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39,333,386 | Numbers of elephants in the wild are still falling; it's estimated 100 of them are killed by poachers every day for their tusks to meet the continuing demand for ivory.
There are now only around 415,000 African elephants across the continent, down from as many as five million a century ago, according to global campaign group WWF (formerly known as the World Wide Fund for Nature).
While the worldwide sale of new ivory was outlawed in 1989, the animals are still being slaughtered to fuel an illegal trade led by continuing demand in China.
So what exactly is Mr Heerma van Voss, a 48-year-old Dutchman, doing to help protect the African elephant? He sells seeds.
Yes, you read that correctly, but these aren't any old seeds, they are instead rather special ones from South America called tagua.
They are the off-white coloured seeds of six species of palm trees. They can reach up to 9cm (3.5 inches) in length and when dried become very hard indeed. So hard in fact that they are also known as "vegetable ivory".
And like ivory, tagua can be polished and carved, and turned into ornate carvings or jewellery.
From his base in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, Mr Heerma van Voss's company Naya Nayon has been exporting tagua for 16 years, and he says that sales are booming.
He now sells to 70 countries, including China, Japan and Singapore, as tagua grows in popularity as an alternative to ivory.
And with China pledging to end its domestic trade in elephant tusks by the end of this year, Mr van Voss is hopeful that demand is going to jump even further.
Using tagua as a substitute for ivory is nothing new. Indeed exports to Europe began in the 19th Century in order to meet the demand for an ivory-like raw material. This was used to produce ornamental items such as buttons, chess pieces, and decorative handles for canes.
In fact, the scientific name for the six species of palm trees that produce tagua is Phytelephas, which means elephant plant, a nod to the ivory-like quality of the seeds.
However, tagua fell into obscurity, so much so that Mr Heerma van Voss had never heard of it when he first visited Ecuador in 2000.
Very much liking the country he decided to stay and set up a business, launching Naya Nayon to make and export wooden furniture. Then a year later he had a phone call.
"In the beginning of 2001, a France-based British lady contacted me if I could supply hand carved tagua figurines," he says.
"Anyhow, you listen to clients to make a company work. So I did it, and I started to like the tagua and slowly it took off.
"I always joke that I am a forced ecologist, but I actually really like this product."
Mr Heerma van Voss now sells $200,000 (£160,000) worth of tagua per year that he buys from farmers. He and his four members of staff dry and slice the seeds ready to be turned into jewellery, with France being his largest market.
The sliced tagua typically retails for $30 a kg, while the raw seeds sell for $6 a kg. By contrast, a kilogramme of ivory is worth as much as $1,100 in China.
While Mr Heerma van Voss is preparing for a big upturn in exports to China, tagua does face two hurdles in the country.
Firstly, even the longest tagua seeds are much shorter than the average elephant tusk, which limits the size of the ornaments that can be made from the material. And secondly, it lacks ivory's exclusivity.
Hongxiang Huang, a Chinese journalist and anti-ivory campaigner, explains: "As people become wealthier they want to buy luxury items, and ivory is one of the many things that people desire. This is the situation in China."
For buyers wanting an alternative to elephant ivory that still comes from a mammal but is ethically sourced, the answer comes from under the frozen Siberian tundra in the north east of Russia.
It may sound bizarre, but the tusks from woolly mammoths that died tens of thousands of years ago are mined on a regular basis. While official figures are not available, an estimated 60 tonnes of mammoth ivory is harvested each year.
Mammoth ivory sold for an average $350 a kg in 2014, according to the charity Save the Elephants. This is about a third of the price of elephant ivory, but giant mammoth tusks in good condition can fetch far more.
John Frederick Walker, an expert on ivory, says: "Master carvers tend to prefer elephant ivory because fresh elephant ivory is easier to carve.
"But in fact, you can make wonderful things from mammoth ivory."
Yet with tagua far easier to get hold of than mammoth ivory, and considerably cheaper, it is the South American seeds that is increasingly being used by jewellers, and not the Siberian tusks.
Marion Andron is co-owner of French jewellers Nodova, which sold more than 300,000 euros ($320,000; £256,000) of tagua jewellery last year.
Ms Andron, 27, travels to Ecuador twice a year to oversee the production of the tagua that is done by seven local women at a cooperative.
While Nodova's largest markets are France and the UK, it sells to stores across Asia and Ms Andron says that the forthcoming blanket ban on ivory sales in China offers a huge opportunity.
"I think tagua has helped diminish the demand for animal ivory, and I honestly don't think someone today can be ignorant about the slaughter of elephants with all the media coverage," she says. | Onno Heerma van Voss jokes that he never intended to be a conservationist, but he is helping to save the African elephant. |
37,001,743 | The former Juventus and Italy boss has been tasked with reviving Chelsea, who won the Premier League in 2014-15 but finished 10th last season.
Conte, 47, was signed by local club Lecce as a 13-year-old.
"Lecce bought me and one of my team-mates, Sandro Morello, for eight footballs and three of them were flat," Conte told the Mail on Sunday.
"My first team was called Juventina. My father was the owner, the coach, the kit man and everything else.
"He was my first master. In that period, my father was very tough - and especially with me."
Conte also revealed that he is close with former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Premier League and FA Cup with the club in 2010.
"Carlo told me about the club. We spoke about people who work there," said Conte, who was managed by Ancelotti at Juventus.
Conte added that club captain John Terry will continue to be a crucial part of his plans, despite the defender considering leaving the club last season.
"In every team there are some players with great experience, and this experience counts, if you play but also if you don't play," said Conte.
"John is a god example during the training sessions. He has the right attitude and the right behaviour."
Chelsea open their Premier League campaign at home to West Ham on Monday, 15 August.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has revealed that his first transfer fee was eight footballs and £100. |
30,316,117 | The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals granted the reprieve less than eight hours before killer Scott Panetti was due to receive a lethal injection.
His lawyers had argued he was too delusional to be executed and sought a delay so his competency can be tested.
Panetti was convicted in the fatal shootings of his in-laws in 1992.
The US Supreme Court in 2002 prohibited the execution of the mentally impaired, but have allowed it for mentally ill inmates with a rational understanding.
A number of conservatives leaders had joined the fight to save Panetti's life, writing a letter asking Texas Governor Rick Perry to commute the death sentence to life in prison.
"As conservatives, we must be on guard that such an extraordinary government sanction not be used against a person who is mentally incapable of rational thought," according to the letter.
"It would be immoral for the government to take this man's life."
Ellen Stewart-Klein, an assistant Texas attorney general, meanwhile told that appeals court Panetti's medical records "strongly indicate rational awareness of his impending execution and the reason for it".
"Panetti's mental status has at best been severely exaggerated by his counsel," she added.
On Monday, in a separate appeal to halt the lethal injection, Panetti's lawyers told the US Supreme Court the Texas inmate was severely mentally ill "before, during and after the crime for which he has been sentenced to death".
Panetti was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1978 and hospitalised more than a dozen times before killing Joe and Amanda Alvarado.
"Imposition of the death penalty on people with severe mental illness, as with people with intellectual disability, does not serve the two goals of deterrence and retribution because of their reduced moral culpability," his lawyers told the court.
The Supreme Court added a provision mandating that an inmate have a rational understanding of why he was being put to death in 2007 under a previous appeal from Panetti.
His case has gone to the high court for review at least five times since his 1995 conviction, records show. | A US appeals court has halted the execution of a schizophrenic Texas inmate who was due to be put to death on Wednesday. |
37,907,036 | The guild was set up after World war Two to take cinema to remote locations, giving many people their first experience of seeing the world depicted on the screen.
Their visits were loved by many, but at times they generated controversy.
After securing funding to record the history of the service, the academics will try to recreate the atmosphere of a 1940s show with a screening at this week's Inverness Film Festival.
During World War Two, the Ministry of Information started sending film projectionists teams around the Highlands and Islands to show newsreels in village halls and other locations.
Although this was for propaganda purposes they proved popular. When the conflict was over the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society suggested setting up a similar scheme to show a wider range of programmes, including entertainment films and cartoons, in the hope that this cultural offering would help stem depopulation.
Screenings of 16mm films were held in village halls, schools and even army huts.
There was often no electricity supply and the projectionists had to cope with various technical challenges as well as the difficulties of travelling to remote locations with all their equipment.
The service was publicly funded showing films that were both educational and entertaining, but the service folded due to financial difficulties in 1971.
Dr Ian Goode, a lecturer in film and television studies at the University of Glasgow, is leading the team of academics who are working on the three-year research project.
"These heroic individuals went around not just in the summer but in the winter as well to take their film shows to communities," he said.
"There are tales of films being lost overboard on journeys to locations like North Ronaldsay in Orkney.
"There were all kinds of tales about agriculture intruding on the shows such as livestock chewing through power cables.
"The struggle to put on the film shows in whatever spaces were available and the journeys the operators undertook to take the cinema to these communities add to its appeal and the extent to which it is remembered fondly.
"The venues were not very warm and not very comfortable yet people still went along willingly because they knew they would enjoy the film show.
"They were prepared to sit in the cold on hard benches. It was along way from the picture palace of the city."
Dr Goode added: "We want to build an oral history of people's memories who can remember the Highlands and Islands Film Guild while they are still with us and secure their memories for the future.
"The lifespan of the guild running as it did from 1946 to 1971 gives us a chance to assess the first moment of the arrival of film as a medium in these areas and then to assess its decline as other leisure choices became available and the spectre of television appeared on the horizon."
A wide variety of films were shown which were often aimed at a family audience. There would be Laurel and Hardy classics as well as contemporary hits like James Bond films.
The guild also tried to show films they thought would particularly appeal to audiences in the Highlands and Islands. Whisky Galore was put on for this reason and was said to have generated record receipts.
For younger people it would have been their first experience of film and it would have been a real treat for children to go along.
However, the film guild and their projectionists were not always seen in a positive light.
Dr Goode said: "If possible we are also interested in trying to find out about the resistance to the appearance of film in communities.
"There is evidence to suggest that certain families were resistant to it and prevented their children from attending. We also understand that there was opposition from certain areas of the church.
"There is mention of a minister on Scalpay on Harris walking along the queue of people waiting to get into a film show trying to persuade them out of going in to watch the films.
"We want to build up as complete and comprehensive a picture of the response to the film guild as we can. The fondly remembered narratives but also the other side of the story as well."
On Friday from 18:00, a special film guild programme is being put on as part of the Inverness Film Festival at Eden Court, in Inverness, using 16mm projector and 16mm film.
The organisers hope to recreate as close as they can a Highlands and Islands Film Guild programme from the late 1940s.
Dr Goode said: "The room won't be cold and the seats will be more comfortable but we hope to evoke something and get people to come along a share their memories with us." | A group of academics are recording people's memories of the "heroic" film projectionists of the Highlands and Islands Film Guild and the screenings they put on in make-shift venues across the region. |
15,481,301 | Only 61.5% of shareholders in Chelsea Pitch Owners voted in favour of selling the freehold for the club's Stamford Bridge stadium back to the club.
Approval of 75% of the shareholders was needed to pass the proposal.
CPO acquired the freehold to the stadium in 1997 to protect Stamford Bridge from developers should the club run into financial difficulties.
Chelsea had wanted to buy the stadium in order to facilitate a possible move to a new stadium and redevelopment of the site.
However, many fans opposed the move from the club's current location where it has been based for more than a century.
"Chelsea FC is naturally disappointed with the result. While we will remain as ambitious as ever, this decision could slow down our progress," the club said in a statement.
The club maintains no decision has been made on a move, even if the club does buy the stadium.
The club feels that Stamford Bridge's current capacity of 42,000 puts Chelsea at a financial disadvantage compared with rivals such as Arsenal whose new stadium holds 60,000. | Chelsea have lost a vote to buy back their own stadium from a group owned by their fans. |
26,712,368 | Forest have been in talks with Neil Warnock and were expected to announce the former Leeds United boss as their new manager on Monday afternoon.
Warnock, 65, is still in the frame and his former captain at Leeds, Lee Peltier, has been signed by the Reds.
But Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi said he must "stress the need for patience".
Academy manager Gary Brazil will be in charge for Tuesday's Championship game against Charlton.
Al Hasawi, who has lifted all bans on media at the club, said in a statement on the Forest website: "I am aware many people expect me to announce a new manager imminently, however I must stress the need for patience as I make the important decision of who takes the reins at this crucial stage of the season.
"I will keep our supporters informed of any developments, but in the meantime I ask everyone to get behind our academy manager Gary Brazil until a permanent appointment is made."
Davies, 49, was appointed Reds boss for a second time in February 2013, but was fired in the wake of Saturday's 5-0 defeat against rivals Derby County.
The result left Forest a place and two points outside the Championship play-offs after an eight-game winless run.
Warnock has been out of work since leaving Leeds in April 2013.
Davies and his staff did not turn up for training at the Championship club on Monday, fuelling speculation that the Scot had been fired overnight and would be replaced by Warnock, who met with Forest's owners on Sunday.
Davies only signed a four-year contract extension at the City Ground in October 2013, eight months after re-joining the club.
Forest narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs last term and have not finished in the top six since 2011, during Davies's first spell at the club.
He was first hired as Forest manager in December 2008 and twice led them to the play-offs, only to miss out on promotion to the Premier League by losing in the semi-finals on both occasions.
Davies was sacked in June 2011 and replaced by Steve McClaren.
McClaren, the former Middlesbrough and England manager, is now in charge at Derby and masterminded the 5-0 win over Forest at the weekend.
Forest have not won in the league in the seven games since they beat Huddersfield on 11 February, and were also knocked out of the FA Cup by League One side Sheffield United.
You can have your say on the managerial situation at Nottingham Forest on BBC Radio Nottingham's football phone-in Matchtalk from 18:00-19:00 GMT on Monday. | Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Billy Davies but say they will not be making a quick decision about the Scot's replacement. |
35,159,707 | While Monmouthshire spent 11.23% of its adult social care budget on mental health in 2014/15, Blaenau Gwent spent 2.35%, the party claimed.
Overall, councils spent 4.7% of those budgets on mental health in 2014/15, compared to 5.2% in 2012/13.
Council leaders said mental health spending was rising in cash terms, but not as much as other social services.
Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams said: "With demand in mental health services rising year after year, and mental health conditions becoming more understood and treatable, you would expect the proportion of social care money spent on these services to rise.
"To see the opposite happening across Wales is worrying.
"What's even more concerning is seeing the huge variation in council spend on mental health.
"Demand in different areas of Wales can't be as different as these figures make them out to be."
A spokesman for the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said: "Councils are having to manage increased public demand for services at the same time that the funds available to run services have been subject to an unprecedented level of cuts."
But he also accused the Lib Dems of a "misleading interpretation" of the statistics, saying spending on mental health services was still rising in cash terms - up by £5m between 2011/12 to 2014/15 - but not increasing as much as spending on other social services.
A Welsh government spokesman said: "The mental health needs placed on social care budgets are demand led and the percentage breakdown would not be the same in every local authority area every year."
He added that the figures did not include mental health spending by the NHS, which was higher than any other part of the health service at more than £600m for 2015/16. | "Huge variations" in council spending on mental health are worrying, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have said. |
36,935,281 | Baroness Altmann, who left her post in Theresa May's reshuffle, said the policy had "outlived its purpose".
Since 2010, the "triple-lock" policy has meant that pensions rise by the inflation rate, average earnings or 2.5%, whichever is highest.
The government has said there are no plans to review the policy.
In an interview with The Observer, Lady Altmann said the cost of the triple lock would become "enormous" after 2020 and that dropping it would ensure billions of pounds could be spent on better causes.
"The triple lock is a political construct, a totemic policy that is easy for politicians to trumpet, but from a pure policy perspective keeping it forever doesn't make sense," she said, arguing instead for a "double lock" whereby the state pension increases in line with either prices or earnings.
Lady Altmann told the paper she had lobbied the former Prime Minister David Cameron last year to alter the policy, but he had blocked the change for political reasons.
In their 2015 election manifesto, the Conservatives promised to extend the triple lock until 2020.
Last month, in the run-up to the EU referendum, Mr Cameron said that pensioner benefits, which cost £90bn every year, were a "policy priority" but might have to be re-examined in a post-Brexit climate.
She said: "Absolutely we must protect pensioner incomes, but the 2.5% bit doesn't make sense.
"If, for example, we went into a period of deflation where everything, both earnings and prices, was falling then putting pensions up 2.5% is a bit out of all proportion.
"Politically nobody had the courage to stand up and say we have done what we needed to do," she added.
"The cost of the triple lock on the public finances from 2020 onwards is enormous. And if you reduce it to a double lock you save billions of pounds."
The triple lock had "fulfilled it purpose" and pensioner households were now "no more likely to be poor than other age groups", she said.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said Lady Altmann had no bearing on policy and "we have no plans to review it".
"This is just speculation on her part and we don't comment on speculation," the spokeswoman added.
Age UK responded by saying that that triple lock was important because it provided older people with financial security.
"It's also necessary to see the bigger picture: ‎research shows that the State Pension is still the largest single source of income for most older people in the UK, with the vast majority having contributed to it throughout their long working lives," said Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK.
"1.6 million older people still live in poverty in the UK; and our State Pension is worth appreciably less than its equivalent in many other developed countries," she added.
Analysis: Simon Gompertz, personal finance correspondent
It doesn't take a genius to predict that the days of the triple lock may be numbered.
The Tories fought the last election on a commitment to keep it going, but that commitment only stands until 2020.
And of course David Cameron famously warned before the referendum that a victory for Leave would put the whole thing in question.
The reason is that in a low inflation environment, promising to raise the State Pension by at least 2.5% a year adds many billions to the cost of the system over decades.
A double lock isn't the only alternative. The lock could be scrapped completely. Or the government could consider a triple lock "lite" under which the guarantee of a minimum increase was drastically reduced.
Plus, there is another scenario, in which inflation - and perhaps wages — start to rise rapidly as a result of the drop in sterling and never look back.
In that scenario, a double lock would be just as generous as a triple lock. | A guarantee that pensions should rise by at least 2.5% should be dropped from 2020, a former pensions minister has said. |
32,863,341 | Jed Allen, 21, is thought to be a relative of the victims found in Vicarage Road, Didcot on Saturday.
University Parks in Oxford, where police, have focussed their search, has been closed.
A 48-year-old woman, a man aged 44 and girl, six, were found at the house at about 20:20 BST.
The three, who were members of the same family, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Det Supt Chris Ward, of Thames Valley Police, said Mr Allen was believed to be related to the family. He is also known to police and local to the area.
The public have been warned not to approach him.
Armed officers, police with riot gear and sniffer dogs are involved in the search for Mr Allen, who formerly worked as a university groundskeeper.
An Oxford University spokeswoman confirmed that University Parks had been closed at the request of Thames Valley Police.
Mr Allen is described as being 6ft (1.82m) tall, of large build, with a tattoo of a spider on his left hand.
The deaths are being treated as suspicious but no arrests have been made, police said.
At the scene in University Parks: Stuart Tinworth, BBC Oxford
We have seen a dozen police with riot shields. A huge amount of media have descended.
We are standing on a footpath - clearly visible are police who are armed.
The park has been closed all day. I've seen dozens of people turned away who were coming to use the park. News has spread quickly and people are very shocked.
There are iron railings lining the park. The police have all of the gates secured with officers.
The biggest police presence is at the South Lodge Gate and this is attracting the most attention from members of the public.
Det Supt Ward said: "It's very important we locate him as quickly as we can.
"I do not believe there are any dangers to the wider community of Oxfordshire. However, given the nature of what we are dealing with, it's important that we find him as quickly and as safely as possible."
He said the families of the victims had been informed and were being cared for by specialist officers.
Post-mortem examinations are due to take place later to determine the cause of death but police said they did not believe a gun was involved.
Det Supt Ward said there would be a number of searches in Didcot and Oxfordshire in the hunt for Mr Allen.
"I appreciate that's difficult for people and, while I want to reassure them, they will see a number of police officers and a lot of overt activity in relation to that," he added.
Police said a neighbour first called officers to the house, where the family is believed to have lived for about two months.
Vicarage Road is currently closed with access to residents only.
Sheila Welch, who lives on the street, said: "They are new neighbours and had only been here a couple of months - I don't know their names.
"I used to see them - a lovely mother and a little girl. They always looked so happy."
Ms Welch said she was first alerted when police descended on the quiet residential road, adding there were "just sirens and police cars".
"All I can say is that I am very upset - it is all very traumatic," she added.
Thames Valley Police is appealing for anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the street on Saturday evening to contact the force or Crimestoppers. | A man wanted in connection with the deaths of a man, woman and young girl found at a house in Oxfordshire is being hunted by armed police. |
38,669,338 | The festival will feature more than 310 separate events, showcasing 180 films from 38 countries.
These will include nine world and international premieres, three European premieres and 65 UK premieres.
The festival will run in cinemas and pop-up venues, such as the Snow Factor at Braehead, from 15-26 February.
The opening night of the festival will feature the European premiere of John Butler's Irish coming-of-age film Handsome Devil.
It will close with the world premiere of Mad To Be Normal, starring David Tennant as infamous Scottish psychiatrist R D Laing.
The festival will also showcase the world premiere of Benny, the story of local hero Benny Lynch, widely considered the greatest boxer Scotland has ever produced.
Another sports film is Celtic Soul, in which Canadian actor-filmmaker Jay Baruchel embarks on an epic trip to Celtic FC's Parkhead stadium to see his beloved Hoops in action.
European premieres include road movie Folk Hero & Funny Guy starring US indie favourites David Cross and Alex Karpovsky, and Steven Ellison's directorial debut Kuso, featuring exclusive new tracks from Aphex Twin and Thundercat.
There are UK premieres for Raoul Peck's I Am Not Your Negro, Terrence Malick's Voyage of Time: Life's Journey, Cate Shortland's Berlin Syndrome and Aki Kaurismäki s The Other Side of Hope.
Films to get their first Scottish screenings include Paul Verhoeven's Golden Globe-winning Elle, Ben Wheatley's Free Fire, Lone Scherfig's Their Finest, Olivier Assayas's Personal Shopper and Edinburgh-based filmmaker Hope Dickson Leach's The Levelling.
Bodkin Ras, filmed in the Scottish Highlands and featuring a cast of non-professional actors from Forres, will get its Scottish premiere at the festival.
End of the Game, David Graham Scott's look at what happens when the vegan filmmaker develops an unlikely bond with an ageing hunter from the Caithness moors, is also in the line-up of Scottish talent at the festival.
Famous faces expected to attend the festival in February include David Tennant, Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Ben Wheatley (High Rise).
Veteran director Terence Davies (Sunset Song) will introduce the Scottish premiere of A Quiet Passion.
The festival has made a name for itself with its pop-up events and this year it has a screening of John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi horror The Thing on the Snow Factor's real snow slope.
The new Barras Art and Design centre will show steamy Cajun noir classic The Big Easy and Dirty Dancing at Òran Mór will include a dance workshop and performance by award-winning ballroom dancers Tibro Poc and Hilary Mouat.
Previously announced special events include a family-fun screening of The Princess Bride complete with live sword fighting and a late-night screening of The Lost Boys at a secret location.
Allison Gardner, Glasgow Film Festival co-director, said: "I love the delight that audiences take from our special events.
"There are some absolutely brilliant experiences this year and I can't wait to feel the blood chill and the audience shiver as we head to Snow Factor for The Thing or revel in Cajun culture when The Big Easy screens at the Barras Art and Design."
Tickets go on sale to Glasgow Film Festival members at noon on Thursday 19 January and on general sale at 10:00 on Monday 23 January. | The full programme for the 13th annual Glasgow Film Festival has been announced, including a screening at an indoor real snow ski slope. |
38,838,227 | The local authority has said it could increase Council Tax by 2.5% - adding an extra £28.50 to a Band 'D' property - to generate £3m.
The council's funding is being reduced by 4.54%, compared with a national average reduction of 4.8%.
The council said it "may result in a reduction in employee numbers".
The authority has said it hoped to delay recruitment to currently vacant posts and help avoid compulsory redundancies.
Councillors will meet to set their budget on Thursday 9 February.
It comes after the council said it had received the third lowest funding settlement from the Scottish government, which was £7.4m less than in 2016.
Aberdeenshire has been allocated £394m in revenue and £30.7m towards capital expenditure.
It said that together with income from Council Tax, non-domestic rates and other charges, the council was expected to set a budget to deliver local services worth £540m and continue its ambitious capital programme of building new schools, leisure centres and roads projects.
Among the savings being considered alongside a council tax rise are a review of the school transport network, streamlining waste collection routes and less frequent cleaning of bus shelters. | Aberdeenshire Council has warned it needs to make more than £24m of budget savings which could see a 2.5% council tax rise. |
40,442,665 | The project will use software that can check the distribution of force during everyday activity on prosthetics fitted under the knee.
The study is looking for people with a prosthetic leg fitting under the knee who are able to walk unaided.
PhD student Giulia Zedda said it could lead to adjustments that will improve the overall comfort of patients.
