained themselves to heavy machinery.
At 07:30 BST they were followed by four large groups of campaigners who entered the mine from different locations.
They are dressed in red as a reference to the demonstrations which took place outside the UN climate conference in Paris last year.
It is to symbolise the red lines they believe should not be crossed on the use of fossil fuels.
The protesters say they intended to occupy the mine for several hours.
Work at Ffos-y-Fran has come to a halt. There is a large police presence and a police helicopter is circulating.
Outside the main gate there is a group of 50 protesters staging what they are calling a "family friendly" demonstration.
Miller Argent, which operates the site, says it is concerned about the safety of all involved. | A protest by climate activists halted work at the UK's largest opencast mine in Merthyr Tydfil on Tuesday. |
32,572,408 | Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had evidence that the bombs were used at least twice against Houthi rebels. There were no reports of casualties.
Cluster bombs spread small bombs over a wide area and can leave unexploded munitions buried in the ground.
They are banned under a treaty signed by 116 countries, but not Saudi Arabia.
The US and the other countries in Saudi Arabia's military coalition are not signatories of the 2008 treaty either. The US does however bar the sale of the weapons to countries that use them in civilian areas.
HRW, which is based in the US, said one of the alleged cluster bomb strikes occurred in the al-Amar area of al-Safraa.
The group published images it said were taken in the area and purport show the remnants of a CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon - a cluster bomb manufactured by Textron Systems Corporation in the US and supplied to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent years.
Unverified video footage posted on Youtube by a local resident also appeared to show a number of small objects descending over the area suspended by parachutes - consistent with the way the CBU-105 bomb works - before exploding in mid-air.
Saudi Arabia has previously denied using cluster bombs, HRW said. Shortly after the air strikes began, a military spokesman told the media: "We are not using cluster bombs at all."
Saudi-led strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebel group, which seized the capital Sanaa and caused the country's president to flee, are ongoing.
Their declared aim is to restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to power.
On Saturday, the Houthis called on the United Nations to urge Saudi Arabia to end its air campaign.
More than 1,200 people have been killed and 300,000 have fled their homes in the past six weeks, according to the UN. | The Saudi-led coalition carrying out air strikes in Yemen has used US-supplied cluster bombs banned by much of the world, a rights group has said. |
40,125,253 | The Bilderberg Meetings have 131 participants from 21 countries in Europe and North America, the group said in a press release.
A couple of top advisers to President Donald Trump are to attend the forum, 30 miles (48km) from the White House.
The shadowy group is a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists.
This year's group includes Mr Trump's Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, his National Security Adviser HR McMaster and Peter Thiel, the billionaire Paypal creator who has been a vocal supporter of the president.
At the top of the group's 13-point agenda is "The Trump administration: A progress report".
The forum - at a Westfields Marriott hotel in Chantilly - is also being attended by Trump critic Eric Schmidt, head of Google's parent company.
Mr Schmidt has previously said the Trump administration will do "evil things".
Other Bilderberg topics this year include, "The war on information", "Why is populism growing?", and "Can globalisation be slowed down?"
"There is no desired outcome, no minutes are taken and no report is written," the group's rules state.
"Furthermore, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued."
Other guests include Dutch King Willem-Alexander; David Rubenstein, head of private equity juggernaut the Carlyle Group; and former CIA director John Brennan.
Several journalists are joining this year's forum, including London Evening Standard editor George Osborne.
A full list of participants is here.
Some critics have accused the group - which has met every year since 1954 - of plotting to impose a one-world government. | A secretive group of elite power brokers is meeting in the US state of Virginia for closed-door discussions over four days. |
26,111,668 | The 27-year-old beat eighth seed Parsons 21-9 21-8 in 28 minutes.
Defending champion Sarah Walker also retained her title, with an 18-21 21-9 21-17 win over Jersey's Elizabeth Cann.
Chris Adcock and wife Gabby both took two titles, their mixed doubles triumph courtesy of a 21-18 21-16 victory over Chris Langridge and Heather Olver.
Gabby joined Lauren Smith to win the women's doubles, while Chris teamed up with Andy Ellis to win the men's doubles.
Londoner Ouseph looked in imperious form as he triumphed against England Under-19 champion Parsons to move closer to Darren Hall's record of 10 titles.
Ouseph said: "I would like to carry on to the Rio Olympics, which would mean I could get to nine, but I'll just take it a year at a time." | Top seed Rajiv Ouseph clinched his seventh successive English National Championships title with a comfortable win over Sam Parsons in Milton Keynes. |
37,457,662 | Manolo Gabbiadini curled in his first goal of the season to put the home side ahead after Jose Callejon set him up.
Slovakia midfielder Hamsik made it 2-0 before half-time with a spectacular shot into the top corner after taking on Lorenzo Insigne's pass.
Gabbiadini was later just off target with a free-kick for Napoli, who sit a point behind Juventus.
Match ends, Napoli 2, Chievo 0.
Second Half ends, Napoli 2, Chievo 0.
Foul by Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Jonathan de Guzmán (Chievo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Antonio Floro Flores (Chievo) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Lucas Castro.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Antonio Floro Flores (Chievo).
Foul by Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Jonathan de Guzmán (Chievo) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Piotr Zielinski (Napoli).
Dario Dainelli (Chievo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Faouzi Ghoulam (Napoli).
Lucas Castro (Chievo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Napoli. Dries Mertens replaces Lorenzo Insigne.
Faouzi Ghoulam (Napoli) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Roberto Inglese (Chievo).
Attempt saved. Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Lorenzo Insigne.
Attempt saved. Roberto Inglese (Chievo) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jonathan de Guzmán.
Offside, Chievo. Ivan Radovanovic tries a through ball, but Antonio Floro Flores is caught offside.
Lucas Castro (Chievo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Piotr Zielinski (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lucas Castro (Chievo).
Corner, Chievo. Conceded by Raúl Albiol.
Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jonathan de Guzmán (Chievo).
Foul by Allan (Napoli).
Ivan Radovanovic (Chievo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Allan (Napoli).
Perparim Hetemaj (Chievo) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Napoli. Allan replaces Jorginho.
Attempt missed. José Callejón (Napoli) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Piotr Zielinski.
Attempt blocked. Roberto Inglese (Chievo) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jonathan de Guzmán.
Substitution, Napoli. Arkadiusz Milik replaces Manolo Gabbiadini.
Substitution, Chievo. Mariano Izco replaces Fabrizio Cacciatore because of an injury.
Substitution, Chievo. Jonathan de Guzmán replaces Valter Birsa.
Attempt saved. Valter Birsa (Chievo) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Fabrizio Cacciatore.
Substitution, Chievo. Antonio Floro Flores replaces Riccardo Meggiorini.
Attempt missed. Piotr Zielinski (Napoli) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Dario Dainelli.
Dario Dainelli (Chievo) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. | Marek Hamsik scored his 100th Napoli goal as they kept the pressure on Serie A leaders Juventus by beating Chievo. |
33,265,498 | Clodagh Cogley posted on Facebook about her injuries sustained in the tragedy, that killed six students last week.
"The fall from the balcony left me with two collapsed lungs, a broken shoulder, a broken knee, five broken ribs and a broken spinal cord... meaning the chances of me using my legs again are pretty bleak," she wrote.
"Not the best odds but I'm moving to a great rehabilitation centre here in San Francisco for two months (it has dog therapy) and intend to give it everything I've got."
The incident happened during a 21st birthday party in the Californian city in the early hours of 16 June.
Inspectors have confirmed that wooden beams supporting the balcony had been badly rotted by water damage.
Clodagh said she was determined to live life to the full.
"The thing I'm taking from this tragedy is that life is short and I intend to honour those who died by living the happiest and most fulfilling life possible.
"Enjoy a good dance and the feeling of grass beneath your feet like it's the last time because in this crazy world you never know when it might be."
Five of the six people who died were Irish students based in the US as part of a work exchange programme. | An Irish student seriously injured in the Berkeley balcony collapse has said she intends "to honour those who died by living the happiest and most fulfilling life possible". |
36,744,368 | Five police officers were killed in Dallas, Texas when a gunman opened fire at officers during a peaceful protest over fatal police shootings of black men in Louisiana and Minnesota.
Seven more officers and two civilians were wounded by the shooter, who fired from an elevated position in a parking garage.
The gunman was 25-year-old Micah Johnson. He died after a long stand-off with police in downtown Dallas.
Three other people were taken in to custody - two men and a woman - but police now say they believe Johnson was the "lone shooter".
Johnson told police during the stand-off that he wanted to kill white people, especially white police officers, and that he was upset over recent police killings of black men.
He died when police sent an explosive device to his position attached to a robot - a first in the US.
Hundreds of people began gathering in Belo Garden in downtown Dallas at around 00:00 GMT (19:00 local time) before beginning a march through the city in protest at this week's deaths of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana.
At around 01:45 GMT, as the march was nearing its end, gunshots rang out at the junction of Main St and Lamar St by the El Centro College. Live TV footage showed protesters running for cover.
Initially, police later said that several snipers had been positioned in "elevated positions" on the route of the march. They later said Micah Johnson was believed to be the sole shooter.
Four police officers were killed during the attack and another died later from his injuries. Seven other officers were wounded and two civilians also sustained injuries.
Amateur video footage showed one police officer approaching a gunman outside the El Centro College. After an initial exchange, the gunman is seen shooting the officer at least twice, leaving him motionless, before fleeing.
At around 05:30 GMT police said they were questioning two people after an officer saw a person throw a camouflage bag into the back of a black Mercedes and speed off.
Shortly afterwards, Police Chief David Brown said his officers had cornered a suspect on the second floor of a car park opposite the college and were negotiating with him.
After several hours of talks and an exchange of gunfire, Mr Brown said police "saw no other option but to use our bomb robot" to place an explosive device near the gunman, who was killed when the device was detonated.
"Other options would have exposed our officers to grave danger," the police chief added.
It is believed to be the first time police in the US have used a robot to help kill a human.
During the failed negotiations, the gunman made threats about bombs in the city but, at 10:45 GMT, police said no explosives had been found despite extensive sweeps of downtown areas - although a large area of Downtown Dallas remains closed.
Johnson's victims were a mix of veterans, parents, grandparents, spouses and community leaders.
Brent Thompson, 43: Thompson worked for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) transport authority and was the first victim to be named.
He had served in the military as a Marine and was recently married.
Patrick Zamarripa, 32: Patrick's father Rick told The Washington Post that his son had survived three tours in Iraq with the US Navy.
When he left the Navy he joined the Dallas Police Department and recently started working a bicycle patrol in downtown.
Michael Krol, 40: Michigan native Michael Krol joined Dallas' police department in 2007 after four years with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office in Michigan.
Krol's mother, Susan Ehlke, described her son as a "caring person" who was "living a dream of being a police officer".
Michael J. Smith, 55: Sergeant Michael Smith was a father of two, according to the Dallas Morning News. He was a former Army ranger and received a "Cops' Cop" award from the Dallas Police Association.
Lorne Ahrens, 48: Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens was a member of the Dallas Police Department for 14 years, according to Dallas Morning News.
"He was always one of the happy ones, with a smile on his face," one of his fellow officers told the newspaper.
Seven other police officers were injured during the attack, including at least three DART officers who were identified as Omar Cannon, 44, Misty McBride, 32, and Jesus Retana, 39. A DART spokesman said they are expected to recover from their injuries.
One civilian, named by her family as Shetamia Taylor, was shot in the leg while protecting her children and is said to be recovering in hospital.
Micah Johnson, 25, was from the Dallas suburb of Mesquite. He had been a member of the US Army Reserve until April 2015, served in Afghanistan, and had no known criminal history or ties to terrorist groups.
Bomb-making material, rifles, ammunition and a combat journal were found at his home, police have said.
Johnson told police during the stand-off that he wanted to kill white people and was upset about the Black Lives Matter movement and by the recent police shootings of black men.
The gunman said he was not affiliated with any groups and was working alone, but three other suspects - two men and a woman - are still thought to be in police custody.
One eyewitness told local TV station WFAA: "We heard gunfire and at first you didn't really realise what you were hearing. You know, you thought it was something like something popping and then you heard rapid fire and then everybody realised it and just took off running.
"Everybody just ran their own separate ways and what we tried to do was try to get the women and the children back there in the protest away from the gunfire.
"It was a horrifying experience to see all those people running and not knowing were the bullets were coming from."
Another witness said: "The rally was great and the next thing you know the man just walks by. He walks by, you know, looking normal but he let the rally go by and next thing you know once he gets to the [traffic] light it's just mayhem.
"He just started shooting at the cops. Cops were running... I'm down by the trash can; I'm trying not to get hit but still looking at the same time. It was just crazy. When we come together on something like this it's sad that this has to happen, you know."
President Barack Obama said America had been left "horrified" by what appeared to be a planned attack on police officers.
Speaking in Poland, where he is meeting Nato officials and European leaders, he said the investigation continues but "what we do know is there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement."
He added that the shootings were a "wrenching reminder of the sacrifices" that police officers make every day.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tweeted: "Prayers and condolences to all of the families who are so thoroughly devastated by the horrors we are all watching take place in our country."
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted: "I mourn for the officers shot while doing their sacred duty to protect peaceful protesters, for their families & all who serve with them."
Texas Senator Ted Cruz said: "Men & women of law enforcement selflessly run into harm's way to save the lives of others. May God protect them and bring peace upon Dallas."
Are you in Dallas? Were you in the area at the time of the shooting? Please email details of your experiences to [email protected].
You can also contact us in the following ways:
If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can
contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as
you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.
When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others,
take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions.
Terms and conditions | Or use the form below |
40,106,033 | The 30-year-old former Coleraine and Linfield player was released by Ballymena earlier this month after a loan spell with Carrick Rangers.
"He's a warrior, dominant and a leader and that ticks everything we're looking for," said Ports boss Niall Currie.
"He has a top pedigree at the highest level and we can get some great years from him."
Portadown were relegated from the top flight in April and McVey's arrival follows the signing of veteran full-back Kyle Neill last week.
"We're over the moon to get Kyle on board, he is exactly what we need in the development of our two young centre backs that we will have," Currie told the club website.
"It was one meeting we had and I knew we both wanted this as soon as I left the meeting.
"He knows what is going to be needed next season and he will be a fantastic addition to our new squad." | Portadown have signed experienced defender Kyle McVey as they bid to make an immediate return to the Premiership. |
32,285,715 | "What are you going to do about bed blocking?" asks Elsie Sutherland from the Older People's Network, on a raised platform.
In the audience below are the Labour, Green, Liberal Democrat and UKIP candidates for Croydon Central, a key marginal tipped to be one of the most closely fought seats in London.
This is an attempt to turn the tables on politicians and put voters centre stage at a 'people's hustings', where speakers from local groups are invited to set out their wish list for the next government.
The politicians listen and may only speak in reply to the specific points the speakers have raised.
With less than two weeks to go until the general election, political campaigning is well under way, but some feel it is largely a one-way conversation.
From campaign posters on billboards and buses, to radio and TV debates and leaflets stuffed through letterboxes, is it all on the party or politicians' terms?
The Speakers Corner Trust says it is trying to "redress this balance and put voters back in control."
"We want to revive the flagging tradition of open-air public meetings in a way that brings voters into direct contact with candidates," Peter Bradley the director of the Speaker's Corner Trust explains.
"It's raw, theatrical and humorous, as well as being about policies."
Can this format cut through voter apathy and restore public confidence in MPs and the political system?
It brings politics into public spaces where people are already going about their daily business - a man queuing to use the cash machine stops to listen to the "very sensible person" on the platform and a woman asks "what's all this then?" as she puts down her groceries.
The setting has the advantage of reaching people who might not usually attend political meetings.
The idea stems from the practice of debating important matters in public which began in the 19th Century with Speaker's Corner in London's Hyde Park.
The rules of people's hustings forbid candidates from criticising each other - something that research suggests a lot of people find a turn-off.
During the BBC's televised leaders debate, audience approval rose when politicians said how they would tackle specific problems and fell when candidates began blaming and criticising each other.
People's hustings were held in Lichfield in Staffordshire, as well as in Nottingham, and Croydon. An additional event is planned for Reading on 2 May.
Mr Bradley, a former Labour MP in Shropshire, says the rawness of the format means people will see through slick presentations as the candidates cannot set the agenda and are less able to prepare a 'one size fits all' speech.
"People are far more likely to get an insight into the candidate's competence and values this way and what he or she really stands for. That sort of information you won't get from a brief doorstep encounter or a grotty leaflet through your door," he says.
Labour candidate Sarah Jones is responding to Elsie Sutherland's question about elderly people's care.
A woman standing next to me turns her head away in disgust. "I don't believe any of them. Where are they going to get the money from for this? Of course quicker access to GPs would be lovely but the surgeries have still got to be open haven't they?"
She is a senior nurse and says none of the parties are being realistic. "They all treat the NHS like a sacred cow, but they need to look at it and change it for the 21st Century."