Participants will have an hour of testing, during which they will walk 10m (33ft) at normal speed over the course of the session.
Ms Zedda said: "The prosthetic fitting is one of the most important processes in the treatment of amputees.
"The purpose of this study is to provide more information about how the prosthetic works for the patient in both stationary and moving states.
"The results of this project will provide useful information to clinicians and amputees during prosthetic fitting in clinical practice and for better physiotherapy rehabilitation." | Leg amputees are being sought for a Dundee University study aimed at improving prosthetics. |
35,218,281 | The 25-year-old was nurtured by Steve Borthwick when the recently appointed Red Rose forwards coach was captain at the Premiership club.
Sarries director of rugby Mark McCall has described Kruis as a "shoo-in" for the opener in Scotland on 6 February.
"If I do get selected it would be off my own back," said Kruis.
"Steve was a mentor for me definitely. When you play for five years alongside a player like that you learn a few things off him. But he is another coach and that is the way it is.
"There will be no favouritism and I would not want it to be like that."
Kruis has already won 10 caps, the last coming against Uruguay at the World Cup in September.
The 6ft 6in-player was named man-of-the-match in Saracens' 26-6 victory over Leicester on Saturday - a match watched by Borthwick. | Saracens second row George Kruis does not want "favouritism" to be a factor if he is selected by England for their Six Nations campaign. |
37,203,796 | The pilots spotted the sign drawn into sand on East Fayu Island in Micronesia and alerted the US Coast Guard.
It followed a week-long search for Linus and Sabina Jack, both in their 50s, who were reported missing when they failed to reach a nearby island.
The couple left Weno Island with limited supplies and no emergency equipment, the Navy said.
Teams looking for the couple searched 16,571 square miles, deploying 15 boats and two aircraft crews.
A helicopter was sent to fly over East Fayu after a search vessel, British Mariner, reported seeing lights on the uninhabited island.
"The Search and Rescue Operation for Linus and Sabina Jack has been successfully completed," said the US Embassy in Kolonia, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia.
"They are found and are waiting for a ship to take them home."
It is the second such case this year in the region.
In April, three men were rescued from the tiny, uninhabited Micronesian island of Fanadik, after their boat capsized two miles from shore.
The men used palm fronds to make a giant 'Help' sign in the sand and used their lifejackets to signal.
They were rescued by a US Navy search team after three days.
Make a sign: Writing in the sand worked in this case, but if there are large palm fronds, tree branches or even trunks, they will be more visible and more likely to survive an incoming tide.
Find a water source: Drinkable water is more important than anything else, without it you will die within days. Use any kind of container you can find or make to store rainwater, and large leaves to help catch as much as possible. Inland streams may provide a fresh water source.
Find food: A desert island can be a plentiful source of food, as long as you take some basic precautions. Cook seafood and meat thoroughly, and test food that might be poisonous against the back of your hand or outer lip, to see if it produces a reaction.
Build a shelter: Staying off the ground is important, to avoid snakes. Build your shelter in a clearing and cover it well - you may be on a tropical island but being soaked by rain can lead to hypothermia. If you can salvage any kind of netting, use it to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
Avoid injury: Treating yourself for a wound is usually much harder than avoiding one in the first place, especially if it turns septic. If you can salvage or make shoes, do so. Try to avoid walking around in bare feet or taking unnecessary risks. | Two people have been rescued from an uninhabited Pacific island after a US Navy helicopter spotted their SOS sign. |
30,608,492 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The striker, 21, took his goal tally to 13 for the season with some clinical finishing to give new Albion boss Tony Pulis a win in his first home game.
Victor Anichebe, Chris Brunt and James Morrison also found the net.
Conference outfit Gateshead had managed to hold Albion for 42 minutes before they conceded.
Media playback is not supported on this device
The last time Albion faced a non-league side was in 1994 when they were beaten 2-1 by Halifax Town, and for most of the first half of this contest the Premier League side were far from convincing.
Pulis, who replaced Alan Irvine as head coach earlier this week, vacated his seat in the stands for the dugout and shortly afterwards his side found their stride and effectively ended the match as a contest with two quick goals before the interval.
A scramble inside the Gateshead box from a Chris Brunt free-kick led to the ball falling kindly for Berahino, who controlled a shot through a crowded area high into the net.
Anichebe added a second on the stroke of half-time when he used his strength to hold off Ben Clark before he angled a low finish past Gateshead goalkeeper Adam Bartlett.
Earlier this week, West Brom described reports linking Berahino with a £23m January move to Liverpool as "entire fabrication".
And a minute into the second half the youngster showed why his name has been mentioned in connection with the Premier League's top clubs with a spectacular second goal.
Berahino curled past Bartlett from the edge of the area before he completed his treble when he swept home Chris Baird's low cross on 53 minutes.
Brunt added a fifth when he got to the ball ahead of Bartlett, who had come scurrying off his line, and calmly stroked into an empty net and Morrison the sixth when he tapped in from close range.
Berahino rounded off the rout for the Baggies in injury time with his fourth of the contest when he effortlessly curled the ball past Bartlett into the top-right corner of the net.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis: "Saido is a very talented lad, with great ability and obviously he scores and I am looking forward to working with him.
"I hope he keeps reading the headlines if he scores four every week.
"Someone said he didn't celebrate but it was lovely to see all the lads go over when we scored a goal as that showed the unity we'll need."
Gateshead boss Gary Mills: "I thought we were excellent for 40 minutes, but conceding two before half time killed us.
"We'll move on, we knew we weren't going to win the competition but we wanted to give a good account of ourselves.
"We have been knocked out of the FA Cup and have to get back up the league. We are close to the play-offs and have a big game against Woking on Wednesday." | Saido Berahino scored four times as West Brom reached the FA Cup fourth round with a ruthless victory over non-league Gateshead at The Hawthorns. |
38,853,470 | All times GMT - kick-offs 15:00 unless stated
Chelsea v Arsenal (12:30)
Crystal Palace v Sunderland
Everton v Bournemouth
Hull City v Liverpool
Southampton v West Ham United
Watford v Burnley
West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough (17:30)
Barnsley v Preston North End
Birmingham City v Fulham
Blackburn Rovers v Queens Park Rangers
Bristol City v Rotherham United
Burton Albion v Wolves
Cardiff City v Norwich
Ipswich Town v Reading
Newcastle United v Derby County
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (17:30)
Motherwell v Heart of Midlothian (12:15)
Aberdeen v Partick Thistle
Hamilton Academical v Kilmarnock
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Dundee
Rangers v Ross County | All the latest team news and stats for Saturday's Premier League, Championship and Scottish Premiership fixtures. |
36,418,137 | The former Merseyside MP and university lecturer, who studied Classics at Oxford University, has died aged 78.
He became chairman of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM) in 2010.
A BCPRM spokesperson said he would be "missed by many".
In an interview for the BBC News website on taking up the appointment as chair of BCRPM, Mr O'Hara strongly advocated the unification of the Parthenon sculptures held in London and Greece, in the gallery devoted to them in Athens' new Acropolis Museum.
"There is only one place on earth where you can have a simultaneous visual and aesthetic experience of the Parthenon and the sculptures, and that's in that gallery," he said.
Last year he penned a strong response to the British Museum's claim that the sculptures are a "significant part" of the Museum's "story of cultural achievement throughout the world".
"The price of this is the compromise of the integrity of a pre-eminent work of art." Mr O'Hara stressed.
Announcing his death, the BCRPM commented: "We will remember him for many aspects of his commitment to the cause but perhaps more importantly for his love and understanding of people.
"His passion for the Parthenon Marbles never waned and his dedication to the campaign was steadfast."
Dr Tom Flynn from the BCRPM said: "I'm deeply saddened to receive the news of Eddie's death. A huge loss to his family and friends and to the UK Marbles campaign, which he has steered with such passion and erudition.
"A fellow Liverpudlian, he never missed an opportunity to rib me over Everton's erratic performance. I shall miss his gentle warmth and good humour."
The son of a carter, Mr O'Hara attended the Liverpool Collegiate School and studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, gaining an MA in Classics, and the University of London.
Earlier in his career he taught Latin and brought his classes to life by translating Beatles lyrics.
Mr O'Hara represented Knowsley South for 20 years. He leaves a wife and three children from his first marriage. | The leader of the British campaign to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, Eddie O'Hara, will be remembered for his "commitment to the cause", campaigners said. |
34,880,168 | The 28-year-old won the first of her 170 caps in 2005 and went on to score 64 goals for her country.
"I have decided after 11 brilliant years in the senior squad that it is time for me to move on to other things," said Kidd.
"I have had a fantastic international career and I feel hugely honoured to have represented Scotland 170 times."
Kidd, a penalty corner expert who will continue to play for Mannheimer in Germany's Bundesliga, featured in the Scotland squad in three Commonwealth Games, the last in Glasgow in 2014, and in that year she was part of the Great Britain performance programme.
Her performances in the 2013 and 2015 EuroHockey Nations Championships were vital to the team retaining their place for consecutive continental campaigns.
"I want to express my gratitude to all the players, coaches and support staff for giving me these fantastic opportunities and allowing me to be part of something which will always be very special to me," said the former Ellon Ladies, Bon Accord MBC, Grove Menzieshill and Edinburgh University player.
"I have always given absolutely everything I have out on the pitch, in training and in the gym.
"I have lived every day for the past 11 years to be the best athlete I can possibly be. I wish the squad all the very best for the future."
Scotland Women head coach Gordon Shepherd added: "Nikki has been an exceptional player for Scotland, a regular scorer of goals and an important member of the squad for three Commonwealth Games.
"She has served her country well, demonstrating the highest standards and setting an example to players about the right attitude to training and preparation.
"Overall, she has been a fantastic role model for the players and she leaves with both my and the squad's best wishes for the future." | Scotland midfielder Nikki Kidd has announced her retirement from international hockey. |
35,970,893 | His comments came after it emerged Norway blacklisted China Railway Group.
One of the group's subsidiaries has signed an agreement with Scottish ministers which both sides hope would lead to £10bn in investment.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stressed that any proposed investment would be fully scrutinised.
Labour and the Conservatives have also expressed concern.
On 21 March, Ms Sturgeon and a Chinese consortium signed a "memorandum of understanding" to explore an investment agreement potentially worth £10bn - although details of the move have only just emerged.
One of the signatories was investment group SinoFortone, while the other was China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group, listed as a subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.
In 2014, the ethics council of the Norwegian pension fund warned there was an "unacceptable risk" that China Railway Group was involved in "gross corruption".
It added there was a "high degree of probability" the company "paid bribes to government officials for contracts regarding construction of railways and housing projects" in China.
Mr Rennie said: "I'm very worried about it because the Norwegian oil fund has made a decision, an assessment on one of the companies involved in the memorandum of understanding.
"They don't think they're a company worth investing in or being associated with.
"I don't understand how the Scottish government could have done their appropriate due diligence and come to a different conclusion."
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, added: "I think the worrying thing for people out there is that we're having a drip of information on this China deal and it's all coming from China.
"Why don't we know about this from the Scottish end? What is it that the Scottish government didn't want to tell us?
"There are huge questions still for the Scottish government to answer."
Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, said: "Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP government didn't want us to know they'd signed a £10bn deal with China for potential investment in Scottish public services, and we need to know the details of this deal."
However Ms Sturgeon, who is leader of the SNP, said: "There is no agreement from China Railway to invest in any projects in Scotland.
"What we have is a memorandum of understanding to explore opportunities.
"If there is in the future any proposal for an actual investment, then full due diligence would be done in the normal way by the Scottish government and it would be subject to the full scrutiny of the Scottish Parliament." | Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie expressed concern at reports of a Chinese company seeking to invest in Scotland being linked with corruption. |
38,740,357 | But the Championship's top scorer, Dwight Gayle, is expected to miss out because of a hamstring problem.
QPR will include new signings Sean Goss and Luke Freeman, who joined from Manchester United and Bristol City.
Another new arrival, Matt Smith, is ineligible, while defenders Steven Caulker (hip) and Jack Robinson (hamstring) are sidelined. | Newcastle are expected to bring back first-team regulars after making nine changes for the FA Cup loss at Oxford. |
35,962,550 | The report, for NHS England, looked at the collapse of an out-sourcing contract to deliver adult community services in Cambridgeshire.
UnitingCare, which was owned by two local NHS Trusts, ended in December.
The report also questioned the ability of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to handle large contracts.
"The current approach of complete delegation to CCGs to enter into large complex novel contracts without the need to provide any assurance to NHS England should be reviewed," it said.
The review found both the UnitingCare and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group failed to take account of the fact that, because UnitingCare was not an NHS organisation, it would be liable for VAT - at a cost of £5m a year.
It also says the contract, which took effect on 1 April last year, "should have been delayed" because it was not ready to go live and there was not "a finally agreed value of the contract for the first year".
It adds that commissioners underestimated the cost of delivering community services.
The report says: "The CCG could not be confident that this element of cost was correctly captured in its financial envelope.
"As a consequence the CCG was not able to demonstrate to the bidders that the envelope was reconcilable to current expenditure levels."
Labour MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner, said: "Forcing the NHS into this crazy contract culture has cost a fortune and is failing patients.
"Every page of this report is littered with examples of confusion and muddle, with conflicts of interest, and fundamental issues like who pays the VAT left unresolved."
A spokesman for NHS England said the review contained "useful initial lessons to inform how the NHS approaches similar contracts in future". | An official report into the collapse of a £725m NHS contract has called a pause on all similar contracts until a review is completed "as a matter of urgency". |
36,201,693 | A log released by Minnesota authorities showed the 911 calls related to everything from medical emergencies to false fire alarms.
It included one call in 2011 in which an unidentified woman said she was concerned about Prince's cocaine use, but no police action was taken.
Prince's representatives have not commented on the claims.
The unnamed woman, from Germany, claimed Prince told her a year earlier that he had an uncontrollable cocaine habit and that she should advise the authorities.
It is unclear whether the woman personally knew Prince.
Other calls included reports about a woman having an allergic reaction, a fire alarm triggered by a fog machine, a trespasser banging a drum and a suspicious vehicle, which the responding officer "checked and it was Prince", according to the log.
There were also claims that Prince has at least one living son, although Prince has no known surviving children.
On the day Prince died, one woman called saying she had a 17-year-old son with Prince, and wanted him to attend the funeral.
Prince was found unresponsive in a lift at his Paisley Park complex - home to recording studios, a nightclub, rehearsal space, offices, and the singer's private residence - on 21 April.
A post-mortem examination last month discounted suicide, but a medical examiner said full results could take several weeks.
Investigators are looking into whether Prince died from an overdose and if a doctor was prescribing him drugs in the weeks before his death.
They are also trying to establish whether a doctor was on the singer's plane when it made an emergency landing less than a week before he died.
The musician was found unconscious on the plane after it stopped in Moline, Illinois, on 15 April, and detectives investigating his death have asked to see fire and ambulance records related to the emergency landing. | Emergency calls were made from Prince's Paisley Park complex 46 times in the past five years, it has been revealed. |
38,731,622 | The 21-year-old was attacked between 22:35 and 23:00 GMT on Monday in Weston Park.
South Yorkshire Police has launched an investigation and a large cordon has been put in place at the site in Western Bank.
Extra police patrols are taking place in the area and witnesses are urged to come forward with information.
More on this story from BBC Sheffield and South Yorkshire
Audrey Leadley, head of student support at the University of Sheffield nearby, said: "We are extremely concerned by the news of a sexual assault taking place in Weston Park last night and will support South Yorkshire Police in their investigations in any way we can.
"The safety and welfare of our students and staff is paramount.
"The University will offer support to any students or staff affected by this and will re-issue important safety advice to our students in light of this attack." | A woman has been sexually assaulted while walking through a park in Sheffield, police have said. |
10,617,075 | The high-altitude plane, called Phantom Eye, will remain aloft at 20,000m (65,000ft), according to the company.
The demonstrator will be shipped to Nasa's Dryden Flight Research Center in California later this summer to prepare for its first flight in early 2011.
Boeing says the aircraft could eventually carry out "persistent intelligence and surveillance".
It is a product of the company's secretive Phantom Works research and development arm.
Boeing says the aircraft is capable of long endurance flights because of its "lighter" and "more powerful" hydrogen fuel system.
"We flew Condor [the company's previous reconnaissance drone] for 60 hours in 1989 on regular jet fuel, and that was the maximum," said Chris Haddox from Boeing Phantom Works. "Now we're talking 96 hours."
The company explained in a statement that Phantom Eye was "powered by two 2.3 litre, four-cylinder engines that provide 150 horsepower each".
It is also very large, with a 46m (150ft) wingspan.
"It isn't built for stealth - it's built for endurance," Mr Haddox told BBC News.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has an ongoing interest in long-endurance high-altitude planes for surveillance and is considering a several different technologies, including solar power, to meet the requirements of what it refers to as its "Scavenger project".
The aerospace and defence company Qinetiq are carrying out trials in conjunction with the MoD to develop a solar powered plane called Zephyr.
A spokesperson for the MoD said: "Four days is very good but we are considering a range of options for our deep and persistent reconnaissance requirements.
"Some of these options could be airborne for over a week." | Boeing has unveiled its unmanned hydrogen-powered spy plane which can fly non-stop for up to four days. |
35,204,656 | In period western The Revenant, a 19th Century fur trapper on the American frontier wages a gruelling battle for survival after he is savagely mauled by a bear and left for dead by his callow fellow hunters.
(The title of the film, as fans of spooky French TV series Les Revenants will know, refers to one who returns from the dead.)
No-one would pretend the makers of Leonardo DiCaprio's latest suffered anything comparable. Yet the film still represented a formidable endurance test for all involved.
Just ask Will Poulter, the 22-year-old British actor who plays the youngest member of an embattled hunting party that also includes Tom Hardy and Ireland's Domhnall Gleeson, of Star Wars: The Force Awakens fame.
"I think for the entire cast and crew it was the hardest thing they've ever done, and possibly the hardest thing any of us will ever do as well," he told the BBC.
"It was gruelling and pushed us far beyond our personal limits, or at least what we initially thought we were capable of, both physically and emotionally."
At one point, the arduous shoot in Alberta, Canada, saw crew members confronted by a blizzard that plunged temperatures down to minus 27 centigrade.
DiCaprio, meanwhile, was obliged to be buried in snow, go naked in sub-zero weather and jump into water every bit as bone-chilling as that he faced in Titanic.
Not only that, but the vegetarian star of The Departed and The Aviator was also compelled in one scene to sink his teeth into a raw hunk of bison's liver.
"The bad part is the membrane around it," the star told Variety last month. "It's like a balloon. When you bite into it, it bursts in your mouth."
For director Alejandro G Inarritu, however, an even bigger challenge arose when an unseasonable warm spell saw the snow vanish faster than Michael Keaton's Oscar speech.
(For those who missed last year's Academy Awards, the Birdman star was seen discreetly putting his acceptance speech back into his pocket after being pipped to the best actor award by Britain's Eddie Redmayne.)
"We were victims of global warming," said Inarritu. "Usually there's a huge amount of snow in February but it was almost like summer: historically they registered the hottest winter ever.
"We went to our locations and they were destroyed by just one degree difference in temperature in the months it should not happen."
In the end the production was forced to decamp to Tierra del Fuego on the southern-most tip of South America in order to get the snowy landscapes they needed.
"There was a very big possibility I would not finish the film in time to release it this year," admitted the director, whose previous films include Babel and 21 Grams.
"The conditions and the weather were absolutely madness."
Admittedly, Inarritu and his regular cinematographer - two-time Oscar-winner Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki - did not make it easy on themselves.
At an early stage of production, it was decided the film would not only be shot chronologically but would also be illuminated only by natural light or firelight - an aesthetic choice that placed an additional time constraint on an already pressurised crew.
"We had to find the right time of day for our shots and then pray the weather would hold," said Inarritu. "It took a lot of time, thought and rehearsal to get it right.
"One thing is the notion of things and the other thing is the reality of those things. You go into the reality of things and they are normally very different from what you thought."
"There was a pursuit of perfection right from the off, and it was something Alejandro encouraged everyone to shoot for in every department," said Poulter. "We were out there so long it took an emotional toll on all of us.
"But it was amazing to return to the film approach of old, where you shoot in natural light on location, with real weather elements.
"We were able to work on a level of authenticity that you couldn't recreate in a studio."
One sequence that could not have been done authentically was the harrowing bear attack DiCaprio's Hugh Glass character is subjected to near the beginning of the film.
The bear itself is a computer-generated creation - a detail that was overlooked by The Drudge Report when it claimed the creature had subjected DiCaprio to a sexual assault.
The claim was considered serious enough to merit an official response from the film's distributor, who insisted there was "clearly no rape scene with a bear".
For his part, Inarritu expresses bafflement that such an outlandish story could gather so much traction in such a short space of time.
"How do these things happen? Nobody understands," he told the BBC News website. "It's indescribable how something that absurd can be validated by newspapers.
"It is," the Mexican film-maker concludes, "a crazy world."
The Revenant is out in the UK and Ireland on 15 January. | Oscar-winning director Alejandro G Inarritu faced a number of challenges while making snowbound survival tale The Revenant - one of them being a shortage of actual snow. |
36,522,742 | The Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder, 26, had been linked with Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea.
Pjanic, who passed a medical on Monday, joined Roma from French club Lyon in the summer of 2011.
He scored 10 goals and set up 12 more in 33 league appearances to help Roma finish third in Serie A last season, 11 points behind champions Juve.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Juventus have signed Miralem Pjanic from Serie A rivals Roma for £25.4m on a five-year contract. |
26,452,346 | The religious edict calls on Muslims in Indonesia to protect threatened animals by conserving their habitat and curbing illegal trade.
A spokesman said people could escape government regulation but they could not escape the word of god.
The fatwa is intended to supplement existing law in Indonesia, which is home to a number of endangered species.
They include orang-utans, tigers and elephants.
The conservation charity, WWF, described the fatwa as the first of its kind in the world - saying the use of religion for wildlife protection was a positive step forward.
Indonesia is home to a number of endangered species, including orang-utans, tigers and elephants.
The ruling - by the Indonesian Council of Ulama - urges the country's Muslims to protect the animals and conserve their habitats, which are threatened by logging, agriculture and urban development.
It said hunting, or trading in endangered species, was forbidden under Islam and was immoral.
The edict is not legally binding, although conservationists say it could carry moral weight for Indonesia's 200 million Muslims.
Trading in protected species can already lead to a jail term and a fine under Indonesian law. | Indonesia's highest Islamic clerical body has issued a fatwa against illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking. |
15,763,490 | Gen Mladic, 69, told judges he was too ill to attend a hearing last week.
He was admitted to hospital last month after his lawyer said he was suffering from pneumonia.
Gen Mladic is charged with war crimes in Bosnia in the 1990s, including ordering the massacre of 7,500 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.
The court issued a statement saying that the examination has been ordered "to better assess whether and to what extent his health condition could affect the preparation of the upcoming trial".
Gen Mladic has complained of health problems throughout the trial process.
A medical expert is to be appointed to carry out the examination and report back to the court by 6 December.
Independently of the court, Gen Mladic is to be visited this week by a team of Serbian doctors whom he has chosen, the AP news agency reports.
In his first appearance in front of the court in June, Gen Mladic called the charges against him "monstrous" and "obnoxious".
At his second hearing in July, he had to be removed from the courtroom after arguing with Judge Alfons Orie.
After 16 years in hiding, Gen Mladic was arrested in May by Serbian intelligence officers in a village north of Belgrade. | Judges at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague have ordered a full medical examination for the former Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic. |
32,840,696 | Speaking at an EU summit in Latvia, he said he had not been greeted "by a wall of love" when he met EU leaders for the first time since his election win.
But he said he had a mandate and the "British people at his back" for the changes he wanted to achieve.
The prime minister will hold talks with Angela Merkel and EU Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker next week.
Mr Cameron will also meet French President Francois Hollande as he tries to win support for his position.
Other EU countries have said they will listen to what the UK has to say, the Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb saying he backed the UK's proposals to cut red tape and was sure "some kind of compromise" could be reached.
But some member states have questioned the need for any change to EU treaties, something Mr Cameron has said he wants to see, and ruled out any watering down of the key principle of freedom of movement.
Speaking at a meeting of EU leaders, Mr Cameron said he believed it was in the interests of both the UK and its European partners for the UK to remain part of the European Union but under different terms.
The British people, he said, were not happy with the status quo and wanted change on issues such as welfare, immigration and an opt-out from further integration.
Mr Cameron said he had only begun to "scratch the surface" of the discussions but would travel to Berlin and Paris next week as well as hosting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at his country residence, Chequers, on Monday.
He said the British people needed "the best possible choice" about the UK's future in Europe and did not rule out bringing forward his promised referendum, currently scheduled to take place by the end of 2017.
Mr Cameron said he expected "lots of ups and downs" in the process and reminding journalists that many of their pre-election forecasts were wrong, he urged them to "wait for the result".
"I do not expect to find agreed solutions straight away," he told them.
"These talks will require patience and tenacity. But by working together in the right spirit and sticking at it, I believe we can reform the EU and our relationship with it. And then the British people will have the final say. They will decide."
The changes he was seeking were "deliverable and doable", he insisted.
"I've set out a series of changes which I think address the main concerns that British people have, that I have, about Europe and the way it works. And I'm confident of getting those changes."
British officials said the process was at a very early stage, but the meetings with Mrs Merkel, regarded as Germany's most powerful leader and Mr Juncker, the most senior official in Brussels, will be seen as key to setting the tone for future discussions.
Mr Cameron is committed to holding an in/out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU by the end of 2017, but there is speculation it could be held next year to avoid a clash with elections in France and Germany.
Legislation paving the way for the UK referendum is expected to be published next Thursday, the day after the Queen opens Parliament.
Asked whether he would be prepared to recommend a UK exit if he did not get the outcome he wanted, Mr Cameron said he would "not rule anything out".
David Cameron is ready to start renegotiating the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means:
The UK and the EU: Better off in or out?
What Britain wants from Europe
Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum
Timeline: EU referendum debate
Why Germany is David Cameron's new best friend
BBC deputy political editor James Landale said Mr Cameron had used the summit, arranged to discuss the EU's relationship with Russia and its neighbours, to sound out other European leaders about what they might be willing to accept before the start of "intricate" negotiations in the coming months.
Other EU leaders, he added, were "scared witless" by the possibility of the UK leaving the EU and were willing to listen and consider a deal, but there were some things - such as changes to freedom of movement rules - which were "sacrosanct".
Mr Cameron has not revealed the full details of what he is seeking from any changes, but he is expected to demand an opt-out from one its core principles of forging an "ever-closer union" between member states.
He will also try to get more powers to block or opt out of new EU laws, and for restrictions on welfare benefits for migrants until they have lived in the UK for four years.
This week, a number of UK business leaders started to highlight the potential implications of the referendum, with the president of the CBI saying businesses should "speak out early" in favour of remaining in a reformed EU,
The Labour Party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems are in favour of staying in the EU. UKIP, which got almost four million votes but only one MP in the election, want to leave. | David Cameron has said he is confident he can get a better deal for the UK in Europe but admitted it "won't be easy". |
35,244,777 | Hilary Benn made a barnstorming speech in favour of bombing Syria, while his boss Jeremy Corbyn, who disagreed with him, sat rather stony faced on the front bench behind him. Even though Labour MPs had been given a "free vote" on the issue, to allow the expression of opposing views, it screamed "split". A majority of Labour MPs voted with Corbyn, but Benn got a rare round of applause in the Commons and the plaudits of the nation's media pundits.
After much tortuous reshuffle negotiation, and speculation that he would be sacked, a compromise appeared to have been reached with Mr Benn. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the Today programme: "When it comes down to future debates we won't have a situation where he will be speaking from the front bench when there is a major disagreement on policy and where the Parliamentary Labour Party is in the majority against him." Mr Corbyn will speak from the front bench and "if there is a disagreement and people on a free vote want to express their views, they will do it from the back benches," he explained.
Hilary Benn insists he hasn't been "muzzled" and his team are briefing that there has been no deal. It is also worth stressing that it would that it would only apply in free votes, which are pretty rare. In a normal whipped vote, any shadow minister who fancied speaking out against the leader's position, would still have to resign or be sacked. Those are the rules.
It is not unprecedented for ministers, or shadow ministers, to speak from the backbenches, but it is normally on constituency matters or issues that are not part of their brief. No one can recall a frontbencher returning temporarily to the back benches to make a speech on something that they are meant to be leading on.
John McDonnell suggested in a BBC News Channel interview that Mr Benn could emulate himself and Mr Corbyn, who spent their lengthy careers to this point speaking from the back benches, often against their party leader. Not to be uncharitable to the pair, but hardly anyone in the media was interested when they did it. But if a senior figure like Mr Benn did it, it would almost certainly become the story. Conservative MPs would be beside themselves with glee.
David Cameron has decided to give his ministers the freedom to campaign for either side in the EU referendum in "a personal capacity". No one has said anything about Tory ministers making speeches on Europe from the back benches, if they disagree with the government's official view, but it would be one way round the problem.... | Could shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn really speak from the back benches next time he disagrees with Jeremy Corbyn? |
40,426,642 | Footage on social media shows a police helicopter circling over the city before shots and a loud bang are heard.
The police officer said to have piloted the stolen aircraft issued a statement denouncing the "criminal government". His whereabouts are unknown.
It comes after mass protests against the political and economic crisis.
The Supreme Court is regularly criticised by the Venezuelan opposition for its rulings which bolster Mr Maduro's hold on power.
In an address from the presidential palace, President Maduro said the helicopter had flown over the Supreme Court and also the justice and interior ministries.
Officials quoted by Reuters news agency said four grenades were dropped on the court and 15 shots had been fired at the interior ministry.
No injuries were reported but Mr Maduro said "a social event" had been taking place at the Supreme Court and the attack could have caused "dozens of deaths". One of the grenades failed to detonate, he added.
Mr Maduro has placed the military on alert.
"I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack."
The police officer identified himself as Oscar Pérez in video statements posted on the social media platform Instagram.
Appearing in military fatigues and flanked by armed, masked men in uniform, he appealed to Venezuelans to oppose "tyranny".
"We are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government," he said.
"We don't belong to any political tendency or party. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists."
He said the "fight" was not against the security forces but "against the impunity of this government. It is against tyranny".
It is not clear how much support, if any, the officer has.
Mr Maduro said the pilot had worked for former Interior and Justice Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, but was no longer with him.
It is generally an exercise in futility trying to predict if some new twist in Venezuela's long-running crisis is a "turning point" for the country.
There have been scores of seemingly decisive moments over the past few months - from the initial decision to strong-arm the national assembly, to the latest death of a teenage protester in Caracas - that quickly faded into the general malaise afflicting the oil-rich nation.
However, the sight of an apparently disaffected member of the security forces dropping grenades on the Supreme Court and allegedly firing on government buildings is extreme, even by Venezuela's standards.
Whether "Oscar Perez" is indeed part of a coalition of like-minded "military employees, policemen and civilians" or just a rogue policeman is hard to say.
Certainly President Maduro was quick to dub the incident "a terrorist attack" and used it as a reason to "activate" the armed forces to keep the peace.
However, earlier in the day he, too, had thrown down the gauntlet to his opponents. "If the Bolivarian Revolution was at risk," he said, "what we couldn't do with votes, we would do with arms." The opposition in Venezuela took that as an overt threat.
This helicopter incident may also pass quickly, or it may be more serious. Certainly though, the security situation in Venezuela could hardly be worse ahead of a highly controversial election next month over the government's plan to create a new constituent assembly.
There have been almost daily anti-government protests in Venezuela for over two months as the country's economic and political crisis worsens.
Those opposed to the government say they are determined to keep protests going until fresh elections are called and the government is ousted.
More than 70 people have been killed in protest-related violence since 1 April, according to the chief prosecutor's office.
Although President Maduro called the incident an attack by "terrorists" seeking a coup it is not clear how much support, if any, the police officer has.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Maduro reiterated his allegations that the US was supporting coup attempts against his government and warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would resist such a move.
On Monday, he announced that five people had been arrested, accused of plotting against him and preparing for a US invasion.
However, Venezuela certainly has a history of coup attempts: | Venezuela's Supreme Court has been attacked by grenades dropped from a helicopter in what President Nicolás Maduro called a "terrorist attack". |
35,301,158 | Total output grew 0.1% between July and September - 1.7% higher than the same quarter last year.
By comparison, UK growth was 0.4% and 2.1%, respectively.
The latest figures showed production output fell by 1% over the quarter, while services grew by 0.3% and construction by 0.9%.
Scotland's economy has now grown for 12 quarters in a row - the longest stretch of continuous growth since devolution.
Output is 3.1% above its pre-recession peak.
Production output was flat over the year and down over the quarter, which government statisticians said reflected the "difficult conditions" facing manufacturing and production in general.
By Sarah Smith, Scotland Editor, BBC News
Economists say the drag on the Scottish economy is largely due to the effects of the falling oil price.
No-one knows the health of the local economy better than a used car salesman - Stuart Benzie runs Westhill Cars.
The high-end premium cars, the Audis, BMWs and Jaguars are still parked at the front at of the lot. But he knows customers are looking for lower priced models these days.
Much of his custom comes from people trading in more expensive cars for cheaper ones.
He told me about a woman who came in recently to buy a nice car, she agreed a loan and left happy about her new motor.
Three days later she came back to explain that she had just been told she was losing her job and could no longer go through with the purchase.
No sale for Stuart, no business for the loan company and financial disaster for the customer who'd been made redundant.
A tale that sums up the economic crisis hitting the North East of Scotland.
Read more from Sarah
However, the figures showed that there was growth of 2.7% in the food and drink subsector over the quarter.
Construction output grew by 0.9% in the third quarter, following growth of 3.4% in the previous quarter.
On an annual basis, construction grew by 17.3%.
Services output grew by 0.3%, after growing by 0.1% in the previous quarter. Output over the year is 0.7% higher.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "Today's figures show further growth in the Scottish economy during a period of significant challenge for our key export markets and in particular for the energy sector in Scotland given the impact of lower commodity prices.
"It is encouraging that growth has remained positive given these strong economic headwinds and, in particular, that the service sector which accounts for around three quarters of the output of the economy has continued to grow by 0.3% over the quarter. This, in part, has been driven by strong growth in the accommodation and food, and retail and wholesale subsectors.
"Expansion in the construction sector continues to show the benefits of the Scottish government's decision to invest in Scotland's infrastructure, with key projects such as the Queensferry Crossing helping to underpin growth."
The UK government's Scotland Office Minister, Andrew Dunlop, said: "I am very pleased that the latest figures show that Scotland's economy has grown continuously for three years.
"But of course, there is no room for complacency.
"As the chancellor made clear last week, there are a number of significant risks to our economy in 2016, including a slowdown in emerging markets and global economic growth.
"The UK government has a long-term economic plan to strengthen Scotland's economy, to continue to deliver growth at home and protect our economy from risks abroad.
"We will continue to work with Scottish businesses to support growth and help Scotland prosper - including through our highly competitive corporate tax system and continuing to develop initiatives like City Deals.
"The Scottish government also needs to do all it can to support businesses, including through education, training and business rates."
CBI Scotland director Hugh Aitken said the figures showed that Scotland's economic growth tailed off sharply during 2015.
He added: "Manufacturing acted as a drag in quarter three while the service sector was more resilient.
"But even here the picture is nuanced, with consumer-facing sectors doing better than other services' firms.
"Looking ahead, while lower energy costs and inflation will boost households' purchasing power, Scotland remains vulnerable to renewed falls in global oil prices, as many key players in the industry's supply chain are located here."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said the latest GDP figures would "send a worrying shiver down the spines of business across Scotland", as they showed "Scottish economic performance is falling back behind the rest of the UK despite the promises from SNP ministers". | Scotland's economy grew slightly over the summer but continued to lag behind the UK as a whole, according to official figures. |
39,364,530 | A selection of the best photos from across Africa and of Africans elsewhere in the world this week. | Images courtesy of AFP, EPA, Getty Images and Reuters |
40,605,433 | The 24-year-old midfielder, who spend two years with the Scottish Premiership club, has signed a two-year contract with the second-tier outfit.
McShane had joined County from Queen of the South.
But he made only 11 appearances for County last season and played his last game against Celtic in December.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Ian McShane has become St Mirren's ninth signing of the close season after agreeing to have his contract terminated by Ross County. |
34,837,167 | Alex Bell, who was Mr Salmond's head of policy for three years, believed the SNP's model was "broken beyond repair".
The party hit back by pointing to opinion polls suggesting growing support for independence.
However, Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the Rattle.Scot article was a "powerful condemnation".
Mr Bell claimed the economic case presented during the referendum - which took place on 18 September last year - was based on wishful thinking.
He suggested the current SNP leadership knew this but continued to lead a "morally dubious" government which opposed Tory cuts without any credible alternative.
In response, the SNP said its continuing case for "self-government for Scotland" was being backed by a growing number of Scots who were angry that the UK government "has not delivered on their vow of more powers".
The people of Scotland voted against Scottish independence by 55% to 45%.
Writing on current affairs blog Rattle.Scot, Mr Bell said: "The SNP's model of independence is broken beyond repair. The party should either build a new one or stop offering it as an alternative to Tory cuts.
"The campaign towards the 2014 vote, and the economic information since, has kicked the old model to death.
"The idea that you could have a Scotland with high public spending, low taxes, a stable economy and reasonable government debt was wishful a year ago - now it is deluded."
It is "debatable" whether a separate Scotland could maintain British levels of spending, he added.
Mr Bell suggested Scotland's long-serving Finance Secretary John Swinney would be "unfit for the job" if he does not understand these obstacles "so we must assume these bright people know that the old model, once optimistic, is now dead".
Mr Bell went on: "The fact is a gap exists - Scotland does not earn enough to pay for its current level of spending. Once you accept that, you acknowledge that the SNP's model is broken."
He added:
Mr Bell said that it was "reasonable to assume that all these obstacles can be overcome, but it is stupid to deny they exist".
The SNP spokesman said: "In the year since the referendum, every opinion poll conducted on the matter has shown an increase in support for independence, with some putting Yes ahead.
"This is due to the widespread anger that the UK government has not delivered on their vow of more powers for Scotland - but also because the SNP continues to make the case for self-government for Scotland, and demonstrate a strong track record in office."
Scottish Labour's Jackie Baillie said the "extraordinary intervention" came from a man who was "at the heart of the SNP's campaign for separation".
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said the online piece was confirmation that the "SNP is merely a propaganda machine which hopes it can trick people into thinking it is a competent government".
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "Immoral fools with no credible alternative is a powerful condemnation from someone who knows the SNP leadership well." | A one-time adviser to former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has written an online blog saying the current case for an independent Scotland "is dead". |
35,607,119 | The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 40.61 points to 16,413.22.
The S&P 500 closed 9.03 points lower at 1,917.79, while the Nasdaq composite fell 46.53 points to 4,487.54.
Shares in Walmart fell 3% after the company cut its 2017 sales forecast, blaming the strong dollar and the impact of previously announced store closures.
Chevron shares fell 1.8% and Valero Energy dropped 3.8% as the price of crude oil slid downwards.
Brent crude lost 1.7%, falling to $33.92 a barrel, while West Texas crude declined 0.8% to $30.42 a barrel.
Bank shares also declined on Thursday. JP Morgan fell 1.6% and Goldman Sachs fell 2.13%.
Analysts said Wall Street's fall was probably due to investors locking in some profits.
"We've had a pretty significant bounce," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities. "Today is just a bit of profit-taking from those that have benefited from the significant move." | (Close): Wall Street markets closed lower on Thursday as oil prices stagnated and shares in Walmart fell. |
32,705,811 | But the Scottish government said it would "robustly oppose" withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
The Scotland Act (1998) states all legislation passed by Holyrood must be compatible with the ECHR.
But David Mundell told BBC Scotland new legislation would apply north of the border.
Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Mundell said Conservative legislation to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights would be UK-wide.
He said: "New legislation replaces existing legislation and therefore the new act will apply in Scotland."
He said people in Scotland shared fears about the influence of the European Court in Strasbourg on the UK.
"I think people in Scotland share the concerns that have been voiced across the United Kingdom - that we've got the balance wrong between rights and responsibilities," he said.
"So what the purpose of the act that we'll be bringing forward is, is to not only enshrine rights but also enshrine responsibilities."
But in a further statement, a spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said the Scottish Parliament would have a say on the role ECHR where it affects devolved issues.
He said: "As is made clear in our manifesto, the Scottish Parliament will retain the final say on the role of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to issues which fall within its authority. This is part and parcel of our desire to ensure the powers of the devolved Scottish Parliament are respected."
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said the Scottish government would fight any moves to scrap the Human Rights Act.
In a tweet, he said: "The Scottish Government will robustly oppose any attempt by the UK Government to repeal the Human Rights Act or to withdraw from the ECHR."
Find out more here.
The Conservatives want to give UK courts and parliament the "final say" on human rights issues rather than Strasbourg.
Under the plan, the European Courts would not be able to require the UK to change British laws, with its judgements being treated as "advisory" rather than binding.
Instead, the UK's Supreme Court would be "the ultimate arbiter" on human rights matters.
The Human Rights Act came into force in 2000, bringing the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK law.
This international treaty - which the UK signed up to after World War Two - created basic human rights and freedoms which every citizen in Europe is entitled to.
Human rights cases can now be heard in UK courts, instead of having to be heard at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
The Human Rights Act includes the rights to life, liberty and security, a fair trial, respect for private life, and freedom of expression.
Torture, slavery and discrimination are all banned as well.
Critics say the Human Rights Act has led to "perverse" judgements, including a ruling that found the UK's blanket ban on prisoners voting was unlawful. | UK government plans to scrap the Human Rights Act would apply to Scotland, the new Scottish secretary has said. |
33,139,385 | The society is due to give evidence on a bill that would make smoking in cars when children are present illegal.
Police Scotland have raised concerns about being the sole enforcers of the proposed legislation.
The force said the move would divert police resources away from counter-terrorism and organised crime.
Alison Britton, convener of the Law Society's health and medical law committee, said: "Of course we support the policy intent behind this bill, and the harmful effects of smoking and second-hand smoke are well documented."
However, she added the society had concerns the legislation would be "difficult to enforce."
She argued challenges would be presented in particular cases such as when a car was moving, or in heavy traffic.
"The enforcing officer would need to be able to see the offence taking place and ascertain the age of any child present," she added.
In written evidence submitted to the Scottish Parliament's health and sport committee, Police Scotland said it questioned "the decision to make the police solely responsible for enforcement".
It posed the question: "As a public health issue is it proportionate or necessary to justify the use of limited police resources to enforce [this legislation]?"
The force said while the aims of the legislation were "commendable", as a public health issue the legislation did not "sit comfortably within the Police Scotland policing plan and the force priorities".
It said making the police the sole enforcers of the measures outlined in the bill could result in resources being diverted away from "force priorities" such as organised crime or counter-terrorism.
Police Scotland suggested local authorities could share some responsibility for enforcing the ban.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Alex Johnstone said: "Of course, no-one wants to see someone smoking in such a confined space when there are children around. But the reality is almost nobody does this, and taking an educational approach would be far better.
"We have said from the outset that it will be nigh on impossible to enforce this.
"With the force's limited resources, we really need officers to be concentrating on more important matters."
The Law Society has also recommended the driver should be legally responsible for ensuring no-one smokes in the vehicle in the presence of children, rather than the smoker.
It claimed this would bring the proposals in line with other road laws on child safety and with legislation that has been passed in England, and would be "more logical".
Currently, the proposed legislation would place the criminal liability on the smoker rather than the driver of a car.
The Smoking Prohibition (Children in Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by Lib Dem MSP Jim Hume, and is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament's health and sport committee. | Enforcing a smoking ban in cars with children present could prove "difficult", the Law Society of Scotland has said. |
39,345,113 | The 28-year-old made his Munster debut against Connacht in 2010 and has chalked up 84 appearances.
Foley, who has won two Ireland caps, follows former Munster players James Coughlan, Paddy Butler and Sean Dougall in moving to the Top 14 club.
The lock, from Tipperary, will miss the rest of the season as he recovers from a wrist injury.
Foley made his Ireland debut against Georgia in 2014, and has also represented Emerging Ireland on two tours. | Munster second-row Dave Foley is leaving to join French side Pau at the end of the season. |
38,424,799 | In very blustery conditions the Sons secured victory courtesy of a goal from Mark Docherty, who had scored in August's 1-0 win over the Tangerines.
His cross evaded everyone and the wind played a part as the ball whipped into the net past goalkeeper Cammy Bell.
With Hibernian winning earlier in the day at Falkirk, United slip to second going into 2017.
Dumbarton began on the front foot. Docherty fired in a shot from 25 yards, but it was comfortably held by Bell.
Sam Stanton also tried his luck for the hosts, firing just wide of the post.
Eventually Dumbarton would get their reward for a positive start. Docherty slung in a cross from the left and soon celebrated a deserved lead for the Sons.
It took half-an-hour for United to muster any meaningful sight of goal. Stewart Murdoch shot from 25 yards but it was easily held by Alan Martin.
United did have the ball in the back of the net just before half-time when Simon Murray fired home from close range, but it was ruled out for offside.
And just after the interval United struck the bar through an unorthodox back-heeled effort from Mark Durnan following a corner.
Substitute Cammy Smith had a shot deflected up on to the roof of the Dumbarton net. Scott Fraser also fired a free-kick just over the bar for the visitors.
In stoppage time United came so close to an equaliser, Coll Donaldson hitting the post with a header from a corner.
Dumbarton manager Steve Aitken: "I would have taken that scoreline before the game. It was always going to be tough with the conditions but most importantly we were playing against the league leaders who for 14 or 15 weeks have been terrific and deserve to be top of the league and I'm sure they will challenge all the way to the end. The fact we have won at home against them is very pleasing.
"It's been a great 2016 for me personally, we've come in here and we managed to stay up last year against all the odds. We were tipped to go down this year, and although we're only half way through the season we have shown that we are competitive. But we will enjoy it. We have to work hard in January, players will come and go, other teams will strengthen and will try and do the same.
"It is a big few weeks ahead of us but we'll enjoy it and get back to work on Tuesday."
Dundee United manager Ray McKinnon: "I think the weather summed up the day today perfectly. It was just about impossible to play football in those conditions - I'm not making excuses at all - but it's certainly not ideal weather to be playing football in, especially when you're asking a team to be very technical and play a certain way."
"We're disappointed with the result but I'm going to be mindful of the fact the team has been 13 games unbeaten and we have lost in really bad conditions today. We have to take that on the chin, we have to regroup, a big game on Friday [against Hibs] and I'm sure the boys will be motivated for the game on Friday."
"[On the Tony Andreu injury, which saw the player miss out today] He's got a strain in between his rib and it's precautionary. He was struggling today and we just thought we wouldn't take any chances with him. Hopefully he's nice and fresh and over his injury for next week."
Match ends, Dumbarton 1, Dundee United 0.
Second Half ends, Dumbarton 1, Dundee United 0.
Attempt missed. Tope Obadeyi (Dundee United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Mark Durnan (Dundee United) hits the left post with a header from very close range.
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Darren Barr.
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Joseph Thomson.
Attempt missed. William Edjenguele (Dundee United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Gregor Buchanan (Dumbarton) is shown the yellow card.
Nick van der Velden (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Nick van der Velden (Dundee United).
Gregor Buchanan (Dumbarton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Dundee United. Coll Donaldson replaces Scott Fraser.
Substitution, Dumbarton. Ryan Stevenson replaces Garry Fleming.
Attempt missed. Scott Fraser (Dundee United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Cameron Smith (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Darren Barr (Dumbarton).
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Mark Docherty.
Robert Thomson (Dumbarton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Tope Obadeyi (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Robert Thomson (Dumbarton).
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by David Smith.
Attempt blocked. Cameron Smith (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Dumbarton. Conceded by Willo Flood.
Attempt missed. Robert Thomson (Dumbarton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by David Smith.
Substitution, Dundee United. Tope Obadeyi replaces Blair Spittal.
Substitution, Dundee United. Cameron Smith replaces Simon Murray.
Attempt missed. Paul Dixon (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Attempt missed. Paul Dixon (Dundee United) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is too high.
Foul by Mark Durnan (Dundee United).
Samuel Stanton (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Mark Durnan (Dundee United) hits the bar with a right footed shot from very close range.
Corner, Dundee United. Conceded by Daniel Harvie.
Attempt blocked. Scott Fraser (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Josh Todd (Dumbarton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Second Half begins Dumbarton 1, Dundee United 0.
First Half ends, Dumbarton 1, Dundee United 0.
Foul by Stewart Murdoch (Dundee United).
Mark Docherty (Dumbarton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blair Spittal (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. | Dundee United relinquished their lead at the top of the Championship with a dismal defeat at Dumbarton. |
35,810,133 | Lee Se-dol, one of the world's top Go players, won just one of the matches against the AlphaGo program, missing out on the $1m prize up for grabs.
Demis Hassabis, founder of DeepMind, said the match had been the "most exciting and stressful" for his team.
Lee Se-dol said he felt "regrettable" about the result of the contest.
In Go, players take turn placing stones on a 19-by-19 grid, competing to take control of the most territory.
The game is considered to be much more challenging for computers than chess.
At a press conference held after the final match, Mr Lee said he did not necessarily think AlphaGo was superior to humans.
But he said he had more studying to do, and admitted the matches had challenged some of his ideas about the game Go.
In some countries the people watch football on big screens in public squares, but in South Korea it's been the mighty challenge of machine against humanity.
And the victory of the computer has led to some introspection.
One South Korean newspaper complained that the contest was "lopsided" with the single Korean pitted against the corporate might of Google and its "army of super-smart people armed with unfathomable computing power".