"That's rubbish," she says, now disputing the UKIP candidate's claim that immigration is the reason hospitals are full and people struggle to get a doctor's appointment.
"There's overcrowding in hospitals because of the elderly. They're living longer so they are developing diseases associated with old age.
"What I want to hear is a party saying they will raise taxes to pay for these services, but of course no-one is saying that."
"I'm too cynical for this," she says, walking away.
Phoebe, a 20-year-old singer and her boyfriend Levi, a 21-year-old web developer, have stopped to listen. "This is fantastic. A lot of politicians dodge the question quite well and side step the issues.
"I think on TV they were just putting each other down, so to be able to pin them down like this is great," Levi says.
But these are not the floating voters the candidates are hoping to win over. Phoebe and Levi have already made up their minds who they are voting for, and after a few seconds they carry on with their shopping.
The act of debating in itself may be important for our perception of democracy, says Dr Nick Anstead from the London School of Economics.
"When people are engaged with the political process they are more likely to see it as legitimate," he adds.
However, he questions the ability of unelected community speakers to represent voters' views.
In Nottingham the speaker due to represent young people was a student with a manifesto based on concerns about education and crime.
Mr Bradley accepts that young people's interests and tastes can differ widely, but says they also share common needs in terms of their education, employment and housing, and says it is on that basis they are able to articulate young people's requirements.
But does debating help us choose the best parliamentary candidate?
Hustings and TV debates potentially risk identifying good orators rather than good leaders, says Dr Anstead.
According to Richard Newman, a public speaking and presentation expert, the two are not mutually exclusive.
"Your job as an MP is to represent constituents and influence people in your party, or on the international stage, or in the government. Having really good communication skills is a fundamental part of the job.
"If you have someone with good ideas but a poor communication style, they can't really get the job done."
What to look out for when the candidates are speaking - from public speaking professionals
Hustings tips from: BodyTalk director Richard Newman and the Public Speaking Expert forum
Pollsters Ipsos Mori say recent sampling suggests people will be more influenced by parties and policies than by the leaders in this election.
Run well, hustings and public debates "can increase political education and allow for cross-examination of policy positions," says Dr Anstead.
"Did I learn anything? I'm not sure, but they always say the same things though don't they?" says Ahmad Turkmani, an assistant accountant from South Norwood, who was passing by but stayed for the duration.
"What we need is action, can anyone give me that?"
A last-minute speaker has walked on to the platform and taking the microphone proceeds to tell the candidates, "Why I am not going to be voting."
Valentine McDonald is a 55-year-old father of two from Bromley in Greater London and is upset about successive changes in child support arrangements.
"Nobody is helping fathers, there have been lots of suicides because of this, and that is why I am not going to vote for anyone."
He is also upset about a "coalition government that nobody voted for. We voted for a single party, not a mix of two. That was just imposed on us and it's unfair."
Mr McDonald says he doubts any good will come of his speech but he is grateful for the chance to say his piece.
"I think it's the only time I will be able to have my say. Every time I try to see a politician or write to one they won't see me."
He might not be casting a vote this time, but he feels the People's Hustings experience has gone some way towards repairing his faith in local politics. | In the high street in Croydon, south London, a small crowd has gathered outside Marks & Spencer in North End. |
37,360,710 | Helen Habblett claimed to be living as a single mother after separating from her husband in 2009.
However, Dundee Sheriff Court heard the couple reunited the following year and her husband was in full-time employment.
Social media profiles, bank records and covert surveillance confirmed the couple were living together.
The court heard that Habblett told the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC that she was still a single mother and fraudulently claimed £48,792.75 in tax credits and £7,603.50 in income support.
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told the court: "She claimed child and working tax credits in 2003 and in 2009 informed HMRC that she had separated from her husband and was living solely with her children.
"In 2011 and 2013 she confirmed there were no changes.
"She claimed for income support in 2009 and again stated she was living only with her children."
Miss Robertson said confidential information was received that Habblett had reunited with her husband, prompting an investigation.
She said: "Examination of bank records, employment records, Facebook profiles and car insurance applications suggested she was in fact co-habiting with him.
"Interviews with neighbours and surveillance further suggested they were living together."
Habblett, 51, pled guilty to charges under the Tax Credits Act and Social Security Administration Act, committed between September 2010 and July 2014.
Defence solicitor Jim Caird said: "She has a family of five children and has never been in trouble before."
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence until October for social work background reports and released Habblett on bail. | A Dundee mother-of-five's £56,000 benefit fraud was uncovered through her Facebook page, a court has been told. |
33,883,188 | The Royal Society for Public Health said smoking should be seen as "abnormal" and more controls are needed to cover areas where people gather.
Its report said people needing a fix of nicotine should use e-cigarettes.
The pro-smoking campaign group Forest said the measures would not work and may lead to pubs closing.
The Society argued the 2007 smoking ban inside public places had been a huge success and encouraged thousands to quit.
Its report calls for the ban "to be extended further to include school gates, the outside areas of bars and restaurants and all public parks and squares".
Unlike the original smoking ban the focus is no longer on the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Shirley Cramer, the body's chief executive, said: "Children are hugely receptive to the behaviour of the adults around them. The sight therefore of individuals smoking at prominent locations risks teaching them that smoking is a normal and safe habit.
"We believe that banning smoking in these locations via an exclusion zone could further denormalise smoking, ensuring that it is seen as an abnormal activity and potentially, prevent children and young people from beginning in the future."
The organisation also called for:
Meanwhile a separate report by the University of Edinburgh suggested 1,500 stillbirths were prevented in the first four years of the smoking ban.
Smoking limits the about of oxygen going to the baby and limits growth.
By James Gallagher, health editor, BBC News website
This report opens a new frontline in the battle against smoking.
Campaigners have already scored big victories with the original smoking ban and again this year with a ban on smoking in cars with children and standardised packaging for cigarettes.
Now the target is public places.
Brighton is already considering banning smoking on the beach and Bristol is trialling smoking bans in city squares
The rights of smokers are clearly in decline and leaves the question - where will it end?
Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said he welcomed ideas that encouraged people to use electronic cigarettes but they should not rely on "coercion and prohibition".
He told the BBC: "Banning smoking outside pubs and bars will discriminate against adults who quite legitimately prefer to smoke.
"It won't stop people smoking, it will simply deter more people from going to the pub and that could lead to even more pub closures."
He said renaming e-cigarettes was a "silly idea" that "ignores the fact that e-cigs are popular because they mimic the act of smoking". | The public smoking ban should be extended to beer gardens, al fresco eating areas of restaurants, parks, and outside school gates, a report says. |
27,470,554 | Giggs, 40, made a club record 963 appearances for United and played 64 times for Wales.
He is the most decorated player in the English game, having won 13 league titles, four FA Cups and two Champions Leagues, among 34 trophies.
My dream was always to play for Manchester United
He said: "Today is a new chapter filled with many emotions - immense pride, sadness, but most of all, excitement."
Giggs never managed to reach a major international tournament with Wales. But he did skipper Team GB at London 2012, only to lose in the quarter-finals to South Korea on penalties.
He made his last appearance in the 3-1 win over Hull on 6 May, when he replaced youngster Tom Lawrence for the last 20 minutes of the game.
"My dream was always to play for Manchester United," he said.
"Although it saddens me to know I won't be pulling on a United jersey again as a player, I have been lucky enough to have fulfilled that dream playing with some of the best players in the world, working under an incredible manager in Sir Alex Ferguson and, most of all, playing for the greatest fans in world football.
"I am immensely proud, honoured and fortunate to have represented the biggest club in the world 963 times and Wales 64 times.
"United fans, I hope, will share and echo my belief that the club, the management and owners, are doing everything they can to return this great club to where it belongs. I hope to be there every step of the way."
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward added: "Ryan Giggs has been one of the greatest players ever to wear the red shirt of Manchester United. What he has achieved will never be equalled in the English game."
Appearances: 963
Goals: 168
Trophies:
13 Premier League titles, 2 Champions League, 4 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 1 Uefa Super Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup, 1 Fifa Club World Cup, 8 Charity/Community Shields
Long-time team-mate Rio Ferdinand added on Twitter that Giggs had "so many gold medals he puts B.A. Baracus to shame".
Ferdinand, whose own United career ended last week, added that "no player" had adapted their game as well and as effectively "as Giggsy".
From making a goalscoring debut against Everton in 1991, the Cardiff-born player has remained at the very top of English football.
In addition to the huge number of medals, Giggs also has a host of personal accolades to his name.
His sensational goal against Arsenal in the 1999 semi-final replay has been voted the greatest FA Cup goal of all time.
He was voted the number one player in the Premier League era and, in 2009, was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Failing to reach the finals of a major tournament with Wales was a source of regret - the nearest he got was the 1994 World Cup.
His international retirement in 2007 was aimed at winning more honours at club level and he went on to collect a further four titles and the European Cup, when United defeated Chelsea on penalties in 2008.
Giggs, who was interim United boss for four matches following the sacking of former manager David Moyes, said: "Today is a fantastic day for Manchester United.
"Louis van Gaal is a great appointment and I am delighted to be working with someone of his calibre.
"His credentials are second to none and I'm positive the club will thrive under his leadership over the coming years."
After the downturn this season, when United failed to secure European football of any description, slumping to their lowest league finish in 24 years, Woodward will be hoping for a swift return to the style Giggs is so famous for.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"In the way he played, he was the embodiment of a Manchester United player - fast, skilful, entertaining and determined to win by playing exciting football," said Woodward.
"His progress from the ranks of the famous Class of '92 to the most decorated player in this or any club's history is down to his hard work, ability and attitude.
"He is at the start of an exciting new chapter in his and the club's life but now is the right moment to reflect on the achievements of the finest British player of the last 25 years."
While Giggs's retirement marks the end of an era given he is the only player to have appeared in all 21 seasons of the Premier League, it does seem to pave the way towards taking the manager's seat himself at some point in the future.
Giggs has never made any secret of his managerial ambitions and former United assistant boss Mike Phelan feels he has the right credentials.
"He definitely has experience on his side and he has the name and the clout behind him because of who he is and what he has achieved," Phelan told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I think [Premier League management] is the natural progression for Ryan, and I think it will happen in the next two or three years." | Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs has retired from playing after being named assistant to new coach Louis van Gaal. |
30,592,218 | Three - flags, parades and the past - were inherited from the failed talks chaired by the US diplomat Richard Haass a year ago.
Northern Ireland's attitude to UK-wide welfare reforms had become an increasingly difficult stumbling block for the power-sharing executive in recent months.
The stand-off over welfare reform had, in turn, raised serious questions about whether Stormont could balance its budget and if changes needed to be made to the power-sharing institutions to make them more stable and effective.
Besides this, the negotiators confronted the Northern Ireland economy's heavy reliance on the public sector and the challenges posed by the need to create more private sector jobs.
On welfare reform, the executive parties have agreed to introduce the UK benefit changes, but to pay for flexibilities and "top-ups" from their own budget.
Sinn Féin - which has long been opposed to the welfare changes - argues this will mean no Northern Ireland claimants should lose out.
The Treasury had levied fines on Northern Ireland because of its delay in implementing welfare reforms. Some of these fines will still be paid, but will be reduced if Northern Ireland moves ahead with the changes quickly.
On rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy, the UK government has promised to devolve powers over corporation tax to the Stormont Executive.
This will enable Northern Ireland to compete with the lower rate of corporation tax south of the Irish border in trying to attract foreign investment.
However, any reduction in corporation tax will involve a cut to Stormont's block grant.
Alongside the attempt to attract more foreign investment, the Stormont executive is expected to embark on a major programme of public sector redundancies, paying off thousands of civil servants. The pay-offs will be funded via a £700m government loan.
On the budget, the Treasury is providing £500m to fund shared and integrated education projects over the next 10 years, as well as £350m in loans for other infrastructure schemes over the next 4 years.
On dealing with the legacy of the Troubles, a number of new agencies are being created.
The Historical Investigations Unit will examine unsolved murders carried out during the Troubles.
The Independent Commission on Information Retrieval will provide an avenue for families to learn more about the fate of their loved ones.
Perpetrators, or others, with knowledge of killings during the Troubles will - if a family gives permission - be able to give the commission information on the basis of limited immunity from prosecution.
Less progress has been made on two other issues inherited from the Haass talks.
The UK government is proposing that powers over parading should be devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and fresh legislation should be drafted.
However, there is no firm agreement on a replacement to the quango which currently rules on marching disputes, the Parades Commission.
Disputes over flag flying, which led to serious rioting in the greater Belfast area in 2012 and 2013, also remain unresolved. The issue will be passed to a 15-strong commission for further discussion.
So far, as the system of government at Stormont is concerned, it's suggested the number of government departments should be cut from 12 to nine.
The number of MLAs at Stormont will be reduced from 108 to 90 by 2021.
It is also planned that those politicians who do not want to join the power-sharing government should - if their parties are strong enough - be entitled to form an official opposition.
However, Stormont's cross-community voting system - which has made it difficult to take decisions on contentious issues such as welfare reform - remains in place. | The Stormont House negotiations tackled a number of contentious issues. |
31,039,104 | Michael Cockerell told reporters about the plan at a press screening of his new series Inside the Commons.
"I'm not fingering anyone by name," Mr Cockerell said, when asked who was involved in the plot.
But he did say they were "right wing Tories... what Downing Street know as the berserkers, the naughty bench".
He declined to name the cameraman who was the subject of the apparent skulduggery.
In the first episode of the four-part series, to be shown on Tuesday, the Conservative MP Bill Wiggin is seen complaining to the Speaker during a session in the Commons about the presence of camera crews in the chamber itself.
Michael Cockerell said Mr Wiggin was not involved in the plot.
"We heard of a plan to knock over the cameraman and cause the House to be suspended, and then they would blame it on us and suggest we shouldn't be there," he said, adding that Parliamentary staff had let them know about the plot and had managed to prevent it from happening.
He said there were "very few" opponents to the documentary, but "in Parliament every day there are cunning plans, it is a place made for plotting and conspiracy".
The documentary was filmed over the course of a year - after six years of attempting to persuade the parliamentary authorities to allow them the access they required.
Atlantic Productions, the producers of the series for the BBC, gathered 600 hours of raw material for the four hours that will be broadcast throughout February.
The first episode is broadcast on Tuesday on BBC Two at 21:00 GMT. | MPs plotted to knock over a BBC cameraman in the House of Commons - in the hope of stopping a new documentary on Westminster life, a film-maker says. |
34,599,084 | Mr Cameron hailed a deal giving China a 30% stake in a new nuclear plant.
The PM said the two countries could maintain a "strong relationship" while having "necessary and frank discussions" about issues like the steel industry and human rights.
President Xi said his country "attaches huge importance" to human rights.
"We combine the universal value of human rights with Chinese reality and we have found a path of human rights development suited to China's national conditions," he said, in response to a question from BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
"With regard to the protection of human rights, looking around the world we note there is always room for improvement."
'So far, so good' for Xi's British visit
What does China own in the UK?
Banquets and tiaras: China reacts to Xi UK visit
China and 'the Osborne Doctrine'
How China guards the Xi creation myth
Can UK be China's best partner in the West?
Who is President Xi Jinping?
At a UK-China business summit as part of the Chinese president's state visit, Mr Cameron and President Xi witnessed the signing of a number of investment agreements, including a deal between EDF and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) for a nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point, Somerset.
The mainly state-owned EDF said the final cost would be £18bn. State-owned CGN will pay £6bn for one third of it.
President Xi's state visit comes as thousands of job losses are announced in the UK steel industry.
Tata Steel has announced the latest in a series of cuts, with 1,200 jobs going at its plants in Scunthorpe and Lanarkshire.
China has been accused of dumping steel in the UK, meaning selling it at uneconomic prices, which has been partly blamed for collapsing prices.
Speaking at a joint press conference with the Chinese president, Mr Cameron said the issue of the global oversupply of steel had been discussed, and added that the two nations could discuss the issue as well as human rights concerns while maintaining a business relationship.
Action would be taken in Britain to help the steel industry on energy costs, procurement and tax, Mr Cameron said.
He added: "So I totally reject the idea you either have a conversation about human rights and steel, or you have a strong relationship with China. I want both and we are delivering both and it's when you have that strong relationship, with a strong partnership we have, you are able to discuss all of these issues."
Downing Street confirmed that Mr Cameron had raised human rights issues with Mr Xi but would not go into the specific concerns he had expressed.
Mr Cameron's spokeswoman said: "The prime minister raised the issue of human rights, the importance of countries working together to address issues, to talk about the importance of what this means as countries develop and move forwards."
See pictures from day one of the state visit
See pictures from day two of the state visit
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday | David Cameron has defended the UK's business links with China as he said deals worth £40bn had been struck during President Xi Jinping's visit. |
38,415,696 | The pedestrian was struck on the inside lane of the M60 anti-clockwise at junction 12, the Eccles Interchange, at about 20:35 GMT on Thursday.
The 37-year-old died at the scene. The driver stopped and is helping police with their inquiries.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious and have appealed for anyone with information to contact them. | A man who was walking on a motorway has died after being hit by a car. |
37,941,608 | Wales will wear black armbands instead, while fans at Cardiff City Stadium will form a poppy mosaic before kick-off.