In a spirit of magnanimity, however, the Korea Baduk Association - which governs the game of Go - has decided to give an honorary ninth-dan ranking to AlphaGo.
The 4-1 mechanical victory has also made some Go players doubt themselves.
The European champion who lost last year to AlphaGo said it had really knocked his self-confidence, even as it enabled him to climb up the world rankings.
Go was invented about 2,500 years or so ago in China. Until now, it has always had a human best player. Not any more.
The five match challenge began in Seoul on 9 March, where AlphaGo scored its first victory.
After losing the second match, Lee Se-dol said he was "speechless" adding that the AlphaGo machine played a "nearly perfect game".
In the third game commentators said that Lee Se-dol had brought his "top game" but that AlphaGo had won "in great style".
DeepMind's winning streak meant it won the $1m (£702,000) prize on offer. Google said the money would be donated to Unicef, Stem (science, technology, engineering, and maths) charities and Go organisations.
Mr Hassabis said: "We have been lucky to witness the incredible culture and excitement surrounding Go.
"Despite being one of the oldest games in existence, Go this week captured the public's attention across Asia and the world."
The AlphaGo system was developed by British computer company DeepMind which was bought by Google in 2014.
It has built up its expertise by studying older games and teasing out patterns of play.
Lee Se-dol did win the fourth match against AlphaGo, after which he said: "I've never been congratulated so much because I've won one game."
Despite Mr Lee's overall defeat, rival players have still expressed confidence that they could beat the AI.
Ahead of the final, China's top ranked Go master Ke Jie said he believed he could beat AlphaGo.
He told China Central Television: "In terms of probability, I have a chance to win, but the probability is not as high as I thought before. I think it is 60 per cent in favour of me."
Analysis by Dr Noel Sharkey, AI expert
To beat one of the world's top players, Deep Mind used a mixture of clever strategies to make the search much smaller.
Does this mean AI is now smarter than us and will kill us mere humans? Certainly not.
AlphaGo doesn't care if it wins or loses. It doesn't even care if it plays and it certainly couldn't make you a cup of tea after the game.
Does it mean that AI will soon take your job? Possibly you should be more worried about that.
Go is thought to date back to several thousand years ago in China.
Using black-and-white stones on a grid, players gain the upper hand by surrounding their opponents pieces with their own.
The rules are simpler than those of chess, but a player typically has a choice of 200 moves, compared with about 20 in chess - there are more possible positions in Go than atoms in the universe, according to DeepMind's team.
It can be very difficult to determine who is winning, and many of the top human players rely on instinct. | Google's DeepMind artificial intelligence has secured its fourth win over a master player, in the final of a five match challenge. |
36,691,343 | Media playback is not supported on this device
World number two Long, who claimed bronze at London 2012, won 21-18 21-18 as top seed Lee missed out on earning his country a first ever Olympic gold.
Long beat Lee to become world champion last year and again proved too good for his rival.
Denmark's Viktor Axelsen beat China's Lin Dan 15-21 21-10 21-17 for bronze.
Lin had beaten Lee to gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 but left Rio without a medal.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei suffered a third successive Olympic men's singles final defeat as he lost the gold-medal match at Rio 2016 to China's Chen Long. |
39,695,911 | Property developer Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring painted the candy stripes on the building in Kensington in 2015.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea said it was out of keeping with the look of the area and had served her with a notice to repaint it white.
Mr Justice Gilbart ruled the stripy decoration was "entirely lawful".
The council had served the notice under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 claiming the "stripes on the front elevation, is incongruous with... the local area."
Ms Lisle-Mainwaring, 71, launched a judicial review at the High Court after failed appeals to magistrates and Isleworth Crown Court in 2016.
Explaining his ruling earlier, Mr Justice Gilbart said: "In my judgment, to allow a local planning authority (LPA) to use section 215 to deal with questions of aesthetics, as opposed to disrepair or dilapidation, falls outside the intention and spirit of the Planning Code," he said.
"I am therefore of the view that it is an improper use of Section 215 to use it to alter a lawful painting scheme," he ruled.
Ms Lisle-Mainwaring has previously denied she had painted the stripes to spite neighbours who objected to her plans to demolish the property and replace it with a new dwelling and two-storey basement. | A woman who decorated her London townhouse with red and white stripes can ignore a council order to repaint it, the High Court has ruled. |
40,299,613 | Louise Kerton, 24, from Broadstairs, in Kent, was last seen on 30 July 2001 in Germany when she went to catch a train to Belgium, on her way back to the UK.
Despite extensive investigations in both the UK and Germany, she has not been seen or heard from since.
As a fresh appeal was launched, Phil Kerton said: "There's always hope. Hope is a virtue that keeps people going."
Live: More news from Kent
Ms Kerton had been in Germany visiting her fiance's family in the village of Strassfeld, near Bonn, after failing the final part of her nursing training.
She had been living with Peter Simon in Broadstairs in the months before her disappearance, and had been due to catch a train from Aachen to Ostend in Belgium from where she would have boarded a ferry back to Dover.
Police in Germany closed the investigation file on Ms Kerton in 2011.
The Mirror newspaper has published an advert by the Missing People charity appealing for information about Ms Kerton.
Her father, from New Ash Green, said there were several theories about what could have happened to her.
Describing his daughter as a "very naive and trusting person", he said: "If she did get on the train she could've got talking to someone about her problems with her medical nursing course... and she could've got taken into a cult of some sort.
"She could've gone for a walk around Ostend and come to a sticky end there, or she could've run away from the family and the village she was staying in because it was probably a bit too peaceful for her."
Mr Kerton added that her disappearance would be easier for him to cope with if he knew what had happened to her. | The father of a student nurse who went missing 16 years ago says he lives in hope that he will see her again. |
32,996,247 | The flag appeared over Parliament Buildings for a time on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the assembly said it was aware that "two flags were flown without permission from the roof" and it was investigating the incident.
DUP assembly member Peter Weir said he had been assured by the assembly that "these were rogue actions and are being fully investigated".
The roof and the fourth floor of Parliament Buildings are currently a construction site under the control of building contractors.
The assembly said that the flags were removed as soon as it was made aware of them.
Mr Weir said he had written to the assembly speaker Mitchell McLaughlin and chief executive Trevor Reaney to demand an explanation.
TUV leader Jim Allister said it was "a serious breach of protocol and absolutely unacceptable".
"The incident demands an immediate and through investigation by the Assembly Commission, and given the provocative nature of the stunt there should also be a police investigation," he said.
The assembly spokesperson said the speaker would hold a briefing on Thursday for members of the Assembly Commission where the chief executive would "update them on any initial findings surrounding the incident".
"The Speaker is clear that the commission needs to be able to consider this matter in full possession of the facts of the situation," the spokesperson said.
"A full meeting of the commission will then be held on Monday when all commission members are available and when it is anticipated that more information will be known."
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said the reaction by unionist politicians to the incident "can only be described as hysteria".
"This for some unionist politicians is a bigger crisis than anything that has happened over the past weeks," Mr Kelly said. | Police have begun an investigation into how an Irish tricolour was flown over Stormont. |
34,275,485 | Claudia Ruiz Massieu met the survivors in hospital in Cairo, and said they were doing well.
She called for a thorough investigation into the incident, which happened on Sunday in Egypt's western desert.
The exact circumstances of the attack remain unclear.
A Egyptian prosecutor has issued an order banning journalists from reporting details of the investigation now taking place.
Egypt says its forces had been pursuing Islamic militants in the Western Desert and mistook the Mexican tourists for the militants.
It has apologised, but has insisted the group were in a restricted area. Local sources deny the claim.
Egypt has been battling Islamist militants for years, with attacks escalating since the 2013 ousting of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Until recently, most of the fighting has taken place in the Sinai Peninsula with occasional attacks taking place in Cairo and other cities.
The tour group had been travelling in a convoy of four 4x4s near the Bahariya oasis, a popular tourist location. The organisers said they had stopped for a picnic when the group was attacked.
The interior ministry said an Apache helicopter targeted the tourists "by mistake".
Egypt's ambassador to Mexico City, Yasser Shaban, said the tourists' 4x4 vehicles resembled those used by the militants the security forces were chasing.
Ms Ruiz Massieu said she hoped to be able to return home both the injured, their families and the bodies of those who had died in the next few days. | Mexico's foreign minister has visited six survivors of an Egyptian army attack in which eight Mexican tourists were killed after being mistaken for militants. |
32,219,494 | This possibility, described in a new computer modelling study, could explain why rocks from Earth and the Moon are much more alike than we would expect from this "giant impact hypothesis".
The research forms one of three papers published in the journal Nature.
Two others report subtle, previously unseen differences in lunar rocks.
Scientists say the new findings paint a consistent - and much clearer - picture of our satellite's history.
The modelling study, done by researchers from Israel and France, precisely simulated the turmoil of the early, inner Solar System and quantifies the variety of collisions that might have occurred.
In its early stages, the proto-Earth would have been subjected to a string of brutal collisions with other wannabe planets.
According to our best understanding, the last of these was a cataclysmic tangle with a planetary body just ten times lighter than Earth - and the resulting debris eventually clumped together to make the Moon.
The problem is that most of what became the Moon should have come from the imposter - and based on our existing knowledge of what was flying where at that time, that imposter was thought to be a very different type of planet.
"So if the impactor had a different composition from the Earth, we should expect the Moon to have a different composition," Dr Hagai Perets, one of the study's authors, told the Nature podcast.
But this is not the case.
"They are almost identical. This is one of the major challenges for this really beautiful giant impact hypothesis," said Dr Perets, from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
This is why a study made headlines in 2014 when it pinpointed some tiny differences between Earth and Moon rocks.
What Dr Perets and his colleagues found in their new simulations was that the impactor planet might, in fact, have been made of surprisingly similar stuff to the Earth - leaving only the sort of subtle differences that we do see in lunar material.
"What we found is that many of these impactors on a planet have very similar composition to that of the planets they impact - as similar as what we measure between the Earth and the Moon," Dr Perets explained.
Specifically, the models indicated a 20% chance that the impact could have been between such similar proto-planets.
These odds give our prevailing "origins story" for the Moon a fighting chance, Dr Perets said.
"[Now] I am even more confident about the giant impact hypothesis."
A different challenge to our current ideas about the Moon relates to what happened subsequently. To explain certain details in the Earth's make-up, scientists have proposed that both the Earth and Moon amassed a large amount of extra matter - a so-called "late veneer" - during a subsequent period when they were bombarded by huge numbers of meteorites.
And just like the original giant impact, this process should also have left a trail of evidence that had not been detected until now.
Even if, as the French-Israeli study now suggests, the Earth and Moon got started from very similar building blocks, this bombardment should have had a much bigger effect on the bulkier, heavier Earth with its much stronger gravity, shifting the balance of its ingredients away from that of the Moon.
The two new investigations of lunar rocks, one from the US and one from Germany, find support for that shift for the first time, by analysing samples from the Apollo missions with new levels of precision.
Both teams looked specifically at traces of tungsten within small chunks of the Moon that they borrowed from Nasa, and found a small but tell-tale difference compared to Earth rock. The ratio of the metal's different isotopes was altered.
Importantly, the ratios measured by the two teams match - and the difference fits what might be expected if the Earth collected a bigger "veneer" from the bombardment.
"The small, but significant, difference in the tungsten isotopic composition between Earth and the Moon perfectly corresponds to the different amounts of material gathered by Earth and the moon post-impact," said Prof Richard Walker from the University of Maryland, one of the authors on the US study.
Considering the three studies in total, Dr Matthias Willbold from the University of Manchester told the BBC he was impressed and excited.
"They all tell the same story - it all falls into place," said Dr Willbold, a planetary scientist who has also investigated the late veneer idea using tungsten ratios.
"It's quite striking. [The lunar rock studies] mention that it is quite baffling that the Earth and Moon have the same starting composition, before the bombardment.
"And that links perfectly into the modelling paper, where they say look - we can resolve that. If you look at the models, the impactor and the Earth were similar, so we just solved your problem!"
Follow Jonathan on Twitter | The Moon may have been formed by a collision between Earth and an object that was strikingly similar in composition to our own planet. |
35,353,862 | Mr Justice Peter Smith's remarks came as he set a trial date for February over claims that Rangers chairman Dave King breached a gagging order.
The case relates to the retail deal between Rangers and Mike Ashley's firm.
It emerged at the hearing that Sports Direct had now dropped its £200,000 damages claim in the case.
The origins of the case go back to the retail agreement which Sports Direct entered into with the club's previous board.
The new board, which was elected last year, has said before that it would like to renegotiate the deal.
Mr Ashley won a court injunction preventing Rangers, and anyone on the new board, from revealing details of the agreement.
Sports Direct alleged that Mr King breached this injunction during an interview he gave to Sky at his home in South Africa.
At a hearing in December, Mr Justice Smith dismissed the firm's motion that Mr King should be jailed.
When the case called again on Tuesday, the judge was critical of the way Sports Direct had conducted its case.
The judge added: "The whole way that the claimants have been conducting themselves ... shows that they have been abusing processes of the court in relation to the damages claim."
During the hearing, Mr Justice Smith also told the court that he had wrongly been accused of being a Freemason - and his wife had wrongly been accused of supporting Rangers.
The judge said his clerk had received emails responding to "various blogs" on the internet.
"One of the blogs insists that I am a Freemason, which is wrong," said the judge.
"Also, my wife is a 'life-long Rangers supporter'."
He added: "She is from Edinburgh. The idea that she would support any Glasgow team is laughable."
Three years ago Mr Justice Smith oversaw a case involving Portsmouth FC. He had told Portsmouth fans gathered at a hearing in London that he was a Hull City fan. | A High Court judge in a case involving Sports Direct and Rangers has taken the unusual step of denying he is a Mason or that his wife supports the club. |
34,844,356 | Some security experts say what is needed is more intelligence-based, risk-based screenings of both passengers - and airport staff.
For decades, it has been well known that aircraft are prime targets for terrorist attacks. A relatively small explosion is capable of bringing down a large aircraft, inflicting numerous casualties.
Even before the cause of the Metrojet crash was known for certain, leading figures within the industry were warning that changes would be needed.
The chief executive of Easyjet, Carolyn McCall, recently told the BBC that the idea of a bomb on board an aircraft "kept airline chief executives awake at night". She added that in "certain airports" around the world, standards simply weren't good enough.
Her comments echoed a warning from the UK's Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, who said that travellers could face delays and extra costs as a result.
Global standards for airport security do already exist. They are laid down in Annex 17 of the Chicago Convention, a document that effectively sets out international rules for the air transport industry. It states, for example, that both passengers and baggage should be screened before being allowed aboard an aircraft.
However, these are only minimum requirements. It is up to individual governments to decide how to implement them, and of course the airport itself has to abide by those national procedures.
In practice, this means that standards can vary widely. Security in major hubs such as London Heathrow is generally very good, with state of the art technology being used by well-trained staff. But in regional airports, particularly in the developing world, standards can be more lax.
Organisations such as the US Transportation Security Administration have overseas representatives whose job is to help foreign governments boost security, but experts say the results have been mixed.
In any case, standards can slip almost anywhere. The TSA itself came in for heavy criticism earlier this year, when government agents managed to smuggle fake weapons and explosives through security at US airports in 67 out of 70 attempts.
So what can be done to improve matters? Physical checks on passengers were dramatically tightened up after the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent attempt to bring down another aircraft by the "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.
Further measures were introduced after the unsuccessful liquid bomb plot of 2006. Even today, it's not uncommon to be asked to remove shoes when passing through security, while curbs on carrying liquids have been eased somewhat, but remain in force.
According to Ben Vogel, editor of Jane's Airport Review, there is no need for further restrictions of this sort.
"If tighter screening controls are introduced," he says, "it would run counter to aviation policies over recent years."
"The talk in recent times has been about intelligence-based, risk-based screening. Risk-based protocols rely less on a blanket one-size-fits-all method, and use a more nuanced approach that focuses on 'persons of interest'."
Matthew Finn, managing director of security consultancy Augmentiq, agrees. "We cannot continue to view every passenger as posing the same amount of risk," he says.
"The 85-year-old grandmother and the 3-year-old toddler do not pose the same amount of risk as someone who might already be known to the authorities, travelling on a one-way ticket to a destination that gives us cause for concern."
Such an approach might actually be welcomed by passengers. Current security procedures can be very time consuming, while some people find them embarrassing and undignified.
But those in favour of greater risk profiling say it would allow most people to undergo less intense screening, potentially reducing delays and stress at the airport.
However, many experts believe the priority now should be to focus, not on passengers, but on the people who actually work within the airport.
Security staff, for example, are often low paid and poorly trained. In countries where corruption is endemic, there is a risk they could be paid to turn a blind eye to potentially suspect baggage.
Low morale, meanwhile, can mean experienced staff leave the industry, depriving it of much-needed expertise.
"The technology, manpower and procedures at airports are only effective if they are deployed correctly", says Matthew Finn.
"We've got to move away from low wages, tenuous contracts and minimal opportunities to create a culture that recognises high performers."
But security staff are not the only airport workers under scrutiny.
Anyone who works "airside", beyond the security screen is potentially a risk. That includes people like baggage handlers, bus drivers, maintenance staff and engineers.
"It only takes one person, one 'bad egg' to cause a disaster," Philip Baum, editor of Aviation Security International, told the BBC.
"We've seen a multitude of incidents around the world where airport employees have been engaged in human trafficking, drug trafficking
"But… it could easily be an improvised explosive device that's infiltrated, for example."
Mathew Finn of Augmentiq thinks that, like passengers, airport staff should be subjected to more risk-based screening.
"We've spent incredible amounts of money focusing on what passengers may have in their bags, but nowhere near enough on who is being screened at security or who is working in restricted areas of the airport," he says.
One thing the airports themselves do not want to see is increased regulation. According to Angela Gittens, director of the industry group ACI World, that would be "counterproductive".
However, it is fair to say the loss of flight Metrojet KGL9268 has put the security of airports under an intense spotlight - and the "inside threat" posed by airside workers is being taken more seriously than ever. | Confirmation from Russia that the Metrojet aircraft which crashed in the Sinai desert was indeed brought down by a bomb, combined with the febrile atmosphere generated by the tragedies in Paris, are likely to focus renewed attention on aviation security - and particularly in airports. |
40,468,852 | They represented the 42 nations competing in the International Association of Ultra Runners 24-hour World Championships.
Hundreds of young and not so young runners from around the globe are competing in the event at Victoria Park.
They set off at midday.
Many of them hope to keep on running, or walking, or doing whatever it takes, to continue circling the course until midday on Sunday.
Among those limbering up on Saturday were athletes from Brazil.
The Finnish runners and coaches were in a last-minute team bonding huddle, the American team were high-fiving.
Voices and accents from across the world echoed around the calm setting of the tree-lined park along the Connswater river.
Richard Avery from New Zealand was counting down the last few minutes.
"We've been in Europe for a month now, well over the jet lag and ready to go. Can't wait," he said.
Harvey Lewis, USA, said "It's exiting to be here in Belfast. It's amazing to see all the different athletes."
Thomas Craig had less of a trek as he is from Larne in Northern Ireland.
He has completed the event twice before. He had worked out his tactics to get through this event.
"Twenty-five minutes running, five minutes walking, twenty-five minutes running, five minutes walking, and just keep progressing that and, fingers crossed, I don't blow up and I keep doing that!" | National flags from around the world were fluttering gently in the shadow the of the iconic Harland and Wolff cranes in east Belfast on Saturday. |
39,072,816 | Three men were wounded in the shooting at a crowded bar in Olathe on Wednesday night and one of them later died.
A barman told local media a man used racial slurs before opening fire. Two of the victims, including the deceased, are Indian.
Adam Purinton, 51, has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder and the FBI is investigating a motive.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, died while his friend Alok Madasani, 32, remains in hospital in a stable condition.
The two men were engineers at US technology company Garmin and studied in India, according to their social media profiles.
The other injured man, Ian Grillot, 24, had apparently intervened to stop the violence, according to witnesses.
Speaking from his hospital bed to local TV News channel KMBC, he brushed aside suggestions that he was a hero.
"I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being," he said. "It's not about where he's from or his ethnicity.
"We're all humans. So I just felt I did what was naturally right to do."
Mr Purinton is accused of shooting customers at Austin's Bar and Grill as they watched the University of Kansas basketball team play on television.
A bystander told the Kansas City Star that just before opening fire the gunman shouted: "Get out of my country."
The suspect allegedly fled on foot and was arrested five hours later at an Applebee's restaurant just over the state border, 80 miles (130km) away in Clinton, Missouri.
The Kansas City Star reported that he told a staff member at the dining chain he needed a place to hide because he had killed two Middle Eastern men.
A barman there tipped off police that he had a customer who had admitted shooting two men and the officers arrived to detain the suspect.
Olathe Police Chief Steve Menke declined to comment on the reports of racial abuse but said his force was working with the FBI "to investigate any and all aspects of this horrific crime".
The killing dominated news bulletins in India and social media, where some blamed Donald Trump's presidency.
Siddharth, an Indian actor who uses one name, tweeted to his 2.6 million followers: "Don't be shocked! Be angry! Trump is spreading hate. This is a hate crime! RIP #SrinivasKuchibhotla."
Mr Madasani's father, Jaganmohan Reddy, also called it a hate crime, adding that such incidents had increased in number following Mr Trump's election.
Mr Kuchibhotla was from the Indian city of Hyderabad. His parents, Madhusudhan Rao and Vardhini Rao, were too stunned by news of his death to comment, the Associated Press reported.
The Indian external affairs ministry said two Indian consulate officials from Houston and Dallas have been sent to Kansas City to meet Mr Madasani and arrange the repatriation of Mr Kuchibhotla's body.
The US Embassy in New Delhi decried the shooting.
"The United States is a nation of immigrants and welcomes people from across the world to visit, work, study, and live," said Charge d'Affaires MaryKay Carlson.
"US authorities will investigate thoroughly and prosecute the case, though we recognise that justice is small consolation to families in grief." | Police are investigating whether the fatal shooting of a man in the US state of Kansas was racially motivated. |
19,296,263 | Last summer, the government was rattled by evidence of corruption, including massive sums of money mis-spent on preparations for the Commonwealth Games and the exchequer losing perhaps as much as £24bn ($40bn) by selling mobile-phone frequencies cheaply to favoured operators. So when the campaigners fasted in protest against these and other scandals, ministers lost their nerve.
In April last year, crowds poured into the streets of Delhi in support of the fast by Anna Hazare, a social worker who has emerged from the obscurity of rural western India to become the figurehead of a national movement against corruption.
Mr Hazare demanded the establishment of an ombudsman.
Seeing the public support for him and fearing that - at the age of 74 - he might die, ministers hurriedly agreed to set up a committee to establish an independent body to investigate misappropriation of government funds.
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Hardly had the fast ended before the saffron-robed yoga guru Baba Ramdev came to Delhi to protest against corruption.
Knowing of the popularity of his televised yoga classes, four ministers rushed to the airport to greet him but they failed to persuade him to call off his fast.
Alarmed by the crowds Baba Ramdev attracted, the home minister sent the police in the middle of the night to disperse them.
This they did with considerable brutality, arresting Baba Ramdev as he tried to escape dressed as a woman.
When Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev returned to Delhi to fast this year, the government decided that the steam had gone out of their movements and the best policy was to ignore them.
Mr Hazare was protesting because there was still no agreement on the ombudsman he wanted.
This time Delhi did not turn out to support him.
After three days, he called off his fast amidst confusion about whether he had asked his colleagues to form a political party or not.
When I visited the camp in the middle of Delhi which Baba Ramdev established this year for his fast demanding the recovery of all the illegal Indian funds deposited in foreign banks, police officers were relaxing in chairs and constables leaning on their lead-tipped lathis or staves.
I found very little evidence of support from the general public. The only backing I could find was among his dedicated disciples.
The government ignored Baba Ramdev until, seeing that his fast was going nowhere, he called on his supporters to march on parliament.
He managed to turn his temporary arrest into a drama which brought traffic in central Delhi to a halt.
The police treated him with kid gloves.
With the fasts over, can the government revert to the Indian tradition of accepting corruption as a part of life?
That tradition goes back 3,000 years to the political theorist Chanakya, known as the Indian Machiavelli.
He said: "Just as it's impossible not to taste honey or poison when it's on the tip of the tongue, so it's impossible for a government servant not to eat up at least a bit of the king's revenue."
Bringing it nearer to our time, Indira Gandhi dismissed corruption as "a global phenomenon" and, the other day, a minister in the government of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, told officials it was alright to steal but not to loot.
The limited support for Mr Hazare's fast indicates that middle-class anger against corruption is not the potent force that it was said to be at the height of his popularity last year. Although Baba Ramdev can rally his own supporters, there is little evidence that his movement enjoys mass support.
But during this fast by the Baba, the main opposition party - the right-wing Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party - and some of its allies came out in his support.
They clearly believe he wields a big enough stick to help them defeat the governing coalition in the 2014 elections.
It is not just the politics of the anti-corruption campaign which worry the government.
Businessmen openly - and officials privately - say the whole administration has slowed down perceptibly because, in the present feverish atmosphere, civil servants are reluctant to take decisions for fear of being accused of corruption by the opposition or indeed the media.
But there seems little the ruling Congress party can do. As one senior congressman put it to me: "Baba Ramdev and Anna have brought corruption centre-stage and it's likely to stay there."
Doubtless the Baba will produce more dramas to keep himself in the frame.
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Read more or explore the archive at the programme website. | Two anti-corruption hunger strikes in India this summer have been largely ignored by the authorities and the public but the anti-graft movement does seem to be worrying politicians and civil servants. |
38,076,474 | Most operators cite population-based figures but do not state how much of the UK landmass they cover.
EE said that from January, it would clearly cite only its geographic coverage on its website and adverts.
Industry regulator Ofcom told the BBC it had called on operators to improve coverage on transport lines and in remote places.
Most of the UK's mobile operators boast coverage figures of up to 99% - but these numbers are based on the number of premises that have connectivity.
Since a large number of people work and live in major towns and cities, where coverage tends to be good, the percentage figure is high.
But it does not reflect how much of the country as a whole gets a signal, and thus does not indicate the likelihood of experiencing drop-outs while travelling or working outside.
"Our view is that the industry needs to be clearer on coverage, and geographic is the most important metric," EE's chief executive Marc Allera told the BBC.
"These are mobile devices. People expect them to work outside of where they live and work."
Ofcom told the BBC it had published research allowing mobile users to compare the geographic coverage of each network.
It added that mobile operators were obliged to provide voice coverage - 2G or higher - to 90% of the UK landmass by the end of 2017, and it was "examining" ways it could improve data coverage geographically.
EE acknowledged there was a risk that its figures might appear poor compared to rivals' if they did not match its commitment.
But Mr Allera said: "I am going to stick to what I believe is right, which is being transparent."
In response to EE, a spokesman for O2 said: "We would welcome more transparency on network coverage across the industry."
Shaun Collins, from the consultancy CCS Insight, said the initiative was "long overdue".
"This bold move by Marc Allera will be studied carefully by his competitors, it will be interesting to see their reactions," he said. | EE has called on rival mobile networks to provide "greater clarity" about signal coverage. |
35,218,748 | Political reporter Samantha Maiden said the offensive text, which also contained strong language, was intended for disgraced ex-minister Jamie Briggs.
She said Mr Dutton apologised for the message about her article referring to Mr Briggs' recent resignation.
The BBC has approached Mr Dutton's office for comment.
He reportedly told News Corp in a statement he is expecting a "tough time" in Ms Maiden's next article.
"Sam and I have exchanged some robust language over the years so we had a laugh after this and I apologised to her straightaway, which she took in good faith," Mr Dutton was quoted as saying.
Former Cities Minister Jamie Briggs resigned last week following a complaint from a female public servant over his alleged conduct during a night out in Hong Kong. | Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has reportedly apologised for mistakenly sending an SMS to a journalist, calling her a "mad witch". |
38,591,456 | In 2016, nine players and officials were sanctioned as a result of TIU disciplinary investigations.
There were 292 alerts to the TIU last year, with eight of them from Grand Slam, ATP and WTA matches.
In 2015, there were 246 alerts to the TIU.
The TIU said alerts are not proof of corruption, but that all cases have to be investigated.
It added it will continue to review its systems to tackle corruption, "ensuring its provisions and powers are current and relevant".
For example, from 1 January 2017, a player suspected of a corruption offence will be given a provisional suspension, while previously they could continue playing until a disciplinary notice had been served.
Last year, secret files exposing evidence of widespread suspected match-fixing at the top level of world tennis were revealed by the BBC and BuzzFeed News.
The files stated that, over the last decade, 16 players ranked in the top 50 had been repeatedly flagged to the TIU over suspicions they have thrown matches.
All of the players, including winners of Grand Slam titles, were allowed to continue competing.
On Tuesday, former Australian player Nick Lindahl was banned for seven years and fined $35,000 (£28,000) for match-fixing.
The report also adds that the abuse of players through social media is a growing concern and that the TIU will work with players to ensure cases are logged and relevant action is taken against perpetrators.
In 2015, British world number 75 Heather Watson said abuse on Twitter had "become such a usual occurrence" she has stopped reading the messages.
She had previously told the New York Times that she and her family had received death threats online.
"I think those people, they've got no life," she said. "They're just kind of cowards thinking they can say whatever they want on the internet."
Read the full report | The number of suspicious betting patterns in tennis is on the rise and is a "concern", says the first annual report published by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU). |
36,246,045 | The thanksgiving event will take place on 27 September, which will mark the 50th anniversary of Sir Terry's first radio broadcast for the corporation.
Sir Terry, who died in January at the age of 77 from cancer, began his career on the BBC Light Programme.
Further details of the service will be announced at a later date.
The Radio Academy's festival at the British Library will be moved to 26 September to avoid a clash.
A spokesperson said: "As a mark of respect to Sir Terry Wogan - one of the great figures of British broadcasting - and to avoid in any way detracting from the service of Thanksgiving being held for him at Westminster Abbey, the Radio Festival, which was due to take place on the same day, will now be moved."
Sir Terry has already been remembered in a special episode of Songs of Praise on BBC One.
He was one of Britain's most loved and enduring radio and TV personalities.
His death on 31 January came as a surprise to many people since he had kept his illness out of the headlines.
Leading figures from the worlds of showbusiness and politics were quick to pay tribute to him, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying he was "someone millions came to feel was their own special friend".
Former Radio 2 presenter Jonathan Ross said: "He was a thoughtful, generous and sane man in an industry where those qualities are rare."
Given his popularity and the length of his career, the thanksgiving event is likely to be attended by a high-profile congregation.
Sir Terry was the popular presenter of the Radio 2 breakfast show up until 2009, when Chris Evans took over.
His jocular manner, and flights of whimsy, helped Sir Terry build an audience of eight million.
He was last heard on the station on 8 November, presenting his Weekend Wogan show, which he had hosted since 2010 following his decision to step down from his weekday show.
A few days later, it was announced Sir Terry would not be presenting the BBC's annual charity fundraiser Children In Need due to health issues. It was the first time in the event's 35-year history that he would not front the appeal show.
Sir Terry was also well-known for fronting the BBC's Eurovision coverage from 1971 to 2008, just for radio at the start and later moving to TV.
From 1980 to 2008 he was the indispensible television voice of the contest for millions of listeners.
His witty commentary proved to be one of the many highlights of his career.
The show, which now has Graham Norton doing BBC commentary, is being held this year be held on 14 May in Stockholm.
Last month, Christer Bjorkman, the Swedish producer of this year's contest, criticised Sir Terry's work on the show and said he would never have given him a job.
Mr Bjorkman said Sir Terry had "totally spoiled Eurovision" by mocking the acts and making the audience consider the contest as merely "kitsch".
But the BBC said: "Sir Terry Wogan is and always will be part of the heritage of the Eurovision Song Contest." | Sir Terry Wogan's life will be celebrated in a special service at Westminster Abbey in central London, the BBC has announced. |
35,919,982 | Emergency services were called to the River Helford at about 12:45 BST on Monday after someone reported seeing a fishing boat going around in circles.
The RNLI said both lifeboats from Falmouth attended and crews performed CPR on the man.
It is thought the 56-year-old had been lying in the water for some time and he was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
He died a short time later.
Devon and Cornwall Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious and next of kin had been informed. | A fisherman has died after being found entangled in his own nets in a river. |
34,783,958 | Inspectors labelled the prison, near Lisburn, as the most dangerous in Europe, describing it as unsafe, unstable and in a state of crisis.
Phil Wragg was appointed governor in August, three months after the inspection was carried out.
He told the BBC that significant improvements have already been made.
He said he expects a much more positive report when the inspectors return in January.
"What you have to remember about the inspection is that it was a snapshot in time, at a time the establishment was seen to be having a number of particular concerns," he said.
"The words the inspectors used are not how I would describe Maghaberry today."
Phil Wragg is no stranger to tough prison regimes.
He spent six years at HMP Belmarsh, a category A maximum security prison in south London.
He will need all of that experience to tackle the problems at Maghaberry.
It has been the subject of a series of critical reports in recent years, but the one published last week was by far the most critical ever published about a prison in Northern Ireland.
Sitting in his office in the prison, I asked how he felt when he read the inspectors' damning assessment.
"Reports of that nature are something that no prison governor ever wants to see about his or her establishment, and indeed the Prison Service don't want to see reports like that," he said.
"But we as a service are working jointly together to ensure that all of our establishments operate to the required high performance standard."
As always after critical reports, the Prison Service last week said it has an action plan to address the concerns raised.
Mr Wragg said that plan aims to tackle three main areas: resourcing, regimes and outcomes for prisoners.
"As a team we are working together, challenging those areas of concern. I am confident that we are moving positively forward and making progress.
"That doesn't mean to say I don't recognise there is work to do, but we are making steady but sure progress."
Before the inspection team visited Maghaberry, the Prison Governors' Association warned that it was under-staffed and under-resourced.
Mr Wragg said tackling high rates of sickness absence was the key to improving safety and stability within the prison.
Maghaberry currently employs around 630 prison officers. When inspectors visited in May, 95 were of them were off sick - that is nearly 15% of the total.
This week, the number of staff off sick had fallen to 48.
"That means we have more resources in the establishment," Mr Wragg said.
"That then lowers tension, it increases morale, it allows us to get prisoners out of their cells and into a form of regime which assists us to deal with their offending behaviour.
"If we make the mood of the establishment better then we can produce a much better out turn and that makes it easier and better for my staff to operate in, but also for prisoners, it allows us to have the opportunity to deal with their offending needs and their health care needs."
A current recruitment campaign will also boost the number of officers he has available. Just over 1,000 people have applied to join the Prison Service.
Critics and inspectors have consistently said a major part of the problem at Maghaberry is that the Prison Officers' Association (POA) is too powerful, and resistant to change.
"Absolutely not, the POA and my management team have a good working relationship," Mr Wragg said.
"I have regular meetings with the local POA branch officials to ensure that they are part of the process of moving the establishment forward.
"Prison officers need to know how I intend to move the establishment forward, they are indeed part of moving the establishment forward and I want and I welcome their input."
He also rejected suggestions that the POA effectively runs Maghaberry.
"The prison governor is definitely running this prison," he said.
"The POA however are part of solution design because it's important that people who are operational, who carry out the roles on the landings and in the cells, see where we can benefit from their insight and their work methodology."
Inspectors said they were so concerned by the situation in Maghaberry that they would return in January to assess what progress has been made.
"There is no way we are going to address all of the issues in such a short period of time, that is just a physical impossibility," Mr Wragg acknowledged.
"But I'm confident that the inspection team will see a different Maghaberry, they'll see a safer Maghaberry, a cleaner Maghaberry." | The man in charge of Northern Ireland's high security Maghaberry prison says he is confident he can address serious concerns raised in a critical report. |
34,040,253 | The incident happened at Gretna Green some time overnight between Friday and Saturday.
The tree was planted on 22 May during events to mark the 100th anniversary of the nearby Quintinshill disaster in which more than 200 people died.
Police have appealed for any witnesses to the incident to contact them.
PC Andy Aitken said: "It beggars belief that someone has carried out such a wanton act of vandalism." | Vandals have chopped down a pear tree planted by the Princess Royal to mark the centenary of Britain's worst rail disaster. |
36,360,764 | Belgium, France and Latvia have already done so but Bulgaria's example stems from the small, southern city of Pazardjik, which has just imposed its own "burka ban", as local media dubbed it. The burka, which covers the eyes, has never been seen in Bulgaria.
The face veil is not considered traditional dress for Bulgaria's Muslims, who make up 10% of the country's 7.1 million population.
The vast majority are indigenous communities of ethnic Turks, Roma and Pomaks (Bulgarian-speaking Muslims). In fact, women who have been spotted wearing it in the past two to three years are almost all members of a small Salafist, Roma community in Pazardjik.
The community has been at the centre of controversy and media attention after one of its preachers, Ahmed Musa, was put on trial three times for spreading "religious hatred". Locals say Musa was born Christian but 20 years ago converted to Islam; he adopted more conservative views after travelling to the West.
Only 4% of Pazardjik's 70,000 population is Muslim and only a fraction of that number follow Ahmed Musa. Yet the presence of about two dozen women wearing the niqab in the city created unease in the local administration.
What's the difference between a burqa, a niqab and a hijab?
The Islamic veil across Europe
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The migrants' hard route through Bulgaria
"The main things that motivated and catalysed this [ban] were the terrorist attacks that happened in European countries and the increasing flow of migrants who entered the country in the past few years," explained Rumen Kozhuharov, the head of the municipality.
The police had already issued a citation to one woman, he said, for wearing a face veil in the streets of the "Iztok" quarter, a mixed Christian and Muslim Roma neighbourhood where the Abu Bakir mosque of the conservative community was built 10 years ago.
A week after the ban came into place no women were to be seen wearing the niqab in the streets of the neighbourhood. Local people were reluctant to comment, saying they distrusted journalists because of the persistent visits of TV crews and their "biased" portrayal of their community.
One man at the Abu Bakir mosque, who introduced himself only as Agati, told the BBC that the ban was "an affront to the religion", but he refused to elaborate.
Ramiz Sali, former head of the Muslim board in Pazardjik, who now works at the city's 350-year-old Ottoman mosque, said that he didn't care whether a woman covered her face or not, but that Islam only required that she wore a headscarf.
The real problems that the Roma neighbourhood faced were high illiteracy and unemployment, he added.
"What terrorism are they talking about when half of the Roma neighbourhood are scavenging rubbish containers?" he said.
After Pazardjik, five major Bulgarian cities, including the capital Sofia, began considering similar bans. By contrast, Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second biggest city, voted against it; its mayor mocked the proposal saying that it would affect only Mickey Mouse and the Minions.
The Grand Mufti's Office in Bulgaria has rejected the face veil ban bill, saying it infringes on the freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution.
"The far-right populist pseudo-patriotic factions are seeking to gain dirty [political] dividends on the back of Muslims, which is dishonourable given the scale of Islamophobia across the world," said Jalal Faik, the secretary general of the Grand Mufti's Office.
The face veil was not a major issue in Bulgaria until members of the VMRO Party (part of the Patriotic Front) started calling for a ban in late March. It then gained wide support among both the ruling majority and the opposition left.
"[Wearing the face veil] is one of the many steps which lead to radicalisation of the Islamic community in Bulgaria. We shouldn't allow such radicalisation," said VMRO MP Iskren Veselinov.
He says the recent terror attacks in France and Belgium prove that such a ban is necessary.
"France and Belgium started talking about [a ban] 30 years ago, but implemented it only a few years ago, after two generations of Islamists came of age," he added.
According to Dimitar Bechev, visiting fellow at Harvard's Center for European Politics, the face veil ban is part of a political game.
He explained that other members of the ruling coalition, including PM Boyko Borisov's GERB party, were supporting the ban to appease their coalition partner, the PF, while the left backed it because of its staunchly nationalistic attitudes.
"Here is the threat of a vicious circle emerging: nationalists scapegoating Muslims and pushing certain individuals to radicalisation which in turn would fuel more hate speech," he warned.
The face veil ban bill has already been approved by two parliamentary committees, and its supporters expect it to pass before parliament's summer break. | Bulgaria is set to become the latest EU country to ban the niqab, or face veil, after the right-wing coalition party, Patriotic Front, submitted a bill to parliament as a "pre-emptive measure". |
36,663,300 | National Express West Midlands said it is installing technology on 1,500 buses through its network in the next two years.
A spokesman said the move will speed up routes and make fewer buses over-run.
Customers had complained drivers not giving change lost them money if they lacked exact change and added time on their journeys.
A Swift card can already been used on National Express buses in the area. It works in a similar way to Oyster cards used across London's transport system.
More on this and other stories from Birmingham and the Black Country
National Express confirmed Swift travel cards and cash would still be accepted on the network.
Jens Mullak, from Init Innovations in Transport, which is developing the systems for National Express West Midlands, said there is a "growing trend" for contactless payment around the world.
"I think it's a gradual process, but with the popularity of contactless bank cards and the usage of mobile phones this will surely more and more replace cash payments." | Commuters in the West Midlands will be able to pay for their journeys using contactless cards and smartphones. |
39,772,980 | Paper tests are being replaced with personalised online assessments which adapt to pupils' skills, providing an appropriate level of challenge.
Liberal Democrat education secretary Kirsty Williams said it will benefit pupils, parents and teachers.
Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives both warned of "potential pitfalls".
UKIP has been asked to comment.
Since 2013, all pupils in Wales in years 2-9 sit an annual reading and numeracy test, which ministers say help teachers monitor progress and identify where help is needed.
According to the Welsh Government, the advantages of testing online are:
The tests have been specifically designed for use in Wales and will be phased in over three years, starting from the 2018-19 academic year.
Education Secretary Ms Williams, who sits in the Labour-led cabinet, said: "These tests are about raising standards by showing the next steps that children need to take in their learning.
"Pupils will be taking assessments that will adapt to their needs and skills. They will have the benefits of automatic marking and schools will have feedback faster than before, giving them a better picture of how they can help all their learners to move on."
Plaid Cymru shadow education secretary, Llyr Gruffydd, said teacher assessments "provide a much more-meaningful overview of pupil achievement than crude testing".
"It's teachers who are best placed to understand the progress and needs of individual pupils," he said.
"If the Welsh Government is to persist with testing, however, anything that reduces bureaucracy should be welcomed in principle but assurances need to be given that online assessments will not weaken the focus on the individual."
Mr Gruffydd added there were also "potential pitfalls" in dealing with poor broadband access in certain parts of the country.
Welsh Conservative AM Darren Millar said the tests represented a "welcome opportunity" to measure pupil progress and allow performance comparisons between and within schools.
But he said it "conveniently ignores the unacceptable fact that hundreds of children across Wales are still at an educational disadvantage because of inadequate broadband connectivity both at home and in school".
He said the Welsh Government "must take urgent steps to redress this if they are to successfully roll-out the new testing regime".
UKIP education spokeswoman Michelle Brown said: "Over the years, the government have failed to attract people to come and teach in Wales, so they are now having to move towards 'robotic' classrooms, where computers are taking the place of teaching staff.
"Education standards have continually worsened under Labour, and if I were the education minister I would concentrate more on getting the teaching side right in the first place, before trying to automate the way children are tested." | Annual reading and numeracy tests for children aged from six to 14 will be taken online from September next year, the Welsh Government has said. |
38,200,778 | The board decided during an emergency extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday that Alei should step aside because of alleged financial impropriety.
"Yes it is true the board of directors of the SSFA have suspended me, but I am ready to defend myself and even quit football," Alei told BBC Sport.
The South Sudan FA vice president, Andrea Abdella, has taken over the presidency until the next election in March 2017.
However, the board has decided that Alei can speak in his own defence during a forthcoming General Assembly.
"We shall pick a date for the assembly at which Alei can defend himself on all the matters," said South Sudan FA Deputy Secretary General Domasio Ajongo who added that they have also communicated the developments to Fifa and are awaiting a response from football's world governing body.
Alei came to office in 2012 and survived being ousted in July 2017 before Fifa intervened. | The president of the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), Chabur Goc Alei, says he is determined to clear his name after he was suspended by the FA's board of directors. |
40,240,925 | The visitors scored six tries, including a brace each for wing Akari Kato and fellow back Iroha Nagata.
Wing Jess Kavanagh-Williams' try was Wales' only score in a first half that saw coach Rowland Phillips' side trail 23-5 at the break.
Kelsey Jones did add a late consolation for the home side, touching down from the back of a driving line-out.
Phillips had brought into his squad eight players who have progressed through the Under-18 system.
"We certainly don't plan to lose games of rugby but we know where we are with this group at this point," Phillips said.
"The score didn't really have any bearing on what we wanted to get out of the day.
"You look at [prop] Lleucu George today, that's her first game, she's only 17 and she was outstanding.
"That's a massive tick in the box for us building for the future."
Wales are preparing for the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland in two months' time, where they will start against New Zealand in Dublin on 9 August, followed by games against Canada and Hong Kong.
Before that Wales have two more preparation matches against Spain and England in July.
Wales: Jodie Evans; Angharad de Smet, Elen Evans, Rebecca Defilipo, Jessica Kavanagh-Williams; Kayleigh Powell, Sian Moore; Siwan Lilicrap, Nia Elen Davies, Lleucu George, Gwen Crabb, Rebecca Rowe, Megan York, Morfudd Ifans, Gwenllian Pyrs.
Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Catrin Edwards, Brea Leung, Amy Thomas, Mel Clay, Alisha Butchers, Bethan Lewis, Ffion Lewis, India Berbillion, Carly Jones. | An inexperienced Wales Women's side were outclassed by Japan at Ystrad Mynach on Sunday. |
35,101,158 | Jones met Ford at Bath's training base on Friday to talk about their England contingent and the pair earned a recommendation from their club boss.
"I gave him a couple of names such as Henry Thomas and Nick Auterac in particular," Ford told BBC Points West.
"We exchanged numbers and he's keen to build up a good relationship."
New England head coach Jones began work in the role earlier in December and is working his way around the 12 Premiership clubs.
Bath already have a large group of players in England's Elite Player Squad and several are already in Jones' thoughts ahead of the 2016 Six Nations, which starts in February.
Ford says it was a productive meeting with the 55-year-old Australian, adding: "We both want England to do well.
"It was an initial 'touch base' to tell me which players he was looking at for the Six Nations.
"There are players already in the EPS such as George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson, Dave Attwood, Dave Wilson and Rob Webber.
"He's also looking at Semesa Rokoduguni and Kyle Eastmond. I threw the two names in, plus Matt Banahan who has been playing well for 18 months."
Banahan, 28, has not played internationally since the 2011 World Cup but has not given up hope of an England recall.
"If the opportunity comes to pull on on the white shirt, I'll jump and take it," the Bath back told BBC Radio Bristol. "If my form is good enough it'll happen." | Bath head coach Mike Ford has revealed he recommended prop duo Henry Thomas and Nick Auterac to new England boss Eddie Jones at a recent meeting. |
38,987,810 | The 34-year-old worked with Blues coach Danny Wilson at Cardiff RFC and had been with the capital region until joining Scarlets in 2009.
After leaving Scarlets in 2012, Welch turned out 98 times for the Chiefs but will now return to the Arms Park.
"I'm looking forward to going back to a club which pretty much started my professional career," he said.
"It's great to be heading back and Danny [Wilson] had a big bearing. He was my coach at Cardiff RFC so I'm really excited about working with him again.
"Cardiff Blues are building an exciting and ambitious squad and I'm looking forward to getting back across the bridge to play my part in that."
Welch is the second signing in as many days for the Blues, after Welsh centre Jack Roberts joined from Leicester Tigers for next season.
"We're delighted to bring Damian on board for the 2017-18 season," Wilson said.
"He is a very athletic second row and a good lineout forward who has gained valuable experienced in the Aviva premiership since leaving Wales." | Exeter Chiefs lock Damian Welch has returned to Welsh region Cardiff Blues ahead of the 2017-18 season. |
40,493,658 | Those from the poorest backgrounds, with more loans available to support them, will graduate with debts of over £57,000 says the think tank.
Interest charges are levied as soon as courses begin and the IFS says students on average will have accrued £5,800 in interest charges by the time they have graduated from university.
Report author Chris Belfield describes the interest as "very high", but the Department for Education declined to comment on the increase in charges.
Universities Minister Jo Johnson says that more disadvantaged students than ever are going to university.
The study from the IFS compares England's current student finance system introduced in 2012, where fees were raised to £9,000, with the previous system introduced in 2006, when fees were about £3,000.
Because the level at which graduates have to repay also increased, to £21,000, it meant that those with low incomes were initially better off, says the IFS.
But the repayment threshold has been frozen since 2012 - and the IFS report says that graduates on all income levels are now worse off than under the previous fee regime.
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds can borrow more in maintenance support - but because these are now loans rather than grants, it means that the poorest students will leave with the highest debts.
The increase in interest rates and tuition fees going up to £9,250 per year will push up the cost of loans for all graduates - and higher earners will pay interest of £40,000 on top of the amount borrowed.
Mr Belfield says the 6.1% being charged on loans is "very high compared with current market rates".
But if loans are not repaid after 30 years, they are written off - and the IFS forecasts that about three-quarters of students will not pay off all their debt, despite making payments from their earnings into their 50s.
The government also wants to sell off student loans to private investors - with some pre-2012 loans having already been put up for sale.
The report says there have been two main beneficiaries from the current fee system - universities and the government's finances.
Universities have increased per-student funding by 25% since fees rose to £9,000, says the IFS, after taking into account the money they no longer receive directly from the government.
Last week, Mr Johnson warned against university leaders being paid excessive salaries - with some vice-chancellors earning over £400,000.
Replacing grants with loans and freezing the earnings threshold for repayment has made the system less expensive for the government.