Football's world governing body Fifa prohibits any political, religious or commercial messages on shirts.
But England and Scotland will defy this in their match on Friday.
Both nation's football associations will let players wear black armbands with poppy emblems and are willing to accept any punishment.
Fifa has since said that reports of a ban on wearing poppies are a "distortion of the facts".
Wales manager Chris Coleman defended the FAW approach on the eve of facing Serbia
He said: "Of course we back the FA. There's a lot been said about it, the fact the game's live on TV tomorrow night, we're standing by the rule that Fifa put in place, we've been respectful of that and I back our decision.
"Remembrance Day is today (Friday), though, and that's when we'll be showing our respects in the right manner, as we always do.
"We're very respectful of Remembrance Day, we know the sacrifices that were made by the men and women who lost their lives for us.
"So we'll be showing our respect today in the right and proper manner."
Coleman was asked if some of the criticism aimed at the FAW stance was unfair.
He replied: "That's the way it's going to be. There will be certain people, unfortunately, using it as a vehicle to give their opinion.
"Whether or not they like us or not, maybe it's an excuse to have a little dig at us.
"I'm quite sure other people are using it for their own benefit - that's how it is, unfortunately, sadly.
"To say that we're not being respectful, given the measures we're going to today and tomorrow... the criticism will come but we don't listen to that, we'll ignore that."
England Under-21 wore poppies on black armbands during their win over Italy on Thursday night.
Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Jonathan Ford earlier said: "Fifa have turned down a request made by the FAW for the Wales National Team to wear poppies on their shirts or on armbands.
"It has therefore, been decided that Wales will wear black armbands during their 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying match against Serbia.
"The FAW naturally wishes to respect and honour those who fought and lost their lives fighting for their country.
"We felt unable to take the risk of a financial penalty or point deduction. However, as we always have done at this time of year, we will be paying our respects in other ways."
Members of the Flanders Welsh War Memorial at Langemark will be in attendance at the match as invited guests of the FAW.
A delegation of Welsh management and players will also visit a war memorial on Remembrance Sunday. | Fifa has rejected a request from Wales to wear poppies on their shirts or on armbands in Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Serbia, the Football Association of Wales says. |
39,355,016 | Two Central American-born students are in custody after a 14-year-old girl was attacked last week at Rockville High School in Maryland, police say.
The White House said "tragedies like this" had motivated President Trump's illegal immigration "crackdown".
On Tuesday night, protesters gathered outside the school, some expressing concern about undocumented immigrants.
Henry Sanchez, 18, and Jose Montano, 17, were charged in the alleged assault, which the victim said took place in a boy's toilet at the beginning of the school day last Thursday.
Authorities say the older boy is in the country illegally, but they refused to disclose the other suspect's immigration status because he is a juvenile.
On Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer condemned the crime, calling it "shocking, disturbing, horrific and whatever other words that someone can think of".
But at a press conference, school officials played down the immigration angle.
"We would like to change the conversation," said Jack Smith, superintendent of the 159,000-student Montgomery County Public Schools system.
"Some have tried to make this into a question and issue of immigration... but we serve every student who walks through our doors," he added.
He said the two suspects had been enrolled in a special programme for non-English speakers.
On Tuesday night, demonstrators outside the school chanted "safety not sanctuary", a reference to sanctuary cities, where local authorities often protect those without legal US residency from deportation.
Montgomery County Police Capt James Humphries said he believed the victim of the alleged rape was a US citizen.
A spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that border agents had encountered Henry Sanchez near the US-Mexico border in Texas last August.
He was freed and ordered to appear before an immigration judge, but no court date was set.
According to the Washington Post, Henry Sanchez spent 17 years of his life in his native Guatemala.
Jose Montano lived in El Salvador for 16 years, according to court documents.
Earlier his week, Maryland lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled legislature passed a bill designed to prevent police from stopping people to ask about their immigration status.
Republican Governor Larry Hogan said the legislation would make it more difficult for the state to co-operate with immigration investigations.
He has vowed to veto the bill. | An alleged rape at a US high school has sparked a row over immigration that has reached all the way to the White House. |
32,590,889 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Bingham, 38, became the oldest world champion since 1978 by beating Shaun Murphy 18-15 in Sheffield.
He said: "My manager won't like this, but I could easily donate that money because it doesn't mean anything to me.
"Just to put my hands on that trophy, seeing all the names on it, that's just everything. It means so much."
Welshman Ray Reardon is the oldest person to win the World Championship, securing his sixth title in 1978, aged 45.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Pre-tournament outsider Bingham, who rises to number two in the world rankings, shocked five-time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, as well as Judd Trump, on the way to taking the title.
His 145 break in the quarter-final against O'Sullivan was also enough for him to share with Australian Neil Robertson the £10,000 cheque for highest break.
At 15-15 in the final, having let a 14-11 lead slip, Bingham said he thought he had ruined his opportunity to win the title.
"Coming into the final session, I was talking to my wife and saying 'I don't want to go out there'. I felt that nervous," he said.
"Losing three of the first four frames I thought I blew it but, somehow, I held myself together.
"The crowd erupted as I potted the match ball and I'll remember that for the rest of my life."
Bingham, the oldest first-time winner in Crucible history, said the recognition he now received after his successful fortnight in Sheffield was "unreal".
He also paid tribute to his father-in-law, who died last year, and said he was going to "embrace" life as a world champion.
Bingham, a keen collector of snooker memorabilia, said he had "got my hands" on the table used for the final.
He added: "I'll hopefully move to a nice new house and have that in my games room somewhere.
"I'm a bit of a snooker geek. I want to get my hands on the set of balls and hopefully get the white gloves off the referee as well so my boy can look back at all the stuff I've collected over the years."
Stephen Feeney, Bingham's coach, said his charge would now go on to win more titles despite being relatively old for a snooker player.
"I told Stuart five years ago I'd turn him into a winner and a world champion and it's just awesome. He's such a talent," said Feeney.
"It's a dream for him, it's a dream for me. He is a winner but he's a special guy too.
"He'll be up for defending this, he'll want to win more. His age is no issue.
"He's won the hearts of many people, many fans. Ronnie O'Sullivan texted him to say well done. They've all looked at him in recent weeks and realised he's come of age." | New world champion Stuart Bingham said holding aloft the winner's trophy at the Crucible means more to him than the £300,000 prize money. |
36,612,062 | Welterweight Kelly outpointed Aaron Prince (Trinidad & Tobago) and light welterweight McCormack won a unanimous decision over Hassan Amsile (France).
It means GB have qualified a fighter in each of the 10 men's divisions for Rio.
That rules out any professional boxer fighting for Britain at the Games.
The team will be made up of 10 men and two women and is the first time in recent Games history that Great Britain has qualified a man in every available weight class.
The wins ensured Kelly and McCormack, who are both from the north east of England, met the qualification standard by guaranteeing a place in the top five in Baku.
"It's an unreal feeling," McCormack said. "I was frustrated not to do it in Turkey at the first qualifier but always had faith in my ability and this time I made sure."
Kelly added: "I have had a few injury problems over the last year and there were times when the Olympics looked a long way off, so to know that I will be on that plane to Rio with the rest of the team is just brilliant."
The full team of boxers that will compete for Great Britain in Rio is:
Men
Women | Josh Kelly and Pat McCormack will be part of Great Britain's biggest boxing team for an Olympics after winning their quarter-final bouts at the qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan. |
39,603,910 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Riders needed one win from five remaining games and, having been level after two quarters, pulled clear of play-off chasing Plymouth to win 99-69.
Head coach Rob Paternostro guided them to 26 wins from 29 games, adding the trophy to their BBL Cup win in March.
"We pulled out some close games this year - that's been important," he said.
Speaking after the third championship win in Riders' history, he added: "It feels great. We went in at half-time, we thought we had to get some stops, we came out third quarter and played good defence. Another great team effort.
"It has been a difficult week. Everyone had us pencilled in as champions but I wanted to get the job done tonight."
With the scores tied 44-44 at halfway, Riders scored 24 points to the visitors' seven in a key third quarter.
Paternostro's side overcame Plymouth to land the BBL Trophy in March - a result which sealed back-to-back successes in the knockout competition.
They will now look to win the BBL play-offs for a third time, having last won the end-of-season knockout in 2013.
Plymouth are still well placed to finish in the top eight and secure a play-off spot as they sit seventh. | Leicester Riders won the British Basketball League Championship for the second successive season after a comfortable win over Plymouth Raiders. |
27,643,465 | The US Justice Department is looking into claims the bank broke sanctions against Sudan, Iran, and Cuba.