The IFS says that the lowest-earning third of graduates are paying 30% more than in 2012, when the £21,000 threshold was introduced.
The switch in costs to students will mean cutting government borrowing by £3bn in the long term.
Tuition fees became a high-profile issue during the general election - with Labour promising to scrap tuition fees.
The big swing to Labour in university seats was seen as suggesting that young people were concerned about tuition fees - and plans for them to begin rising each year.
Senior Conservative minister Damian Green, speaking last week, recognised that fees had become a big issue, particular for young voters, and that universities needed to show they were providing value for money.
The IFS analysis says scrapping tuition fees would cost £11bn per year. But it also warns that continuing on the current trajectory of "high debts, high interest rates and low repayment rates" would mean problems both for "graduates and the public finances".
The report says that the overall trend has been to increase university funding, reduce government spending on higher education, "while substantially increasing payments by graduates, especially high-earning graduates".
Labour's shadow education minister, Gordon Marsden, said: "This report shows that any argument that the current fee system is progressive is absolute nonsense.
"From scrapping the maintenance grant to freezing the repayment threshold, this government has increased the debt burden of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who will graduate with debts in excess of £57,000."
"Under the Tories, student debt continues to rise with no end in sight, and students in the UK will now graduate with a shocking average of over £50,000 in debt."
Mr Johnson said: "The government consciously subsidises the studies of those who for a variety of reasons, including family responsibilities, may not repay their loans in full.
"This is a vital and deliberate investment in the skills base of this country, not a symptom of a broken student finance system.
"And the evidence bears this out: young people from poorer backgrounds are now going to university at a record rate - up 43% since 2009."
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning | Students in England are going to graduate with average debts of £50,800, after interest rates are raised on student loans to 6.1%, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. |
33,180,071 | Grand plans for the replica liner were revealed in April 2012 by Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer.
But the build, which was due to start in China at the end of 2013, has not commenced, and other firms involved have said no progress has been made.
Blue Star Line, the firm behind the project, has denied the project has come to a halt.
A spokesman for the Brisbane-based firm, who contacted the BBC earlier, said the project had "just been pushed back with a planned launch date of late 2018."
According to its online news diary, the last development on the project was in September 2013, when tests were carried out on a model of the proposed replica in Germany.
The firm appointed Lloyd's Register Marine (LRM) in July 2013 to review key design drawings, calculations and studies for Titanic II.
LRM said: "There have been no further developments involving us since our initial design appraisal work.
"We remain ready to support the project should we be contracted to provide it."
Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said its commission related to Titanic II had finished.
A spokesman said: "We have no work ongoing for Blue Star Line."
The ship's designs showed it would have similar dimensions to the original, with 840 rooms and nine decks.
It was expected to set sail in late 2016, calling at the same ports as the ill-fated Titanic, including Southampton and New York.
This was always a high-risk venture, a flight of fancy by a fabulously wealthy Australian mining tycoon.
The design of Titanic II was intended to be as close to the original ship as possible, whilst conforming to today's safety standards and having modern engines.
There would be second and third class cabins, where passengers would have narrow bunk beds and wash basins instead of bathrooms and balconies with ocean views.
Today's cruise passengers are accustomed to much greater luxuries. | Work on the proposed Titanic II has yet to begin, prompting concerns the project has been abandoned. |
36,719,508 | Media playback is not supported on this device
It is no coincidence that Antoine Griezmann played so well in their 5-2 quarter-final win over Iceland because he was in his favoured position, behind the striker, rather than out wide on the right.
He plays centrally for his club side Atletico Madrid and he is much more productive there. Even his body language looks much better, because he clearly doesn't want to be tracking back and chasing full-backs into his own half - all of his energy should be used for the creative side he is so good at.
But to play Griezmann in that number 10 role, Deschamps will have to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation he used against Iceland - rather than the 4-3-3 he had favoured previously in this tournament.
To do that, he will have to leave out one of his holding midfielders - N'Golo Kante, who was suspended last time out, Paul Pogba or Blaise Matuidi.
With France up against Germany, I think that Kante has to play in this game. He would actually be my first choice ahead of Pogba or Matuidi.
His ability to break up play and cover his back four will be crucial against Germany because Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil will always look to get in those pockets of space behind the France midfield and in front of their defence.
Kante's awareness, speed and work-rate means he will be excellent at dealing with that. For me, he should play whatever selection and shape Deschamps decides upon.
I have a feeling he will go back to 4-3-3, which will be more solid, and only go to a more attacking shape when they need to - most managers would do this.
Most managers would do that, but I would personally be tempted to pick Kante and Pogba and leave Matuidi out because, although he is very effective at what he does, he is the least gifted of the three.
That way Deschamps can play 4-2-3-1 and use Griezmann centrally, and really play on the front foot.
If France let Germany have too much of the ball and dictate play then we have seen what they can do, but if they have a go at them then there are definitely areas where they can hurt the world champions.
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Germany changed their shape to play Italy, going with three centre-halves to match the Italians' formation.
I would imagine they will go back to playing four across the back in Marseille, because the French play that way and Germany prefer it anyway.
Mats Hummels is suspended but I don't think that is too big a blow because they have Shkodran Mustafi to come in alongside Jerome Boateng at the back. The Valencia defender played instead of Hummels in their opening game against Ukraine - when Hummels was also suspended - and scored.
Their manager Joachim Low is not exactly struggling in midfield either, even without Sami Khedira.
But, up front, Mario Gomez is a big miss. They have definitely been better at this tournament when he has been on the pitch because he is a physical presence and a focal point for them.
Gomez is a big powerful striker and, when he plays, they do not have to play their way through - they can knock balls up to him and he can feed their runners into the box.
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In Olivier Giroud, France have got a striker who performs that Gomez role and does just as much for his team.
Yes he has spells where he struggles in front of goal, but overall his contribution is always positive. He has his critics, for Arsenal and his national side, but he is very good at ignoring them and just cracking on.
His best quality is his perseverance. He never hides, he just keeps trying to do the right things in the right areas and, when he is used correctly he is perfect because he knows exactly how to play his role - stay high up the pitch, occupy the two centre-halves and be strong on the ball.
In terms of build-up play and giving you the right options I always thought that, as a midfielder, I would really enjoy playing with him.
I understand why Arsenal fans want a striker who will get you 25 goals a season instead, but he is not that prolific a player.
Judge him for what he gives the team instead, and the fact he always gives his all and is reliable. If France are to beat Germany, he will play a big part even if he does not get on the scoresheet.
If I was to pick a winner then Gomez's absence certainly swings the momentum to France, but it is going to be such a close game.
Germany's quarter-final against Italy went to penalties and could have gone either way, which will give the French encouragement because they have got more flair and creativity than the Italians.
Deschamps and his players have also got belief and a spring in their step after the way they defeated Iceland but they remain vulnerable defensively and Germany are patient, strong and methodical.
The world champions have looked full of confidence since the tournament started - they always do - and they have improved as it has gone on.
My football brain still thinks France should beat them but the way Germany are makes it impossible to bet against them.
Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan in France. | France coach Didier Deschamps has got some big decisions to make about who he is going to play in Thursday's Euro 2016 semi-final against Germany and how he is going to approach the match. |
36,468,228 | Also on the weekend of 18-19 June, Derry will be at home to losers of the Leinster tie between Louth and Meath.
After their hammering by Monaghan on Sunday, Down will be at home to Longford on the weekend of 25-26 June.
Antrim will be at home to Limerick on the same weekend with the losers of the Fermanagh v Donegal Ulster tie facing Wexford away.
Armagh, comfortably beaten by Cavan in the Ulster quarter-finals nine days ago, lost at home against Laois in the Football League in early February.
After their home humiliation by Tyrone, Derry are unlikely to have it easy against either Louth or Meath at Celtic Park.
Louth won this year's Division Four league title while Meath are invariably difficulty opponents in championship football.
Down face the task of regrouping from their mauling by Monaghan against Longford, who defeated Derry at Celtic Park in the qualifiers two years ago.
Longford narrowly missed out on securing promotion to Division Two of the League after winning four of their seven Division Three games so the Pairc Esler tie may be no easy task for the shell-shocked Mournemen.
After their promotion from Division Four in the Spring, Antrim should be capable of beating a Limerick team that dropped down to the final tier after only earning one point in Division Three.
The losers of this weekend's Donegal v Fermanagh Ulster tie, meanwhile, should be good enough to account for a Wexford team that was unable to get out of Division Four this year.
All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers draw
Round 1A - 18-19 June
Laois v Armagh
Carlow v Wicklow
Derry v Louth or Meath
Leitrim v Waterford
Round 1B - 25-26 June
Down v Longford
Antrim v Leitrim
Offaly or Westmeath v London
Wexford v Fermanagh or Donegal | Armagh have been handed a difficult opening Football qualifier assignment against Laois at O'Moore Park. |
37,183,247 | A health tribunal has found 70-year-old Sutcliffe no longer needs treatment for any mental disorder.
In 1981 he was convicted of 13 murders and seven attempted murders and given 20 life sentences.
He was transferred to Broadmoor in 1984 after he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Before he was moved to the high security institution in Berkshire, the killer spent three years at Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight.
The BBC understands that transferring Sutcliffe to prison could save up to £250,000 a year.
Sutcliffe, a former lorry driver from Bradford, now calls himself Peter Coonan.
Plans for his transfer emerged earlier in August and he is thought to have been moved to Frankland prison in Durham on Wednesday.
Commenting on the transfer, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Peter Coonan will remain locked up and will never be released for his evil crimes.
"Decisions over whether prisoners are to be sent back to prison from secure hospitals are based on clinical assessments made by independent medical staff.
"The High Court ordered in 2010 that Peter Coonan should never be released. This was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
"Our thoughts are with Coonan's victims and their families."
Between 1975 and 1980 Sutcliffe preyed on women across Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. Most were mutilated and beaten to death.
He was caught in January 1981 when police found him in his car with a woman working as a prostitute.
They discovered Sutcliffe had a fake licence plate and weapons including a screwdriver and hammer in the boot.
Wilma McCann, aged 28, Leeds, October 1975
Emily Jackson, aged 42, Leeds, January 1976
Irene Richardson, aged 28, Leeds, February 1977
Patricia Atkinson, aged 32, Bradford, April 1977
Jayne McDonald, aged 16, Leeds, June 1977
Jean Jordan, aged 21, Manchester, October 1977
Yvonne Pearson, aged 22, Bradford, January 1978
Helen Rytka, aged 18, Huddersfield, January 1978
Vera Millward, aged 41, Manchester, May 1978
Josephine Whittaker, aged 19, Halifax, May 1979
Barbara Leach, aged 20, Bradford, September 1979
Marguerite Walls, aged 47, Leeds, August 1980
Jacqueline Hill, aged 20, Leeds, November 1980 | Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe - known as the Yorkshire Ripper - has been moved to prison after three decades at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital. |
36,249,245 | Pompey will meet Argyle in the semi-final first leg at Fratton Park on Thursday after they finished sixth.
"When you look at the bigger picture, you have to play your opponents home and away whatever happens, so it doesn't really matter," Davies said.
"What happened earlier in the season between us goes out of the window."
A 2-1 home defeat by champions Northampton on Saturday meant Pompey finished below Argyle, but 34-year-old Davies believes two massive games are ahead of them.
"It's about a straight shoot-out now," he told BBC Radio Solent.
"We can take confidence into the play-offs with some of the performances we've had this season.
"Play-offs are tense games and we'll be well-organised. We firmly believe in ourselves.
"We've got players and a gaffer with experience of these games and situations. You have to be on it from the first minute to the last in both legs." | Portsmouth defender Ben Davies is looking forward to "a straight shoot-out" in the League Two play-offs against Plymouth Argyle. |
40,045,492 | Goalkeeper Forde, 37, made 339 appearances for the Lions, but spent the 2016-17 campaign on loan at League Two champions Portsmouth.
Full-back Martin, 28, played in 25 league games for the club this season.
Midfielders Shaun Williams and Jimmy Abdou have been offered new contracts at The Den, as have winger Fred Onyedinma and defender Shaun Cummings.
Nigeria-born Onyedinma, 20, has been linked with a move to Championship side QPR. | Millwall have released Joe Martin and David Forde following their promotion to the Championship. |
35,031,110 | Fury has been quoted as saying a woman's "best place is on her back" and criticised homosexuality and abortion.
The new world heavyweight champion said: "Tyson Fury loves his fellow humans. He doesn't hate anybody."
The BBC said Fury's inclusion did not mean SPOTY endorsed his personal views.
Fury, 27, won the WBA, IBF and WBO titles on 28 November from Wladimir Klitschko, who had reigned as world champion for 11 years.
In the aftermath of his win in Dusseldorf, Fury had said: "I'm not sexist. I believe a woman's best place is in the kitchen and on her back. That's my personal belief. Making me a good cup of tea, that's what I believe."
He has also drawn criticism for saying that fellow SPOTY nominee Jessica Ennis-Hill "slaps up well".
But Fury, who refers to himself as the 'Gypsy King' because of his Irish traveller heritage, told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine programme on Monday: "I love my women and what I said goes for my wife alone. She knows her place, I know her place. That's our culture of people.
"That's nothing to do with the world or anybody else and if I was a normal person, I wasn't in the spotlight, no-one would be making a scene about what I say to my wife."
The new world champion has also previously said it would only take the legalisation of paedophilia in addition to the decriminalisation of homosexuality and abortion to see "the devil come home".
In an interview he said: "There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home: one of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one's paedophilia.
"Who would have thought in the '50s and '60s that those first two would be legalised?"
In conversation with Jeremy Vine, he sought to clarify his comments by saying: "Let's not try and make me out to be some evil person and I hate gays because I don't hate anybody. I can actually say I don't hate anybody.
"The only thing I have for people is love and that's what the world needs to realise. What a man does in his own home and with his own people is his own problems."
LGBT campaigner Scott Cuthbertson, who began the petition for Fury to be removed from the SPOTY shortlist, accused the BBC of double standards, adding that if the comments had been racist the boxer would have been dropped.
Cuthbertson said: "He has repeatedly made degrading, insulting and homophobic and sexist remarks.
"He is fully entitled to his views, but this is about the BBC putting Tyson up as a role model to young people."
The BBC said it was standing by its original shortlist of 12 for the award, and in a statement said: "The Sports Personality shortlist is compiled by a panel of industry experts and is based on an individual's sporting achievement - it is not an endorsement of an individual's personal beliefs, either by the BBC or members of the panel." | Boxer Tyson Fury has spoken out on his views about women and gay people, as a petition calling for his removal from the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year shortlist reaches 80,000 names. |
35,186,761 | The ministry gave no further details of Yair Ramati's offence.
However, Israeli media said he had stored classified information on his personal computer.
Yair Ramati had been in the post for four years, overseeing projects such as the Iron Dome and Arrow anti-missile interceptor systems.
The defence ministry praised Mr Ramati for his achievements in the trial of missile systems.
But it said the nature of the offence meant that Mr Ramati's tenure had to be curtailed.
"Relevant authorities" were investigating, it said. | The head of Israel's missile defence programmes has been sacked for a "grave breach of information security", the defence ministry has said. |
37,747,966 | Hamilton's seventh win of the season was also the 50th of his career, to put him just one behind Alain Prost in second place in the all-time list behind Michael Schumacher (91 wins).
It was a fortifying weekend all round for Hamilton, who left behind the travails of the three Asian races and was on top form - both on and off the track - all weekend in Austin.
The 31-year-old Briton has now won four of the five races at the Circuit of the Americas - and five of the last six US Grands Prix if one counts back to the race's previous home at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2007.
But Hamilton remains 26 points behind his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, who finished second, partially thanks to a stroke of luck with the timing of a virtual safety car.
Had that not been deployed - following a gearbox failure that stranded Max Verstappen's Red Bull out on track - Rosberg would have had to pass the Dutchman's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo to take second.
He may well have done so - he would have been on fresher tyres and in a faster car. But it was the latest in a series of situations in which luck has fallen Rosberg's way this season.
The Hamilton who turned up in Austin was a very different one from the one who had been in Japan two weeks previously, where his behaviour put him at the centre of a media storm.
Two controversial performances in news conferences in Suzuka were a distraction that Hamilton did not need, and whether that played a role in him qualifying only second to Rosberg and then fluffing his start will continue to be a question.
In Japan, Hamilton allowed very mild criticism in a very few media outlets following his distracted performance in the pre-event news conference to spiral into an unnecessary situation which led to him refusing to answer questions at a subsequent media appearance two days later.
Things have calmed down since. Hamilton has had his media team unblock the journalists they had blocked on Twitter, and he was back to his usual self in America.
Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff said he felt the events of Japan were influenced by those the previous weekend in Malaysia, where an engine failure cost Hamilton a dominant win that would have put him back in the championship lead.
Hamilton admitted after his win on Sunday that Malaysia was "haunting" him throughout the race in America. And Wolff said: "That little trauma is going to remain for a while" for the whole team.
"Suzuka was very difficult," Wolff said. "Coming out of Malaysia, where he lost the win, 25 points gone, and would have caught up in the championship.
"It started unfortunately with the press conference and it went into a spiral. He had 10 days to recover and he came back strong."
Indeed he did. From the moment Hamilton took to the track in Austin, he looked invincible. It was one of those weekends.
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He was blistering in the first half-hour of practice, a second quicker than Rosberg initially and still significantly ahead by the end. Second practice did not go so well, but on Saturday he was again supreme, and he carried that dominance into the race, while Rosberg made life difficult for himself. More of which in a moment.
Hamilton, though, rejected Wolff's explanation of the events of Japan.
"I don't feel that was the case," he said. "Of course, if we had come off a win in Malaysia I would have been on cloud nine going into the next race. I wasn't on cloud nine but I love it in Japan, I felt fantastic going into it.
"I was only off by 0.07secs in qualifying and the race was a disaster but, you know, I have battled through thick and thin through my whole career. It was nothing new to me.
"I don't have the championships I have through luck. This is not my 50th win through luck. It is a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication from lots and lots of people but also from me. I feel great with the work we collectively did this weekend and I hope we can continue to do this moving forward."
At which point he paused, as if the moment was finally sinking in, and looked over to the back of the Mercedes area, where he was sitting facing the media, at guests Venus Williams and Lindsey Vonn, and smiled.
"There are so many incredible champions in this room, Lindsey, Venus; I feel really on the spot doing this press conference."
On the spot or not, it was a poised, considered, thoughtful Hamilton on show in America; very different from the haunted figure of Japan, no matter what he says.
But the apparent unfairness - as he sees it - of the differing reliability records of himself and Rosberg still smarts.
It is doubtful that Hamilton has done the maths, but the facts are that, regardless of the fact Rosberg has had his strongest year yet, the Briton would be leading the championship right now rather than trailing in it without the reliability issues.
That lead would be at least 14 points and possibly as much as 56 - even ignoring the greater number of poor starts he has made - depending on whether he would have won or finished second to Rosberg in the races where he had the problems.
While Hamilton has had engine failures in qualifying in China and Russia, a subsequent grid penalty that made him start from the back in Spa, and the failure in Malaysia, Rosberg has been affected only by a gearbox glitch that turned second into third at Silverstone.
"Not many seasons there can be 100% reliability on a car," Hamilton said once he had returned to the immediate matter at hand after the race. "Will that be the case on Nico's? I guess time will tell. I can't get fixated on that. I just have to focus on mine.
"I am hoping that for these last three races I have 100% reliability. That would be a breath of fresh air and I will try to utilise that opportunity with driving as I did today."
No wonder Hamilton must wonder about his luck. Initially, Austin looked like it might turn into the bad race for Rosberg he needed.
Questionable positioning of his car at Turn One, followed by poor traction out of the corner, gave Ricciardo the chance to challenge him through the fast kink of Turn Two.
Despite being on the outside, Ricciardo made the move stick, Rosberg perhaps wary of the championship situation.
"Nico is in a difficult position," Wolff said. "He needs to look at each weekend at a time but also make sure he doesn't DNF [Did Not Finish]. We probably saw that in Turn One."
With Rosberg now third, and Ricciardo showing strong pace, Mercedes put him on a long middle stint on the medium tyre, the aim being to give him a short final one on the soft in which to catch and hopefully pass the Red Bull.
In the end, the virtual safety car gave him a "free" stop and he was able to fit fresh medium tyres and retain second place, Ricciardo swearing over the radio when he realised what had happened.
For the championship, in reality, it made little difference on paper - even had Rosberg finished third, he would still have been able to finish second in every race to Hamilton and still be champion. But it would have reduced the gap that little bit more - three points - and who knows what will happen in the remaining races.
"Nico was very strong in Singapore," Wolff said. "Lewis in Malaysia, Nico in Japan and Lewis here. It keeps bouncing between the two so I'm very curious to see how it is going to go."
Hamilton said: "All I can do is do my best and continue to drive as I have this weekend. Nico's been driving fantastically well all year. So the battle will continue. I'll be going for it." | Lewis Hamilton took the win he so desperately needed at the United States Grand Prix but there is still a long road ahead if he is to win a fourth Formula 1 world title this year. |
17,463,315 | The Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers will take place as scheduled, kicking off at 1500 GMT.
Bolton will replay their FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur next Tuesday (27 March, 1930 BST).
It comes as Bolton's club doctor revealed that critically-ill Muamba is continuing to show signs of recovery.
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The 23-year-old remains in intensive care at the London Chest Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during Wanderers' original FA Cup tie against Tottenham last Saturday.
The game was abandoned after 41 minutes and there were even suggestions that Bolton may look to pull out of this year's competition.
Tuesday's game against Aston Villa was then postponed.
But manager Owen Coyle said on Wednesday: "We spoke together with the players as a group this morning and I talked with Fabrice's family last night.
"Fabrice's father Marcel and his fiancee Shauna were keen that we fulfil our fixtures.
"Once the players knew this, there was no doubt in our minds that we would play the matches." | Bolton Wanderers will return to action on Saturday after Fabrice Muamba's family told the club they wanted them to go ahead and fulfil their fixtures. |
29,131,790 | Wolves seemed set to repeat their win at St Helens last Thursday, when they triumphed after conceding an early try.
Two tries from Joel Monaghan and one from Richie Myler, all converted by Stefan Ratchford, put Wolves in charge.
But a Josh Charnley double and tries from Joe Burgess and Blake Green earned Wigan a thrilling victory.
The win sees Wigan leapfrog Castleford into second place, with the Tigers facing Catalan Dragons in their final game of the regular season on Saturday.
Burgess gave the Warriors the perfect start with a try in the corner, but Matty Smith missed the conversion.
Warrington worked their way back into the match, and three tries in 14 minutes in the run-up to half-time turned things their way.
Chris Bridge set up Monaghan for his 27th try of the season in the 26th minute of his 100th Super League appearance.
And nine minutes later Myler went over underneath the posts, although he had seemed to lose possession in the build-up.
Just before the hooter sounded, Monaghan scored his second to leave the visitors on top at the interval.
Burgess scored his 17th try of the season four minutes after the break to give Wigan hope, and eight minutes later Charnley chased his own kick and ran on to score.
Smith missed both conversions, and Warrington increased their lead with a Ratchford penalty.
But Charnley then ran half the length of the field after intercepting a Michael Monaghan pass, and Smith found his range to put Wigan within two points of the visitors.
Green put the Warriors ahead, and Smith kicked between the posts again to see the hosts home.
Warrington's James Laithwaite was stretchered off after lengthy treatment near the end.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane:
"It was a tough game but we expected that. It was a good one for us, we'll go into the play-offs with some momentum.
"At half-time I explained to the players how we could be better but they knew, they're an honest group, We deserved to win that game."
Warrington coach Tony Smith:
"It's disappointing but it was a great game, a game of two halves,
"I thought we completely dominated the first half - I thought their try came against the run of play. In the second half we gifted them one or two and they found some energy but I'm really proud of my boys.
"They were very strong in the tackle but there were a couple of things that were costly."
Wigan Warriors: Bowen, Charnley, Gelling, Sarginson, Burgess, Green, Smith, Flower, McIlorum, Crosby, Tomkins, L. Farrell, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Clubb for Flower (30), Powell for McIlorum (25), Pettybourne for Crosby (33), Bateman for L. Farrell (47).
Sin Bin: Pettybourne (56).
Warrington Wolves: Russell, J. Monaghan, Ratchford, C. Bridge, R. Evans, O'Brien, Myler, Hill, M. Monaghan, Asotasi, Laithwaite, Waterhouse, Harrison.
Replacements: Currie for Hill (37). Higham for M. Monaghan (33), Wood for Asotasi (23). England for Harrison (33).
Sin Bin: Wood (56).
Att: 15,656
Ref: Phil Bentham (RFL). | Wigan produced a brilliant second-half comeback to wipe out an 18-4 half-time deficit and boost their hopes of finishing second in Super League. |
35,093,907 | The RAC said rural communities would lose out as a result of the possible cost-cutting measure.
The comments come after Denbighshire council said only prioritised roads would be salted if it does not freeze - saving £20,000 a year.