In April, the bank said it had already set aside $1.1bn to cover the cost of the violations.
BNP shares fell more than 6% before recovering slightly.
In April, BNP wrote in a document: "A high degree of uncertainty exists as to the nature and amount of penalties that the US authorities could impose on the bank following completion of the ongoing process: there is the possibility that the amount of the fines could be far in excess of the amount of the provision."
If approved and if BNP admits to criminal wrongdoing, the settlement would be the largest criminal penalty in US history, surpassing oil giant BP's $4bn agreement with the US Department of Justice in 2012.
France's far-right Front National party waded into the negotiations, demanding that the French government shield the bank from such a large fine.
US regulators have recently stepped up their actions against banks that violate laws against money laundering and tax evasion, amongst other violations.
Earlier in May, Swiss bank Credit Suisse agreed to a $2.6bn penalty and admitted criminal wrongdoing in helping "tax cheats" avoid paying US taxes.
To date, the largest fine levied against a bank by US regulators for sanctions violations was the $1.9bn HSBC paid in 2012. | Shares in French banking giant BNP Paribas have fallen sharply after US media reports said the bank might have to pay $10bn (£6bn; 7.3bn euros) over allegations it broke trade sanctions. |
36,443,501 | The report gives details of a study into the potential for seals coming into contact with the renewable energy devices in the Pentland Firth.
The research suggests collisions could happen, but were not likely to be fatal to grey seals, a large seal species.
Smaller harbour seals might be "less robust", the report noted.
The report and analysis was commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The study examined the movements of tagged seals in the Pentland Firth, a narrow stretch of sea separating mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands.
Scientists based their research on a hypothetical array of up to 86 tidal turbines.
In their report, the researchers said there was potential for seals to collide with turbines, adding that larger grey seals were unlikely to be fatally injured.
But they also pointed out that seals should be able to detect turbines "both visually and acoustically and are also likely to be able to modify their behaviour to avoid collisions".
The scientists said this avoidance behaviour required additional research. | The ability of seals to avoid collisions with tidal turbines has still to be properly understood, a new report has suggested. |
32,188,982 | He said the moves were the "biggest changes to pensions in 100 years".
People aged 55 and over will be given new powers to decide what to do with their retirement savings.
From Easter Monday, they can cash in Defined Contribution (DC) pension savings. But there have been warnings about potentially big tax bills.
Mr Osborne told Sky's Murnaghan programme: "What it means is that people who have worked hard and saved hard can have access to their pensions savings."
He also urged people to make use of the government's guidance scheme.
The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) will run the Pension Wise guidance service for those approaching retirement.
Pension changes 2015
Pension savers will no longer be required to use their pension pot to buy an annuity when they approach retirement.
Some 540,000 people will be able to take control of their savings from 6 April, according to the government.
But the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said many people face paying tens of thousands of pounds in income tax if they cash in their pensions pots.
But the Treasury says they have consistently stated that 25% of people's pensions is tax free and the rest is taxed at the marginal rate.
There have also been concerns that some people may by hit by pension scams, or run out of money too early.
Labour have welcomed the new pension flexibilities, but say they have repeatedly warned that the government has not thought through the risks of "rip-off charges" being taken from people's savings.
"That's why we welcomed the announcement by David Blake's Independent Review of Retirement Income that they are studying the case for a new charge cap on pension products offered to savers by their pension provider to replace annuities," said a Labour spokesman.
Do you plan to cash in part of your pension? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected].
If you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. | Major changes to UK pension rules come into force at midnight, in what Chancellor George Osborne has called "a revolution". |
27,422,933 | Organiser Glasgow 2014 apologised after some callers were wrongly charged by Talk Talk Business, a supplier of ticketing firm Ticketmaster.
It has been reported that some people faced charges of more than £100.
Meanwhile, the Games ticketing website is still offline after being suspended amid an ongoing fiasco with sales.
A spokesman for Glasgow 2014 said: "Glasgow 2014 can confirm that some callers to the Glasgow 2014 ticket line who received an engaged tone on the ticketing phonelines were charged in error by Talk Talk Business, a supplier of Ticketmaster.
"We apologise unreservedly for this and are working now with Ticketmaster and Talk Talk Business to ensure customers affected by this are refunded these charges as soon as possible."
A Talk Talk Business spokesman added: "It has come to our attention that, due to a human programming error, we did not deliver the service that had been agreed with Ticketmaster during the general ticket sale for the Commonwealth Games.
"This meant that some customers who called the Commonwealth Games ticket line and received the engaged tone were charged for the call costs in error.
"We would stress that this issue did not affect all callers to the ticket line and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this has caused. We will work with Ticketmaster to urgently compensate all customers affected by this error."
Virgin Media said it was looking to find out if any of its customers had been affected.
The problems have overshadowed the sale of 100,00 extra tickets, which were released at 10:00 on Monday on a first come, first served basis.
Within hours it became apparent that people were facing long delays and issues with finalising transactions.
The site was initially closed for an hour on Tuesday morning to allow technicians to investigate the problem but they failed to resolve it.
That resulted in a second day of delays and frustration for sports fans hoping to secure tickets for the Games.
Online and telephone sales were halted at 18:00 on Tuesday after technicians failed to resolve glitches in the system.
That led to Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg offering an "unreserved apology" to those affected.
It has since emerged that the problems may take days to resolve.
Scottish Sports Minister Shona Robison met officials from Glasgow 2014 on Thursday to discuss a resolution to the ongoing ticketing problems.
Following the meeting, Mr Grevemberg said: "This was a constructive and positive meeting where we outlined the options and testing required to ensure we can put tickets back on sale with confidence.
"Our priority is ensuring the experience of securing tickets for the Commonwealth Games is a positive one for all our customers and we look forward to sharing our plans tomorrow."
Earlier, during First Minister's Questions, Alex Salmond said the problems were a matter of "great regret and frustration".
The Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, said the episode had been "shambolic". | Refunds are to be given to callers charged for an engaged tone while phoning to buy tickets for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. |
34,003,547 | Officers boarded the plane at about 08:00 BST following reports a passenger had become abusive in an argument over luggage.
Sussex Police said a 37-year-old man had been arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act.
Witness statements were taken from passengers and crew on the plane.
A police spokesman said the man, from Belfast, was arrested on suspicion of breach of the peace and obstructing/resisting a constable in the execution of their duty.
Following an examination by doctors, he was detained under the Mental Health Act for admission to a psychiatric unit for further assessment and treatment, Sussex Police added.
In a statement, Easyjet said police were called to the aircraft "due to a passenger behaving disruptively".
Niall Copeland tweeted: "Man getting arrested on @easyJet flight home to #Belfast because he wants 2 pieces of hand luggage!"
He then posted: "All because he was insistent of wearing his man purse."
The other passengers were taken off the plane following the arrest, police said.
Gary Trainor tweeted: "Back in the departure lounge after a man was tasered on my flight in a baggage dispute! #gatwick #easyjet"
Flight EZY831 was delayed by just over two-and-a-half hours and the plane took off just before 10:55. | A passenger on an Easyjet aircraft at Gatwick Airport was Tasered by police shortly before the plane was due to take off for Belfast. |
30,343,700 | The student union and Clark building premises have changed hands.
RGU said the sale was to allow it to continue with the development of its Garthdee campus.
The deal follows the sale of other RGU premisis to the Sandman Group earlier this year. | Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University (RGU) has sold part of its city centre Schoolhill premises to the Malmaison Hotel du Vin group. |
34,363,075 | He told activists that the party must "radiate optimism" and its recent success would be "worthless" if the UK did not leave the European Union.
His message comes amid divisions over which anti-EU campaign group to back.
Party leader Nigel Farage has endorsed the umbrella Leave.eu group while Mr Carswell has suggested he would back a separate group, Business for Britain.
On Friday, Mr Farage suggested this difference of opinion showed Mr Carswell had "residual loyalties" to the Conservatives - from whom he defected last year.
In his main address to the party's conference in Doncaster, which came after a day of behind-the-scenes tensions between UKIP's sole MP and other UKIP figures, Mr Carswell said UKIP must throw everything it had at the in-out referendum on Europe, to be held before the end of 2017.
Mr Carswell urged the party to make an "upbeat" case for leaving the EU, arguing the UK was "more tolerant and open than ever" and UKIP "must never blame outsiders" for problems caused by politicians.
"We must be prepared to work with anyone, left or right, politician or undecided," he said. "There are good patriotic politicians in all parties and we must work with them all."