David Smith, who is responsible for the county's highways, insisted lives were not at risk.
The changes would leave about 27 miles (43km) untreated.
The BBC contacted every local authority and 21 replied. There has been a 7.7% decrease in the amount of roads Flintshire council grits and changes to salt bins in Gwynedd with community councils taking budget responsibility from next year.
Newport council said it was reviewing its plans. Torfaen grits about 53% of roads. Other councils also said their focus was on A and B roads, with C roads seen as less of a priority.
Ed Evans from the RAC said: "The big roads that are used most often. they will most likely get gritted.
"Rural roads, its very likely they wont get gritted as much as previous years. We understand money is tight, but I think they are putting lives at risk."
But David Smith, who is responsible for highways at Denbighshire council, denied this.
He said: "If there is snow or the weather is particularly bad, we'll continue to grit roads as usual.
"This is only a temporary cut when we know conditions won't be too bad."
Mr Smith added: "What we are trying to do is ensuring that the roads that most need gritting get salt. If the weather gets bad, we guarantee that all roads get cleared and gritted.
"We have to save money and by doing this we save on a lorry having to go out to grit. But I must emphasise we will continue to grit roads that need to be gritted and if the storms come, we will be there." | Lives could be at risk if councils reduce the number of roads gritted this winter, a motoring body has said. |
36,507,173 | She said her government would do whatever it took to stop the attacks.
Her comments came a day after police launched a concerted drive against Islamists, arresting more than 3,000 people.
The opposition has accused the government of using the operation to target political opponents.
Who is behind the Bangladesh killings?
Is extremism on the rise in Bangladesh?
Lurching from secularism to sectarian terror?
"It may take time, but God willing, we will be able to bring [the perpetrators] under control," Ms Hasina said at a meeting of her ruling Awami League party on Saturday.
"Where will the criminals hide? Each and every killer will be brought to book," she added.
Police launched the week-long campaign on Friday, saying they were focused on arresting Islamist militants.
However, critics say many ordinary criminals were among those held.
Meanwhile, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said that "hundreds of opposition activists have been arrested in the police drive".
"In the name of the crackdown against Islamist militants, many ordinary and innocent people are being detained," he told the AFP news agency.
The Bangladeshi government denied targeting opposition activists.
"During a major operation you don't take chances, you do make a lot of arrests and then after the arrests are made you screen them," Nadeem Qadir, a government spokesman at the Bangladesh High Commission in London, told the BBC.
"There's no targeted political elements in this case, it's an operation...to stop this targeted killing, it's as simple as that."
About 40 people, including secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists and members of religious minorities, have been killed in attacks in the past few years.
On Friday, a Hindu monastery worker was hacked to death in Pabna district.
In the past week, a Hindu priest, a Christian grocer and the wife of an anti-terror police officer were all killed in attacks by suspected Islamist militants.
Analysts say the killing of a police officer's wife last Sunday may have triggered the crackdown.
Secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists, and members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus have all been killed, many of them hacked to death.
A university professor whose family said he was not an atheist was murdered in April, suggesting the list of those at risk had widened further.
Who exactly is behind the attacks remains unclear. Bangladesh has myriad extremist groups and there have been few convictions over the attacks.
Many of the attacks have been claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS) or al-Qaeda-linked groups.
However, the government has disputed these claims, with some members blaming opposition parties and local Islamist groups. Bangladesh's home minister has suggested an Israeli link to the killings, describing an "international conspiracy" against Bangladesh.
Both the opposition and the Israeli government have denied any involvement - and Israel described the accusations as "utter drivel".
Until the killings stop the government itself will face accusations of not doing enough to protect minorities in the Sunni-dominated nation. | Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to bring an end to a wave of targeted killings of minorities and secular citizens in the country. |
34,208,983 | The Labour councillor previously held the post from 1997 until 1999 when he was elected to the Scottish Parliament.
Mr McAveety held several ministerial positions before he lost the Glasgow Shettleston seat to the SNP in 2011.
He was elected to the council in 2012 and succeeds Gordon Matheson who stood down on Thursday. Mr McAveety said it was "an immense honour and privilege" to lead Scotland's largest council.
He said: "At all times, I will be pressing the case for what's best for Glasgow.
"The city has given me everything in life and I will work tirelessly for the benefit of its people."
Mr McAveety said the council's focus would "continue to be on education and job creation".
"We will attempt to be a shield for the vulnerable and the creator of opportunity for all," he said.
"I'll work in partnership with anyone - the UK government, the Scottish government and the business community - as long as they are prepared to do the right thing for the people of Glasgow, because I will always put our citizens first."
Mr McAveety was chosen to succeed Mr Matheson at a meeting of Labour councillors on Wednesday and was formally elected at a meeting of the full council on Thursday.
He served as deputy minister for Local Government, deputy minister for Health and Community Care and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport during his time in the Scottish Parliament.
His predecessor, Mr Matheson, who served for five years as council leader, is expected to stand as a candidate for Labour in next year's Scottish Parliament elections.
Labour, which has had overall control of Glasgow City Council since 1980, had 45 of the city's 79 councillors at the last election in 2012. | Frank McAveety has been elected as the new leader of Glasgow City Council. |
35,409,943 | "If you want to be selected, one of the things you have to do is sign," said UK Athletics boss Ed Warner.
He wants the agreement in place for the 2016 World Indoor Championships, taking place in Portland, Oregon in March.
He told British MPs such an agreement "has never been tested" in court but said UKA was talking to its lawyers.
Warner also called for Russia to be prevented from sending an athletics team to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The country was banned from international athletics competition following an independent World Anti-Doping Agency report that alleged widespread doping by Russian athletes.
Warner believes the "state-organised" scandal has been so serious that Russia should not be allowed to send athletes to Brazil.
Former British world champion sprinter John Regis told BBC Radio 5 live: "I would have found it very easy to sign for the simple reason that I know that I'm a clean athlete. I would have just read it, said yeah that makes a lot of sense a put my signature down the bottom."
According to Warner, speaking at a Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Tuesday, Doha's bids for the 2017 and 2019 World Championships have been referred to the IAAF ethics commission.
However, he refused to reveal the names of the IAAF figures who had told him of rumours of brown envelopes full of cash being handed out just before the vote for the 2017 World Championships, which London won.
Warner said: "I have had a number of discussions with the IAAF and they have told me the 2017 and 2019 bids by Doha have been referred to their ethics commission."
Asked if IAAF president Lord Coe was one of those who had told him of the rumours, Warner replied: "It could have been any number of people."
Coe was a senior member of London's bid team before succeeding Lamine Diack as IAAF president in August last year.
Leaked emails from Diack's son, Papa Massata Diack, have revealed he appeared to request $5m from Doha while it was bidding against London.
Papa Massata Diack is wanted on corruption charges by Interpol,
French prosecutors are also looking into the awarding of all world championships from 2009 to 2022 as part of their IAAF corruption inquiry.
The Qatari athletics federation has always denied any wrongdoing. | British athletes will be asked to sign an agreement that will ban them from competing for GB if they are found guilty of a serious doping offence. |
36,880,857 | Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said proposed changes would allow continuing imprisonment for convicted terrorists at high risk of reoffending.
The process would be supervised by courts and also subject to medical and psychological checks.
The age at which anti-terror legislation applies to individuals would also be lowered from 16 to 14.
The government will work with state and territory administrations to roll out the reforms.
Mr Turnbull said the measures were necessary after an increase in the number and severity of terrorist attacks across the world.
"The threat is real," he said.
"We can never ever be complacent and we are not. We are focused constantly on the single most important obligation of our government ... which is to preserve and protect the safety of the people."
Convicted terrorists would be subject to continuing imprisonment in a court-supervised process similar to measures in place for sex offenders and extremely violent criminals.
The changes would also make advocating genocide an offence.
Attorney-General George Brandis will meet with state and territory attorneys-general in coming days to discuss the new laws.
"If a person, having served a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, shows every indication of a willingness to repeat that crime, to reoffend as soon as they are released, they should remain behind bars," Mr Brandis said.
Senator Brandis said UK Prime Minister Theresa May had previously shown an interest in Australia's approach to domestic security.
"I know that her own thinking when she was home secretary earlier in the year was guided by some of the law reform we undertook in Australia," he said. | Australia's prime minister has moved to strengthen anti-terror laws after attacks in the US and France. |
32,574,417 | Earlier Nick Clegg did not rule out joining a coalition with the Tories if they insisted on the poll, but said his "red line" policies would come first.
Nigel Farage said, without UKIP holding the PM's "feet to the fire", he feared any referendum would not be "fair".
Labour opposes the Conservatives' plan for an EU referendum, saying it would cause uncertainty for business.
In other election news:
Conservative leader Mr Cameron has pledged to renegotiate a "better deal" for the UK in Europe and hold a referendum by the end of 2017, if the Conservatives win power.
Labour and the Lib Dems have opposed a referendum unless there are plans for a transfer of more powers to the EU.
This election issue includes the UK’s membership of the European Union and its negotiating position.
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
In an interview with BBC political editor Nick Robinson, Mr Cameron said he would not bargain away his commitment in any coalition negotiations after election day on Thursday.
He said: "People would worry that, were we to fall short [of an overall majority] - and I don't believe we will - but were we to, this is something that could be bargained away and I want to be absolutely clear with people that that will not happen.
"I will not lead a government that doesn't have that referendum in law and carried out."
He added: "I'm confident that in four days' time we will win those 23 seats, we'll have that majority. But come what may, I will not be prime minister of a government that does not deliver that referendum."
Earlier Mr Farage, whose party campaigns for the UK's exit from the European Union, told the BBC Mr Cameron had broken his promise to hold a referendum before, and only decided to promise one when he saw "UKIP spreading like a purple rash across the country".
Instability, uncertainty, chaos. Could those words - used again and again by David Cameron to describe the prospect of a minority Labour government propped up by the SNP - apply to a minority Tory government riven by divisions about Europe?
Read more from Nick
"If he held that referendum on his own, without UKIP holding his feet to the fire, I am not confident that it would be a full, free and fair referendum," he said.
The UKIP leader has said holding an in/out EU referendum was "absolutely" a red line for his party - and he would be ready to vote down a Conservative Queen's Speech, if it was not brought forward to this year.
He said that Mr Cameron's plan to use the two years after the general election to renegotiate a "better deal" for the UK in Europe was a waste of time. He also told Sky News he would stand down as UKIP leader "in 10 minutes" if he loses his bid for a Westminster seat on Thursday.
Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg - who leads the most pro-European of the large Westminster parties - said that he had legislated with the Conservatives "to enshrine in law the point at which a referendum will take place" but said the Tory leadership had since "buckled" in the face of pressure from their own right wing.
Pressed on whether he would enter another coalition with the Conservatives - if they insisted on holding their promised referendum in 2017 - Mr Clegg did not rule it out but said he would first insist on his own "red lines" before discussing the other party's.
"You ask me the question the wrong way round. I would be saying, I have said to the British people, the Liberal Democrats will not enter into government unless the NHS gets the £8bn it needs."
He added: "Before I address anyone else's red lines I would address mine. "
Meanwhile Mr Miliband - whose party, polls suggest, is still neck and neck with the Conservatives - has said he will not seek re-election as prime minister in 2020, if he fails to deliver a cut in university tuition fees in England from £9,000 a year, to £6,000 a year.
His party accuse the Conservatives of planning to raise fees to £11,500 a year - the Conservatives dismissed the claim as "scare stories" but have not ruled out raising tuition fees further.
Mr Miliband compared his position to the Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg, who apologised for breaking a promise to oppose an increase in university fees.
"I won't break my word as Nick Clegg did. If I had done what he did five years ago, I don't think I could ask you for your trust again. I will cut tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000.
"And I tell you this, if I fail in this task, I won't be standing here again in 2020 making more promises. I won't be standing for the office of prime minister at all. Because there should be consequences when people's trust is let down."
The Labour leader also appeared to rule out giving Scotland a second referendum on independence, during a visit to Worcester, telling reporters: "Yes, I'm not going to have another referendum on this."
Labour has claimed the Scottish Nationalist Party has a "chilling plan" for a second referendum - although SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs last week that "nobody was proposing" one. | David Cameron has said he will not lead a government that fails to deliver a referendum on the UK's EU membership. |
36,621,101 | What does this mean for the Irish border?
For now nothing changes - the UK is still in the EU so people and goods can continue to move freely across the frontier. But when the UK leaves there could be changes.
The current free movement of people is allowed by an arrangement known as the Common Travel Area (CTA). It pre-dates the creation of the EU. Both the UK and Irish governments will push to see it continue. But we can't be certain that it will - some legal experts suggest it could only continue with the agreement of other EU countries.
In a contingency plan published on Friday the Irish government said "preserving the benefits of the CTA will be a key priority in the context of UK-EU negotiations". The nature of any trade deal with the EU will decide whether customs checks return to the border.
The Irish contingency plan says it will explore options to "minimise the impact of checks on trade flows" which will involve discussions with HM Revenue and Customs and the UK government.
What does it mean for business investment?
The Northern Ireland economy relies heavily on foreign direct investment for providing well paying, high productivity jobs. One of Northern Ireland's attractions to foreign-owned companies is that it provides access to the single market. That access will probably be reduced when the UK leaves the EU.
The Ulster Bank economist Richard Ramsey says the the referendum result "raises questions about the ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in the future". He adds that until there is clarity around what our new trading arrangements will be, NI could be seen as a no-go zone for some FDI.
Invest NI, the agency tasked with attracting foreign investment, has sought to play that down. Its chief executive, Alastair Hamilton, said "we are confident that Northern Ireland will continue to succeed as an attractive location for inward investment, in particular from our largest target market, the USA; and that the reduction in corporation tax will play an invaluable role in creating a business-friendly environment to support job creation".
Currency movements
Perhaps the most dramatic market move on Friday was the steep fall in the value of the pound against other currencies. That should bring short-term benefits to exporters. A significant proportion of Northern Ireland's exports, such as food are price sensitive. A weaker pound makes those goods cheaper to buy abroad and so they should gain market share.
Similarly, it should be good for tourism as it makes Northern Ireland a cheaper destination for people travelling from the eurozone or US. But currency movements are a double-edged sword. A weaker pound will make imports more expensive. Fuel prices could be first to go up as oil is traded in dollars. The Petrol Retailers Association, said that a rise of 2p-3p a litre was on the cards as early as next week.
What happens to farm subsidies?
With complex negotiations over an exit, the existing subsidy scheme is likely to be guaranteed until 2019. After that the Leave camp has promised a British agriculture policy or BAP to replace the existing Common Agriculture Policy known as CAP.
But will it add up to the £260m paid out to farmers here by the EU last year? With farm incomes down across all sectors, producers have come to rely on the cheques from Europe. Those backing exit have said subsidy levels will be maintained and the payments tailored to local needs. Opponents say there's no guarantee and successive British governments have tried to reduce direct payments during CAP reform.
Questions have also been asked about where farming will come in the pecking order for the redistribution of money previously paid to the EU budget.
What happens to the cross-border agri-food trade?
Northern Ireland has a healthy trading relationship with the Republic of Ireland. In 2014, £560m of dairy, beef, sheep, pig and poultry was sold to the market across the border.
For now, that all moves seamlessly across the border. Questions now revolve around what the new trading arrangements will be. Whether there will be tariffs and custom controls that might add cost and reduce competitiveness.
The Leave camp says it will not be a problem, that technology will grease the wheels of cross-border trade. The Irish Republic and other EU export markets are important to Northern Ireland agri-food businesses. But most of what is produced in NI is sold within the UK.
What does this mean for the environment?
A raft of rules around things like habitats, waste, water and air quality are driven by EU regulations and directives.
Much of this has been done by legislating for them in domestic law. If those laws are not repealed it is assumed they will continue to apply. In some cases they are more stringent than the European ones.
What will change is the need to prove to the EU that targets under those rules are being kept or risk penalties.
What happens to healthcare in Northern Ireland & the rest of the UK?
The way people access healthcare in Northern Ireland on a day-to-day basis is unlikely to be affected by the vote to leave the EU. The same goes for when using services in England, Scotland or Wales. The NI Executive has made clear it is committed to providing a health service that's free at the point of use. Most other EU countries do not have national health services, with most relying on medical insurance style systems for their healthcare.
What happens to healthcare when travelling in Europe?
For many people from Northern Ireland heading off on European holidays, packing a European Health Insurance Card - or EHIC - is a must.
This card, which is free, currently means travellers can avail of state-provided medical help for any condition or injury that requires urgent treatment, in any other country within the EU. The EHIC covers Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein as well, even though they are not EU members.
Will the EIHC still be valid in the future? At the moment it is far from clear and much will depend on the deal the UK can negotiate with the EU.
What about staff?
It's hard to get accurate figures on the numbers of EU medical staff working in each trust area here - the last census, which dates from 2011, recorded 83,000 people from elsewhere in the EU living in Northern Ireland. Of that group 37,000 were from the Republic of Ireland.
There is no doubt that during the referendum there were concerns from those on the Remain side that Brexit would make it harder to recruit and hold on to foreign staff. However, those who backed the Leave vote argued if the UK was outside the EU it could still admit foreign health staff under a visa system which recognised essential skills.
What impact will the referendum result have on local universities?
In the aftermath of the vote there is uncertainty, but any impacts are unlikely to be immediate.
The main concerns will centre on funding from the EU for research, and the ability to attract EU and international students to study in Northern Ireland. Most leaders of UK universities were firmly in the Remain camp prior to the referendum. The Queen's University (QUB) vice-chancellor Patrick Johnston was one of 103 university vice-chancellors who signed an open letter prior to the vote warning of the impact of an exit.
He had also previously said that "Queen's would be a very different and much poorer place, both economically and socially" without access to the opportunities EU membership provided. Sources at Ulster University (UU) have echoed many of his concerns.
Why are there concerns about EU research funding?
Both local universities benefit from research and knowledge exchanges with partner universities in the EU. They have also received millions in grants from the EU for research. QUB has received around £16m from the EU in research funding in 2016 so far, while UU has also received a number of large EU research grants this year, including a recent 1m Euro grant for psychologists at the university. Sources at both universities have expressed concerns that it will be harder to access that funding outside the EU. It is important to note, however, that the provision of a £150m loan to UU from the European Investment Bank to part-fund its new Belfast campus is unaffected by the leave vote.
Will it become harder for universities here to attract students from abroad?
This is unclear, but both QUB and UU want to more than double the number of international students they attract. In 2013/14 there were 5,950 students from outside the UK in higher education here - around 10% of the student body. Just under half came from EU countries, while the rest came from countries outside the EU, mainly in Asia. Those non-EU students pay considerably higher tuition fees than local or EU students. Sources at both universities have expressed concerns that it might now become harder to attract students from other EU countries and from farther afield to Northern Ireland.
What about Northern Irish students who want to study at universities in the Republic of Ireland. Will they have to pay higher fees?
Currently, students from Northern Ireland pay a tuition fee of 3,000 euros a year to study in the Republic of Ireland. However, non-EU students pay substantially more - with fees beginning at 10,000 euros a year. Would Northern Irish students be classed as non-EU in future?
In a statement to the BBC, the former dean of undergraduate studies at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Professor Patrick Geoghegan, said that TCD would do whatever was necessary to ensure that Northern Irish students were not treated as international students in the years ahead.
What will happen at the Irish border?
Some in the Remain camp argued that a vote to exit the European Union would see a return of permanent border checkpoints. Those in the Leave camp, including Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, insisted that was nonsense.
There have been such agreements, which pre-dated the European Union (EU), that allowed easier cross-border movement. However, it is unclear how those arrangements will be affected by the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
See the rest of this article here. | What will the implications be across life in Northern Ireland after the UK voted to leave the EU? |
36,011,794 | The UN-brokered "cessation of hostilities" came into effect at midnight (21:00 GMT on Sunday).
But soon afterwards, the government accused Houthi rebels of violations in the south-western city of Taiz and in Marib, east of the capital Sanaa.
The truce is supposed to set the scene for peace talks in Kuwait next week.
More than 6,300 people have been killed since the conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign to defeat the rebels and restore the internationally-recognised government.
The UN says most of those killed have been civilians, blaming coalition air strikes for the vast majority of deaths.
The war has also created a humanitarian catastrophe for Yemen, displacing some two million people and leaving 80% of the population in need of aid.
A year of war that has set Yemen back decades
No end in sight to war in Yemen
Practising medicine under fire in Yemen
The coalition and Houthi movement both said they would respect the cessation of hostilities, but reserved the right to respond to any attacks.
Within hours of the start of the truce, residents of Taiz, which has been besieged by the rebels, blamed the Houthis for shellfire that killed one civilian and wounded four others.
The rebels meanwhile said there had been at least one coalition air strike in Taiz province, and accused loyalists of being behind violations north and east of Sanaa, as well as in the south.
Despite the reports, the chief-of-staff of the government's forces, Gen Mohammed Ali al-Makdashi, insisted the cessation of hostilities was largely holding.
"The truce has not collapsed and we hope the rebels end their attacks and respect the ceasefire," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
And a spokesman for the coalition described the violations as "minor".
The UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said the cessation of hostilities was "critical, urgent and much-needed". "Yemen cannot afford the loss of more lives," he added.
Mr Ahmed noted that the truce agreement included commitments to unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to all parts of the country.
Preparations are also well under way for the start of the Kuwait talks on 18 April.
The talks will focus on five main areas: the withdrawal of militias and armed groups, the handover of heavy weapons to the state, interim security arrangements, the restoration of state institutions, and the resumption of inclusive political dialogue.
Previous rounds of UN-sponsored peace talks have failed to make progress and a ceasefire last December was abandoned after repeated violations.
The Houthis, backed by security forces loyal to longtime former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, took over Sanaa and much of the west of the country in 2014.
The coalition launched its military campaign in March 2015, after President Hadi and members of his cabinet were forced to flee the southern port city of Aden.
Since then, coalition and pro-government forces have managed to retake large parts of the south and set up a temporary capital in Aden, but failed to dislodge the rebels from Sanaa. | A truce aimed at ending more than a year of war in Yemen appears to be largely holding, despite reports of fighting in several places. |
36,579,430 | On Saturday, the night of his record 128th appearance for his country - passing the tally of Luis Figo - the Real Madrid forward failed to break down Austria, with a missed second-half penalty capping his misery.
The captain had 10 shots at goal in all against the Austrians, with only three of them on target. That brought Ronaldo up to 20 goal attempts so far this tournament - which is more than either of their group rivals Hungary (18) or Iceland (12) have managed in their two games to date.
Portugal are third in Group F and in danger of exiting the tournament before facing Hungary in Lyon on Wednesday - but will they be able to rely on Ronaldo to get them through?
Given the number of occasions on which Ronaldo has simply taken Portugal matches by the scruff of the neck - such as when he hit a brilliant hat-trick in the second leg of the World Cup qualifying play-off in Sweden in November 2013 - it's understandable that some wonder if he's on the decline.
That seems an enormous stretch of the imagination. Despite having turned 31 in February, Ronaldo was as potent as ever last season, hitting 51 goals for Madrid in La Liga and Champions League combined.
"There's a lot of people criticising," said Portugal midfielder Adrien Silva, a fellow Sporting Lisbon youth product, at a pre-match news conference in their training base in Marcoussis on Monday. "I don't think it's going to hurt him. He's more than used to it. He does everything he can to get us the best result."
What we are seeing, however, is a clear evolution of his game.
"As the years go by and age gets to him, besides the incredible amount of matches he plays, Cristiano Ronaldo is converting himself to a pure finisher," Vitor Hugo Alvarenga, a journalist for respected Portuguese website Mais Futebol, tells BBC Sport. "But he does not want to play as a traditional striker."
It's something Ronaldo himself backed up after the opening game against Iceland. "I like playing as a winger more," he told Portuguese journalists, "but it depends on the characteristics of my team-mates, and sometimes I have to adapt."
But the numbers chart his move into more of a predator in the past few years; increasingly since the knee problem that so badly restricted him at the 2014 World Cup.
In the two seasons since, Ronaldo has scored fewer goals from outside the box than in three of the four campaigns previous to that.
He hit five La Liga goals from outside the area in both 2014-15 and 2015-16, but scored six from outside the area in 2013-14 despite playing fewer games than in either of the two subsequent seasons.
Perhaps most tellingly in terms of the change to his game, Ronaldo is also making fewer dribbles.
He attempted 110 dribbles in La Liga last season - his lowest total since he arrived at the Bernabeu in 2009.
His heading, on the other hand, has become a much bigger part of his game. He has scored 25 headed goals in the past two campaigns (La Liga and Champions League combined), only one fewer than his combined total of headed goals across the previous five seasons.
That metamorphosis is something he concedes himself, even if he's not totally ready to become an out-and-out centre forward.
"I'm more of a penalty box player now," he told World Soccer in November.
It also changes the attention he gets from defenders - he's more of a static target, and Hungary are sure to seek to frustrate him in a similar way to which Iceland and (sporadically) Austria did.