He thanked UKIP members for helping electing him twice in the space of eight months, firstly in a by-election and the general election, saying "my win in Clacton wasn't my victory, it was UKIP's victory, it was their victory".
He told the BBC he was "very loyal to people called Eurosceptics in all parties", insisting "we're on the same side" and he had no doubt about remaining in UKIP.
The gathering in Doncaster is being dominated by the forthcoming referendum on the UK's future in Europe, with Mr Farage urging activists to seize the opportunity of the first public vote on Europe for more than 40 years.
The exact date of the referendum has yet to be announced and the official "in" and "out" campaigns and who will lead them have yet to be officially announced.
Speaking to delegates on Friday, Mr Farage appealed to his members to put "country before party" over the next two years and hailed a "show of unity" among anti-EU groups, who have formed Leave.eu to push for a UK exit.
Several of the disparate groups now joining forces within Leave.eu addressed the conference.
But Mr Carswell has suggested Business for Britain is a better vehicle to lead the "Out" campaign despite its not being part of Leave.eu and having yet to categorically commit itself to backing EU exit pending the outcome of Prime Minister David Cameron's negotiations with EU leaders.
Mr Carswell says Business for Britain's founders, who have links to the Conservatives, are "individuals with a proven track record of winning referendums".
The Clacton MP had an angry exchange of views on the matter with Arron Banks, a UKIP donor and leading light behind Leave.eu, at the conference.
It followed a claim in the Guardian that Mr Banks suggested Mr Carswell could face deselection from UKIP, if he endorsed a different eurosceptic campaign.
Mr Carswell dismissed comments made about him by Mr Banks that he was "borderline autistic" with mental illness, saying "politics can be a rough trade. I have a big chin and take it in my stride".
On the second day of their conference, UKIP have been making the case for reform to the UK voting system following May's election, in which it only won one seat despite getting nearly four million votes.
The party also announced that Peter Whittle will be its candidate for the 2016 London mayoral election while broadcaster Mike Read is among 11 candidates for the London Assembly. | Douglas Carswell has said UKIP must be willing to "work with anyone" to win the vote on the UK's future in Europe. |
35,211,626 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The hosts, 47 places above their opponents in the football pyramid, had only two shots on target throughout.
Substitute Memphis Depay curled just wide in the second half, but it looked like the visitors would earn a replay.
However, after Memphis was fouled inside the area, Rooney stepped up to score and send the hosts through.
Read about how the game unfolded
Reaction to Saturday's FA Cup third-round games
Just two weeks ago Louis van Gaal's future as Manchester United manager appeared to be in huge doubt.
The Red Devils had failed to win in seven games but, after surviving a 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Boxing Day, Van Gaal has overseen an improvement in both results and, in patches, performances.
After a combined 31 shots on goal in their last two games against Chelsea and Swansea, Manchester United seemed a livelier prospect, despite their plentiful possession still having no end product.
And, at Old Trafford on Saturday, Memphis fizzed an effort just wide in the second half, only for the home fans to burst into ironic cheers, rather than roar encouragement.
A drab draw against a League One side would likely have seen Van Gaal come under criticism once again, but Rooney's strike could give him some breathing space.
Back in 1990, Mark Robins scored a goal in the FA Cup for Manchester United that is said to have saved Sir Alex Ferguson from the sack.
Van Gaal may have just had his 'Robins moment'.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Sheffield United looked to have secured a lucrative replay at Bramall Lane but, as the game entered the 90th minute, Memphis broke into the area and fell as he was challenged by midfielder Dean Hammond.
His acrobatic reaction suggested the hosts may have got lucky when referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot, but replays showed there was limited contact.
"I thought it was a penalty but it was an absolute shocking performance from Manchester United," BBC Radio 5 live pundit Robbie Savage said.
"For me, Van Gaal, I'd get rid of him."
Two years ago Sheffield United reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and had forged a reputation as seasoned giant killers.
In recent years, they have beaten Aston Villa, West Ham and Southampton in cup competitions and, given the sense of unrest at Old Trafford, they will have fancied their chances of claiming a higher division scalp.
They had the game's first shot on target, which came in the 67th minute after Chris Basham fired straight at David De Gea, but retreated into their own half as they looked to keep Manchester United out and take the tie back to South Yorkshire.
That perhaps proved their undoing as the hosts pressed in the closing stages, leading to the moment when Memphis was brought down inside the box.
A little more conviction, and the result could have been different.
"There just seems to be an acceptance of bad performances," former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes told BT Sport.
"Every time you come to Old Trafford you see negative football."
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal: "You have to see also how the opponent is playing. Everybody shall give applause to Sheffield United. They were very organised but it is much more difficult to attack than to defend.
"Again a clean sheet is also the benefit of our organisation. I'm very disappointed that we are not creating too many chances, that we have to improve."
Sheffield United boss Nigel Adkins on BT Sport: "The players have worked extremely hard against superior opposition.
"The grit, desire and character gave the supporters something to cheer about. The supporters have got right behind the players and there is a togetherness at the football club."
Manchester United travel to Newcastle in the Premier League on Tuesday, while Sheffield United are back in League One action as they face 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan.
The draw for the FA Cup fourth round takes place on Monday and is live on The One Show on BBC One from 19:00 GMT.
Match ends, Manchester United 1, Sheffield United 0.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 1, Sheffield United 0.
Foul by Jesse Lingard (Manchester United).
Martyn Woolford (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Memphis Depay (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Chris Basham (Sheffield United).
Attempt blocked. Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Louis Reed.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Neill Collins (Sheffield United).
Goal! Manchester United 1, Sheffield United 0. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty Manchester United. Memphis Depay draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Dean Hammond (Sheffield United) after a foul in the penalty area.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Matt Done replaces Conor Sammon because of an injury.
Delay in match Conor Sammon (Sheffield United) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Memphis Depay (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Daley Blind.
Attempt blocked. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Anthony Martial (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Chris Basham (Sheffield United).
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Dean Hammond (Sheffield United).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) because of an injury.
Attempt blocked. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesse Lingard.
Daley Blind (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Conor Sammon (Sheffield United).
Foul by Memphis Depay (Manchester United).
Paul Coutts (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Sheffield United. Louis Reed replaces Jay McEveley because of an injury.
Substitution, Manchester United. Andreas Pereira replaces Marouane Fellaini.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Jay McEveley (Sheffield United) because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marouane Fellaini.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Martyn Woolford.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Dean Hammond.
Attempt saved. Matteo Darmian (Manchester United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Anthony Martial (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Dean Hammond (Sheffield United).
Attempt missed. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Daley Blind with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Paul Coutts. | Wayne Rooney scored a last-minute penalty as a poor Manchester United edged League One Sheffield United to reach the FA Cup fourth round. |
33,689,246 | Figures showed 95.2% of patients were seen and then admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.
The statistics for the week ending 19 July showed 10 of the 14 health boards met the target.
NHS Forth Valley was the poorest performing health board, with 83.9% of patients seen within the timeframe.
NHS Lanarkshire (94.1%), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (94.7%) and NHS Shetland (94.6%) narrowly missed the target.
A total of 56 patients spent more than eight hours in A&E while six people spent more than 12 hours in the department over the week.
The controversial 95% target was introduced by the Scottish government as a stepping stone towards its full target of 98% of patients being dealt with in four hours or less.
When weekly reporting started in February, only 86.1% of A&E patients were treated within four hours.
A spokeswoman for NHS Forth Valley said: "This was a difficult week with a number of particularly challenging days and we are very sorry that some patients experienced longer waits.
"While we met the four-hour A&E target the previous week and our emergency department waiting times have significantly improved in recent days, we recognise that we must do more to improve the consistency of our performance and work is already under way to address this."
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the figures were "encouraging".
She said: "Three quarters of core emergency departments are seeing over 95% of patients within four hours and the number of long waits across Scotland remains very low.
"The statistics published today show how important it is that the whole hospital, and the whole NHS and social care system, works together for the benefit of patients."
"Week to week these figures will fluctuate but our focus now will be to maintain this improving trend in performance going forward - particularly as we head towards winter." | A key waiting times target for Scotland's accident and emergency (A&E) departments has been met for a second week. |
34,792,915 | The 70-year-old received multiple wounds when he was attacked in Hythe Hill, Colchester, Essex, at 17:40 GMT on Tuesday.
Officers are searching for a tall white man who was wearing camouflage trousers and a green top.
The victim is undergoing surgery for his injuries, which are described as life changing.
He was taken to Colchester Hospital and was later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he is in a critical condition.
Detective Inspector Jim White, of Essex Police, said the motive behind the attack is not known.
"We believe the weapon may have been discarded.
"We are asking residents in the Hythe, New Town or Military Road areas to be vigilant and would ask them to check their bins and gardens.
"If they find a knife, blade, or blood stained clothing, they are asked to contact us immediately," he said. | An elderly man has been left fighting for his life after being stabbed outside his home, police have said. |
32,934,928 | In 1932, Amelia Earhart took off from Newfoundland in Canada in a bid to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
She hoped to land in Paris, but bad weather and technical problems altered her course and instead, after a flight lasting almost 15 hours, she landed near Londonderry in the Gallagher family's field.
Mrs Gallagher would speak to the BBC three years later to tell of what happened on that hot Saturday afternoon when their uninvited transatlantic visitor dropped in with no money or luggage.
That interview has been unearthed by Time of Our Lives, a BBC Radio Ulster programme about the life stories, experiences and ambitions of older people in Northern Ireland.
While the recording is not of the highest quality, it is still clear enough to get a good picture of what happened when a family was sitting out in the garden "on one of those lovely hot afternoons that you sometimes get in May".
She describes how they saw a plane circling very low over their house before landing in a big field at the back of the house.
While her husband and children raced towards the plane along with some farm workers, Mrs Gallagher was as unflappable as the pioneering aviator.
"The afternoon was hot and I felt lazy, so I'm afraid I didn't pay very much attention to it - I was too comfortable where I was," she said.
"The first farmhand who got to the aeroplane saw that there was a woman in it and asked her where she'd come from - she said 'America'.
"I didn't know about this until afterwards, so my curiosity got the better of me after a minute or two and I went up to the plane as well.
"Standing beside it was a tousled-headed girl in trousers and leather coat. She didn't seem at all excited."
After her long journey, the only thing Ms Earhart wanted was a telephone to tell her husband she had landed safely.
While she was heading to call her husband, Mrs Gallagher said she went to cook her a meal and it turned out to be a good decision.
"She said she hadn't had anything but tomato juice since she'd left America," she said.
"We asked her to stay with us until she was ready to go on again, and she said she would so long as we didn't mind her clothes - she had nothing but what she stood up in.
"In fact she had literally no luggage of any kind with her whatever, and no money either - but my husband was able to fix that."
Looking back on that afternoon, Mrs Gallagher said she "thoroughly enjoyed having our very unexpected guest".
"I can still hear her nice matter-of-fact voice saying about her flight, as though it had been rather a long motor drive on a cold day."
In the same year that Mrs Gallagher gave her eyewitness account of her encounter with Ms Earhart, the aviator became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu to Oakland, California.
In 1937, she set herself the challenge of being the first woman to fly around the world.
This challenge, however, would prove too great and she disappeared after taking off from Lae New Guinea, bound for Howland Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
A rescue attempt lasted 17 days and scoured more than 250,000 square miles of ocean, but she was never found.
The aviator remains a household name in the US, and an airport in her home state of Kansas was named in her honour.
In March 2012, a similar bid to rename City of Derry Airport after her was rejected when local politicians could not agree.
Time of Our Lives is broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle at 14:03 BST on Sunday | Northern Ireland's unlikely part in aviation history is being revisited in a startling archive radio interview with one of the first people on the scene. |
34,713,781 | Another Eastern European appeared in court on Tuesday charged with attempted murder and with having a knife.
Laisvydas Maleckas, who is 28 and with an address at Boat Street in Newry, denies the charges.
His solicitor said his client was not arrested at the scene but had gone voluntarily to Armagh PSNI station when he heard police were looking for him.
He said he had been shocked to discover that he was to be charged with attempted murder.
Armagh Magistrates Court was told that the injured man had been critically ill when he reached hospital, but that an operation yesterday to remove blood clots from his chest had left him in a more stable condition.
Bail was refused and the defendant will appear in court again next month. | The police believe an Eastern European man stabbed in Armagh on Sunday night was taking part in a prearranged fight. |
32,961,140 | The new book, titled Grey, tells the story through the eyes of sadistic billionaire Christian Grey.
James said that since the publication of the original novel in 2011 "thousands of readers" had written to her requesting to hear Christian's point of view.
Grey will be published on 18 June - the date of the character's birthday.
Fifty Shades of Grey told the story of the steamy relationship between Grey and "unworldly, innocent" literature student, Anastasia Steele.
It was followed by two sequels - Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed - with the trilogy achieving worldwide sales of more than 125m.
On the opening page of the new novel, James writes, "This book is dedicated to those readers who asked… and asked… and asked… and asked for this."
Monday's official announcement said the author would offer her fans "the opportunity to see the world of Fifty Shades anew through the eyes of its intriguing and enigmatic protagonist".
"Christian is a complex character," said James, "and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past.
"Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story. It's been a great pleasure to return to my happy place - writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic publishing teams in the US and the UK."
The film adaptation of Fifty Shades Of Grey, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, hit cinemas earlier this year starring Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele.
James's husband Niall Leonard is set to write the sequel, after reports of disagreements between the author and her collaborators on the first film. | Author EL James has announced that she has written a new version of her erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey. |
39,987,338 | After avoiding a run-off with a 57% outright victory over his main rival, Mr Rouhani said he respected his opponents' right to criticise him.
Mr Rouhani, 68, supports the landmark deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme.
The decisive victory gives him a strong mandate to seek reforms and revive the country's ailing economy, analysts say.
"The Iranian nation has chosen the path of interaction with the world, a path which is distant from extremism and violence," Mr Rouhani said in his first speech after the victory, broadcast on state television.
"The election is now over. I am the president of the nation and need assistance from every single Iranian, even those who oppose me and my policies."
Mr Rouhani also thanked former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, apparently defying a media ban on citing the ex-leader's name.
Turnout in the election was unexpectedly high, at about 70%.
And this is thought to have helped Mr Rouhani, who received close to 23 million votes out of the 40 million that were cast.
His main challenger, former prosecutor Ebrahim Raisi received 38.5%, or 15.7 million votes, which was not enough to take the election to a second round.
On Twitter, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the election had showed the "increasing progress" of the "Iranian nation".
Mr Khamenei said Iran would demonstrate "national dignity" and "wisdom" in relations with other countries. But he did not congratulate Mr Rouhani for his victory.
There were celebrations in the capital, Tehran, with young people singing and dancing in the central Vali Asr Square, despite efforts by police to move them, the AFP news agency reported.
The economy seems to be the number one issue.
Average Iranians say they do not feel the economic benefits after international sanctions were lifted as a result of a nuclear deal signed between Iran, the US and other countries in 2015.
While oil exports have rebounded and inflation is back at single-digits, unemployment remains high, especially among young people.
Mr Rouhani also promised a moderate vision and an outward-looking Iran and, at rallies, openly attacked the conservative-dominated judiciary and security services.
But Mr Rouhani's own powers are limited by those of Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the last say on many crucial and strategic issues.
Another challenge, experts say, comes from abroad, and relations with the new US government under President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump opposes the nuclear deal which eased sanctions on the Middle Eastern country, describing it as the "worst deal ever".
But, despite the objections, the White House renewed the agreement earlier this week.
Iran's hardliners had pulled out all the stops and mobilised all their resources to bring out as many people as possible to grab the last centre of power in Iran that was not under their control, namely the executive branch.
Sensing an effort by the hardliners, supporters of President Rouhani who back his promises to steer the country toward moderation came out in big numbers too. Turnout has been unprecedented. In Tehran, five million people turned out to vote - twice as many as in 2013.
This was a revenge of the people against the hardliners who intimidated them, jailed them, executed them, drove them to exile, pushed them out of their jobs, and discriminated against women.
President Rouhani will now have a bigger mandate to push through his reforms, to put an end to extremism, to build bridges with the outside world, to put the economy back on track.
Iranians have said a resounding Yes to President Rouhani who, in recent years and particularly during the last several weeks of campaigning, promised to expand individual and political freedoms and make all those centres of power, like the Revolutionary Guard, accountable.
The results were announced as Mr Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia, Iran's biggest regional rival, for his first foreign trip as president.
In Riyadh, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he hoped Mr Rouhani would use his new term to "dismantle a network of terrorism and end [its] ballistic missile programme".
But Iran denies any involvement in terrorism and says its missile programme, which has recently been targeted by Mr Trump with new sanctions, does not breach UN resolutions.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir described the election as a "domestic matter", and said Iran was meddling in Arab countries and providing support for the extremist group al-Qaeda.
Meanwhile, the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, congratulated Mr Rouhani for the "strong mandate received" and said that Europe was ready to work for better "engagement" and "regional peace". | Moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said his re-election shows voters reject extremism and want more links with the outside world. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.