Whether he would get more space in a potential last-16 clash with England is another question. The knockout rounds, against more ambitious teams, might work in his favour.
Ronaldo seems to believe his patience will be rewarded.
"It's not the ideal way in which I wanted to do it," he said after beating Figo's Portugal appearance record against Austria. "Someone who tries always achieves. The bad times never last for long."
This change in Ronaldo's game has been reflected in the tactical evolution of Fernando Santos' Portugal. The former Greece coach has switched the team from the traditional 4-3-3 (which, of course, echoes the shape of Real Madrid) to a 4-4-2.
"It's to give more freedom to Ronaldo," Alvarenga says. "It allows him not to have to defend in the left side, but without making him a lone striker who plays without close support."
The problem up front is a perpetual one for Portugal. It is a nation that produces wingers, not strikers.
So Eder, who endured a difficult time in the Premier League with Swansea before being shipped off to Lille, is the squad's only genuine centre forward - and he's only played for a combined 13 minutes as a substitute in the first two matches.
This all means there's added pressure on Ronaldo to make the decisive contributions, while his partner in the 4-4-2, be it Nani or Ricardo Quaresma, is not a specialist striker, and learning on the job to an extent.
Having said that, a chart of player average positions from the first two games tells us that Nani has successfully stayed close to Ronaldo, which is the system's aim.
Ronaldo's 2013 heroics in Stockholm are worth remembering for another reason.
It represented an apex in the idea of Portugal having become a one-man team, carried by a superhuman. When their stricken captain needed his team-mates to return the favour and carry him in Brazil, they were unable to do so and eliminated at the group stage.
Santos has made significant changes to the squad since taking the job in September 2014. As well as bringing back a few veterans, including 38-year-old defender Ricardo Carvalho, the coach has blooded a series of promising youngsters.
The blend worked in qualifying, in which Portugal won all seven qualifiers after Santos took charge - although tellingly all by a one-goal margin.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Playing in a major finals tournament is something entirely different.
"The truth is that Portugal is going through a renovation process and doesn't have players like Figo, Rui Costa or Deco that were on top (of their games) when Ronaldo started out in the national team," added Alvarenga.
Danilo, Bayern Munich-bound Renato Sanches and Joao Mario are all still learning how to control matches.
There has been the sense so far that Santos is really struggling for the right mix in midfield, though the fact that Ronaldo is getting the chances without dropping deep to collect the ball suggests that they are doing something right.
The match against Austria was strikingly similar to the second game in the last Euros, against Denmark.
Back in 2012, Ronaldo spurned a string of chances in Lviv and was almost universally criticised.
He came back with a brace against the Netherlands in the final group game, which was the signal for Portugal to really grow into the tournament. They were only vanquished on penalties in the semi-finals by eventual champions Spain.
As Ronaldo pointed out after the Iceland game, he only played once between the Champions League final and the start of the Euros - a 45-minute cameo in a friendly with Estonia when he scored twice. A bit of ring-rust is to be expected, in the circumstances.
It's clear that he is in much better condition than in the last World Cup. The fears in Portugal of a repeat of that, as he struggled with fitness at the end of the club season, have not been realised. You could say he's short of peak sharpness, but he's not injured.
If a repeat of that scenario of four years ago is to be fulfilled, the click into gear could be just around the corner.
"He's going to score in the next game," said Santos in Tuesday's press conference. "I'm absolutely convinced of it."
He needs to, with victory imperative for Portugal against Hungary if they want to continue at the tournament. | Goalless, frustrated, angry - the mood of Cristiano Ronaldo has matched the weather so far here in Paris; the odd sliver of sunshine, but lots of rain. |
21,363,894 | The woman, a mother aged 20 named as Kepari Leniata, was stripped, tied up and doused in petrol by the boy's relatives in Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands, said the National newspaper.
She was then thrown onto a fire in front of hundreds of people.
Police and firefighters were unable to intervene, the paper said.
The Post Courier newspaper said they had been outnumbered by the crowd and chased away. Both newspapers published graphic photos of the incident on their front pages.
Provincial police commander Supt Kaiglo Ambane told the National that police were treating the case as murder and would arrest those responsible.
In parts of the Pacific nation deaths and mysterious illnesses are sometimes blamed on suspected sorcerers. Several reports have emerged in recent years of accused people, usually women, being killed.
In 2009, after a string of such killings, the chairman of PNG's Constitutional Review and Law Reform Commission said defendants were using accusations of witchcraft as an excuse to kill people, and called for tougher legislation to tackle the issue.
Local Christian bishop David Piso told the National that sorcery-related killings were a growing problem, and urged the government "to come up with a law to stop such practice".
The US embassy in the capital, Port Moresby, condemned the killing as a "brutal murder", the AFP news agency reports, and evidence of "pervasive gender-based violence" in Papua New Guinea.
"There is no possible justification for this sort of violence. We hope that appropriate resources are devoted to identifying, prosecuting, and punishing those responsible for Ms Leniata's murder." | A woman has been tortured and burned alive in Papua New Guinea after being accused of using sorcery to kill a young boy, local media report. |
33,074,734 | The NSPCC said different practices in communities were no excuse for "child abuse taking place in this country".
It comes as a judge said authorities need to make allowances for a "cultural context" in cases involving parents.
Mrs Justice Pauffley made the comments in a High Court ruling of a man from India accused of slapping his son.
She said that, in many newly arrived communities in the UK, children were "slapped and hit" for misbehaviour in a way that "excites the interest" of child protection professionals in this country.
Mrs Justice Pauffley - who sits in the family division of the High Court - said proper allowance had to be made for "what is, almost certainly a different cultural context".
She made the comments during a case involving a man from India who had been accused of assaulting his wife and son.
The boy - who cannot be named for legal reasons - alleged that his father had hit him with a belt on his back and leg.
The man denied the allegation but accepted he had given his son "a slap or a tap" to keep him disciplined.
The judge said this did not amount to "punitively harsh treatment of the kind that would merit the term physical abuse".
"Within many communities newly arrived in this country, children are slapped and hit for misbehaviour in a way which at first excites the interest of child protection professionals," Mrs Justice Pauffley said.
However, a spokesman for the NSPCC said: "Children need to be protected irrespective of cultural sensitivities.
"Different practices are no excuse for child abuse taking place in this country and the law doesn't make that distinction.
"Every child deserves the right to be safe and protected from physical abuse and the courts must reflect this."
Under the Children Act 2004 it is not illegal for a parent to hit their child as long as it amounts to "reasonable punishment". | Children need to be protected from being physically abused by their parents irrespective of "cultural sensitivities", a UK charity has said. |
39,418,614 | The 25-year-old, who previously played for Pro12 outfit Scarlets between 2013 and 2016, returned to Ebbw Vale for his second spell with the club in June.
While on the books at Scarlets, Lewis played 36 times for the region's feeder club Llanelli, scoring 353 points.
"Josh is a promising fly-half," Bath's director of rugby Todd Blackadder said.
"Josh will provide added depth and competition, which will undoubtedly help to drive the team forward," the former All Black told the club website.
"He's shown glimpses of what he can do in Wales and I'm excited to see him fulfil his potential here at Bath."
Lewis added: "It's a huge opportunity for me to continue developing my all-round game, and I'm looking forward to the challenge." | English top-flight club Bath have signed fly-half Josh Lewis from Welsh Premiership side Ebbw Vale ahead of the 2017-18 season. |
35,997,198 | The shop on Glasgow's Buchanan Street opened three years ago but the Californian-based company has told staff it is closing the outlet.
Retailer H&M has announced it will move into the property as it opens a new flagship store.
H&M will also retain its existing unit in nearby Buchanan Galleries to house one of its other brands.
A spokeswoman for Forever 21 said: ""Forever 21 is constantly evaluating our portfolio of stores and has proposed one recent store closure in Glasgow.
"We made the proposal to close this store after careful consideration of the long-term profitability of the particular location.
"Forever 21 operates multiple stores across Europe, where our customers will continue to have access to the fast fashion they have come to love and expect from Forever 21."
Owners of the Buchanan Quarter building said there had been strong demand from parties interested in the 65,000sq ft space being vacated by Forever 21.
A spokesman for Land Securities said: "Immediately following the Forever 21 decision to exit, we received strong interest in the store on Buchanan Street and subsequently let the unit to H&M as a flagship.
"The strong demand for the space reinforces Glasgow city centre's position as the UK's top retail destination outside London."
H&M country manager Carlos Duarte said: "We are delighted to be relocating to 185 Buchanan Street. This is a very exciting opportunity to expand our brand.
"The store will offer something for everyone, no matter your age, budget or personal style." | Fashion retailer Forever 21 is to shut its flagship Scottish store where it employs 75 people. |
36,655,482 | 18 July 2016 Last updated at 07:10 BST
There was a large adult bath, a smaller, shallower and squarer bath used by children, and a paddling pool as well as a slide at one end and a set of diving boards at the other.
Ten years after it closed it was filled in.
Here is some archive footage from Forgotten Abergavenny taken at a 1960s swimming competition, where swimming skills were not the only ones tested. | Abergavenny's Bailey Park pool was a popular place for families to go until it closed in 1996. |
35,539,830 | Two separate lanes for cyclists are planned on the Tower Hill to Ladbroke Grove route.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) argued the lanes would take up space, causing disruption.
Transport for London (TfL) said they were "works of improvement" and did not need planning permission.
The LTDA asked a judge to declare that the continued construction of the segregated cycle route without planning permission "constitutes a breach of planning control".
But Mrs Justice Patterson rejected the application.
More on this story and other news from London
She ruled the TfL did not err in law "and was not irrational in reaching its conclusion that there was no significant adverse environmental effect from the proposals as a whole".
The judge also declared planning permission may be required for other cycle superhighways or for parts of them in the future.
She said: "Each scheme will need to be judged on its own facts."
Steve McNamara, LTDA's general secretary, accused Mayor Boris Johnson of rushing through the scheme as an ill-judged "last hurrah" before he leaves office.
The mayor's cycling commissioner, Andrew Gilligan, said: "Once again, the courts have in the clearest terms upheld our right to improve London for cycling."
He said the ruling meant "we can now be confident of finishing the Embankment - Upper Thames Street superhighway on schedule in April, finishing the whole superhighway in summer, and ending the temporary delays that have occurred as a result of the construction works".
The whole east-west route runs from Tower Hill to Lancaster Gate, but cab drivers had objected to the first phase of construction along the Victoria Embankment.
Howard Carter, general counsel at TfL, said: "The east-west cycle superhighway will make London's roads safer for all, particularly cyclists."
There are five existing cycle superhighways, and plans for three further routes: | London taxi drivers have lost a High Court challenge which could have disrupted completion of a £47m east-west cycle superhighway. |
35,956,474 | The world number one matched Andre Agassi's Miami tally with a 6-3 6-3 triumph in one hour and 26 minutes.
Djokovic, 28, also moves ahead of Rafael Nadal with a record 28 Masters tournament wins in his career.
"It's quite amazing," said the Serb. "I'm very thrilled about it and hopefully I can make many more records."
He also becomes the first man to win the Indian Wells-Miami double three years in a row, and surpasses Roger Federer as the ATP's leading prize money winner on $98.2m (£69m).
Japan's Nishikori broke serve in the opening game but was broken straight back, and after a scrappy start to the match Djokovic took charge from 4-3.
He won four games in a row to move a break up in the second set and broke for a fifth time to win the match.
"I thought he started very well, breaking my serve in the first game and coming up with some aggressive play," said Djokovic.
"I needed to answer right back, which I did in the following game - that helped me mentally."
Nishikori, 26, said: "It's tough to find his weakness, honestly. The biggest thing is he has great defence and it's tough to open up the space.
"I had a couple of strategies before the match, but I don't think I did them well enough to beat him today."
Djokovic has only one loss to his name in 29 matches this year - and that was a retirement with an eye infection in Dubai.
With 11 Grand Slam titles, the Serb is already among the very best ever to have played the game - and catching Federer's record tally of 17 majors is in his thoughts.
"Of course it is in the back of my mind somewhere but I don't have that as a main motivation, because it can present some kind of distraction that I don't need," he said.
The next few months could go a long way to making his case as he gets the chance to land the two biggest titles to have eluded him - the French Open and Olympic gold.
"I don't feel too exhausted," he said. "I don't think I will have any difficulty to make the transition to the clay courts quickly. Let's see what happens.
"Clay courts are the most physically demanding surface, so also looking at the big picture, the French Open is the biggest goal that I have on the clay courts. I'll try to adjust to that tournament as well." | Novak Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori in straight sets to win the Miami Open for a record-equalling sixth time. |
36,268,193 | The series allowed players to add new characters and challenges to the game by using a special dock with real-world toys.
It was initially launched in 2013, and released its third major version in August 2015.
Disney said the game did not perform as well as expected, and that it would stop publishing its own console games.
News of the change, which will see future Disney games produced under licence, came in an earnings report published by the company. The closure of Disney Infinity was also confirmed by John Blackburn, the division's head.
Figures released in the report showed a $147 million charge "in connection with the discontinuation of our self-published console games business, principally Infinity".
The game studio behind the series, Avalanche Software, is expected to close as a result.
Disney also shut down video game studio LucasArts when it acquired the Star Wars franchise, choosing instead to develop Star Wars games under licensing agreements.
Users on the Disney Infinity's official forums and social media accounts expressed their disappointment at the news.
"It may seem silly, but this was horribly upsetting to my children," wrote one customer. "They simply love this game and have collected almost all the figures."
Others called for the company to continue supporting the game's online features for existing customers.
Games analyst Steve Bailey, from IHS technology, said toy-to-life games like Disney Infinity or competitor Skylanders tended to begin well, but faced challenges in generating repeated sales.
"We saw a similar thing happen back in 2008 or so, with music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero," he said.
"The early traction that brought the segment to prominence was difficult to maintain, and so things quickly lost momentum.
"It's this expectation of creating ongoing freshness that's bearing down on the toys-to-life market. I suspect that the costs involved in keeping Disney Infinity competitive became too risky for the company."
Disney said it will release two final products for Infinity - Alice Through the Looking Glass, due in May, and a Finding Dory set to coincide with that film's release in June. | Disney will stop production of its popular toys-to-life game franchise Disney Infinity, the company said. |
30,081,903 | Michael Scott said some of Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust's (NSFT) front line services were suffering.
He said the trust had been forced to overspend by £2m this year.
The government said it had gone "further than ever before to put mental health on a par with physical health".
On Saturday the BBC revealed the trust had 50 patients in beds outside the counties, due to a lack of funding and a shortage of beds.
The Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk has said the trust's programme to make £40m of cuts by 2018 has had a "devastating impact on people who rely on mental health services".
Mr Scott told the BBC: "The trust is dramatically underfunded. The money that comes through from the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) is insufficient for the services we provide.
"If we had been funded the same level as our local acute hospitals, we would have £30m more than we do.
"This year we are about £2m overspent. That's a direct result of not having sufficient income coming into the trust."
He said the NHS budget had grown modestly but had "not found its way into the mental health".
"Our Clinical Commisioning Groups (CCG) are very supportive but there are national funding mechanisms. That means the money is not going to mental health," he said.
While mainstream hospital funding is based on the number of patients, mental health receives a block grant unrelated to the number of users.
This has seen the budgets of the mainstream hospitals in the two counties rise by 15% since 2010, while mental health service funding, despite a 4.4% increase in users, has fallen by 3%.
A spokesman for the Norfolk and Suffolk CCGs said: "Mr Scott notes that local CCGs are very supportive, and directs all of his comments towards national funding formulas.
"Mental health is funded on the same basis as elsewhere in England."
The Department of Health said: "We have gone further than ever before to put mental health on a par with physical health and have instructed the NHS to make sure every community does the same." | Mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk have been "dramatically underfunded" by £30m over four years, according to the chief executive of a foundation trust. |
37,619,243 | Callum Brown, from Kirkcaldy, was 18 when he crashed, causing the death of Brian Phimister, 16, on the Coaltown of Wemyss to Dysart Road on 5 June 2015.
Police investigators calculated he was doing at least 58 mph in a 40 mph speed limit, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.
Brown, who had a previous conviction for speeding, lost control on a bend.
Detectives concluded he must have been driving too fast after experts studied tyre marks left on the road.
The court heard how a paramedic who came to the scene found the car lying on its side and "folded around the tree."
Prosecution lawyer Jane Farquharson said Brown, who is now aged 20, was "good friends" with Mr Phimister. They saw each other on a "daily basis".
The court heard how they spent most evenings driving around the local area.
Ms Farquharson said: "From the marks on the road and the damage profile seen on the car, the accused Mr Brown approached the bend in the road at excessive speed.
"Whilst trying to take the shortest possible route around the inside of the bend, he lost control of his vehicle which caused the car to yaw.
"This in turn caused his car to travel off the road and strike the tree."
As Brown was being taken to hospital for treatment, he spoke to a paramedic.
"On his way to the hospital, the accused Mr Brown spoke of the accident to a paramedic," Ms Farquharson said.
"In respect of his manoeuvre around the bend, he volunteered information that whilst he normally dropped down to the third gear for that corner, because he was tired he didn't and he could just remember skidding."
Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said his client and his deceased were "best friends" and that he expressed remorse for what happened.
Mr Martin added: "Mr Brown appreciates that his expression of remorse will be of no comfort to the friends and family of Mr Phimister.
"It should be noted the deceased and Mr Brown were best friends."
Mr Martin said that because his client had never served a prison sentence, the court was legally obliged to obtain reports about Mr Brown's character.
The lawyer said he would deliver his plea of mitigation when the court obtained these reports.
The judge deferred sentence on Brown to 22 November 2016. He will be sentenced at the High Court in Paisley. | A teenager has admitted causing the death of his "best friend" by dangerous driving in Fife. |
39,200,591 | The accident involving the Mouloudia Bejaia midfielder, 27, took place on Sunday, with the death of the Algerian club's player confirmed on Monday.
One of Touati's former sides, Red Star in France, led the tributes.
"It's with profound sadness and tremendous pain that Red Star learnt of the death of Youcef Touati," the Paris-based club said.
"He was with Red Star during the 2011-12 season where everyone will remember his 'joie de vivre' and talent.
"Red Star lost a member of its family today."
After spells with a variety of lower tier French sides, Touati - an attacking midfielder known for his dribbling - joined Bejaia in the middle of last year.
He was part of the Bejaia team that reached its first continental cup final, as the Algerians lost to 2015 African champions TP Mazembe in the 2016 Confederation Cup final.
"He was really highly-rated as a youngster," Algerian football journalist Maher Mezahi told BBC Sport. | Former Algeria Under-23 international Youcef Touati has died following a car crash in France. |
10,265,430 | Hacker reports 'Wikileaks source'
US intelligence analyst arrested
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange told BBC News that other potential whistle-blowers should not be put off from sending material to the site.
The US has detained US military analyst Bradley Manning on suspicion of leaking classified material to the site.
Mr Assange would not confirm whether Mr Manning was a source.
"We endeavour to protect our sources," he told BBC News. "We do not know if Mr Manning is a source, but we understand there are allegations that are being taken seriously so we are naturally inclined to try to defend [him]."
The US army in Iraq has said that Specialist (Spc) Manning was in Kuwait and had been "placed in pre-trial confinement for allegedly releasing classified information".
One video reportedly posted to the site by Mr Manning shows a US Apache helicopter killing up to 12 people - including two Reuters journalists - during an attack in Baghdad in 2007. Two children were also seriously injured in the assault on the group, which contained some armed men.
Mr Manning's identity was reportedly revealed to the US authorities by a former high-profile hacker, Adrian Lamo, whom Mr Manning had contacted via e-mail and instant messenger.
During the course of their conversations, Mr Lamo told BBC News, Mr Manning boasted about handing over military videos and 260,000 classified US embassy messages to Wikileaks.
"At the moment he gave me the information, it was basically a suicide pact," Mr Lamo said.
He handed his name to US authorities because of concerns over US national security and because he did not want to be found to have been "obstructing justice" in the course of any investigation.
"I didn't want any more FBI agents knocking at the door," he said.
Mr Lamo has previously been convicted for hacking into the New York Times, Yahoo and Microsoft. He now works as a journalist and security analyst.
But Mr Assange questioned Mr Lamo's motives and credibility.
"He has broken the most sacred oath of journalism, which is confidentiality of sources."
Mr Assange also said that some of his account did not ring true.
"We do not recognise a number of the claims made by Adrian Lamo as to what Mr Manning allegedly related to him - they cannot be factually correct."
In particular, Mr Assange said that Wikileaks has no knowledge of the 260,000 confidential messages that Mr Lamo said Mr Manning claimed to have uploaded to the site.
However, as Wikileaks never divulges its sources, confirming the existence of the documents could implicate Mr Manning.
In response, Mr Lamo said he understood why Mr Assange would not concede to handling sensitive government data.
"I wouldn't admit to having them either," he said.
He also said that he was not approached by Mr Manning as a journalist.
"I was a private citizen in a private capacity - there was no source, journalist relationship," he told BBC News.
"I did tell him that I worked as a journalist. I would have been happy to write about him myself, but we just decided that it would be too unethical."
The story of Mr Manning's arrest was first reported on wired.com by Mr Lamo's long-term associate Kevin Poulsen, also a former hacker and now a journalist.
Wikileaks has established a reputation for publishing leaked material since its first appearance on the web in 2006.
In November 2009, it published what it said were 573,000 intercepted pager messages sent during the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
Profile: Who are Wikileaks?
Website publishes '9/11 messages'
Previously it had posted a list of names and addresses of people said to belong to the British National Party (BNP) and a copy of the Standard Operating Procedures for Camp Delta, a document that detailed restrictions placed on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
Earlier this year, the website published a 2008 Pentagon report that said the site was considered a "threat to the US army".
The document says that "the possibility that current employees or moles within [the Department of Defence] or elsewhere in the US government are providing sensitive or classified information to Wikileaks.org cannot be ruled out".
It goes on to say that the "identification, exposure, termination of employment, criminal prosecution, legal action against current or former insiders, leakers, or whistleblowers could potentially… deter others considering similar actions from using [Wikileaks]".
The US government later confirmed to the BBC that the documents were genuine.
When the Pentagon document was leaked, the site stated that none of its sources had ever knowingly been exposed.
Now, Mr Assange said that Mr Manning's case should not put people off from contributing to the site.
"We have deliberately structured our operation to protect our sources under threat of criminal law," he said.
The site does not collect information about its sources and uses numerous web servers scattered around the world to host content.
Mr Assange said these were deliberately located in jurisdictions - such as Sweden - that could prosecute Wikileaks if it revealed a source.
It is currently advising the Icelandic government on efforts to increase legal protections for whistle-blowers in the country.
"We make it clear to [sources] that we will protect them."
He said this would apply to Mr Manning.
"Assuming that the allegations against [him] are true, we have taken steps to arrange for his protection and legal defence." | Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks has said that the detention of an alleged confidential source by the US military does not compromise its work. |
35,392,208 | The defender scored in a 5-1 victory that leaves United 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership.
"I've said it for a long time, I believe we will do it," Dillon told BBC Scotland.
"I know people outside won't give us a chance, that's fine, I understand that. But, from inside I truly believe we will do it."
United have 15 league games remaining to extract themselves from the bottom spot.
The one-sided triumph against Kilmarnock was just the third win of the season for Mixu Paatelainen's side, with Blair Spittal (twice), Mark Durnan and John Rankin joining Dillon on the scoresheet.
"It's obviously easier to talk about it after a win so it's important to keep our feet on the ground," added Dillon, who insists his team-mates are committed to the cause.
"When things aren't going well, everything gets magnified," he said. "The players have always been together and individuals show it in different ways.
"It's always much easier when things are going well.
"No player goes out thinking 'I don't care'. Everybody cares, of course they do. But sit down and actually think about what you're doing. Are you giving 100%?
"Everybody works hard but we can all improve. When all the little things add up, you can see the difference.
"We got a couple of breaks with the goals and we haven't had that, but it's only one win and one game.
"We've many games to go and many wins to get."
United now take on bottom-six rivals Partick Thistle, Hamilton and Motherwell in their next three league fixtures.
And manager Paatelainen shares his captain's enthusiasm for the challenge ahead.
"I thought we played with very good intensity, the work-rate was unbelievable and we scored goals - that made it easier for us," said the Finn.
"It is only one match but we believe we can get out of this situation. Maybe we're daft but we do.
"We do have it in us to win matches and we showed that today. We will keep fighting until it is over."
Kilmarnock boss Gary Locke described his side's performance as "unacceptable" and wants to add to his squad this month.
"We were second best in too many areas of the pitch," he said. "At this level you have to win your individual battles and credit to United - they won everything.
"United said it was a cup final but it was a cup final for us as well. In a game of that magnitude it's disappointing.
"We can't afford to be like this again. We need a couple of players because we are light in certain areas. We need a bit of experience, a couple of leaders on the pitch. But that's not an excuse." | Dundee United captain Sean Dillon is convinced his club can avoid relegation after a heartening win over Kilmarnock. |
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