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34,680,440 | It will feature an installation of more than 60,000 lights stretching from the City Chambers to the Tron Kirk.
Up to 250,000 people are expected to attend the event, which runs from 30 November to 24 December.
Audiences will be able to enter the canopy of light and listen to recordings from choirs.
Commissioned works by Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus and the Edinburgh Choral Union and Edinburgh Police Choir will feature.
The 100,000 tickets is the combined capacity of the city's three main sporting arenas - Murrayfield, Easter Road and Tynecastle stadiums.
Charlie Wood, director of Underbelly, said: "The response from not just Edinburgh but the rest of the world has been amazing with no sign of demand slowing down. We are so happy to have already issued 100,000 free tickets in such a short period of time.
"I advise everyone to book now to avoid disappointment. There will be no finer place to celebrate the spirit of Christmas this year than here in Edinburgh."
Fiona Hyslop, Secretary for Culture, Europe and External affairs, said: "These figures speak volumes and demonstrate that people across Scotland, and the world, are hugely excited about The Virgin Money Street of Light event.
"The event is an outstanding addition to Edinburgh's Christmas programme and will showcase our beautiful capital city from the City Chambers to the Tron Kirk in the lead up to Scotland's Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016." | More than 100,000 tickets for the Virgin Money Street of Light event in Edinburgh this Christmas have been snapped up. |
41,101,540 | The German, 20, took the first set but eventually fell to a 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-4) defeat on Grandstand Court.
He had three set points in the 12th game of the fourth set to take it into a decider but Coric saved them all and sealed victory in the tie-break.
Despite winning five titles this year, Zverev has still not progressed beyond the last 16 of a Grand Slam.
"It's upsetting because the draw is pretty open in the bottom part - I felt like I should have been the favourite there. I just played a very, very bad match, that's just the way it is," he said.
"I've been dealing with expectations from a very young age, so for me this is just another step.
"I know that I could have done some big things here, something that I haven't done before, but I won't. It's as simple as that."
Elsewhere at Flushing Meadows, Grigor Dimitrov made an assured start to his US Open with a 6-1 6-4 6-2 win over Czech qualifier Vaclav Safranek.
Austria's Dominic Thiem beat Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-1 6-1 and faces American Taylor Fritz, 20, in the second round.
Seeds Gilles Muller, Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Fabio Fognini and Richard Gasquet were all knocked out on day three at Flushing Meadows.
Wimbledon quarter-finalist Muller, seeded 19th, lost 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-6 (6-4) 6-3 to Italian Paolo Lorenzi.
Ramos-Vinolas, seeded 20th, lost in five sets to 35-year-old Nicolas Mahut, who won 4-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-0.
Fognini, the 22nd seed, was knocked out by fellow Italian Stefano Travaglia 6-4 7-6 (10-8) 3-6 6-0.
French 26th seed Gasquet, who reached the US Open semi-finals in 2013, lost 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-2 to world number 59 Leonardo Mayer.
Wimbledon finalist and fifth seed Marin Cilic beat Florian Mayer 6-3 6-3 6-3, Czech 15th seed Tomas Berdych defeated American Ryan Harrison 6-4 6-2 7-6 (7-4) and Juan Martin del Potro, seeded 24th, beat Swiss Henri Laaksonen 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5).
John Isner beat South Korea's Hyeon Chung in straight sets and David Goffin overcame Julien Benneteau in four sets.
Gael Monfils saw off fellow Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-4 to set up a second-round meeting with Donald Young, while Lucas Pouille beat United States' Jared Donaldson in five.
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov, whose defeat by world number 114 Thiago Monteiro earlier this month is being investigated by the sport's integrity unit, beat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.
Japan's Taro Daniel will face world number one Rafael Nadal in day four's night session after emerging victorious in a five-set match with American Tommy Paul.
Uruguay's 27th seed Pablo Cuevas was beaten 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 by Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur.
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
The bottom half of the men's draw is an oasis of even greater opportunity after the events of Wednesday. Marin Cilic and John Isner are the only members of the world's top 15 who remain after the defeats of Alex Zverev and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Kyle Edmund will be relishing the chance, even though he knows only too well the dangers poised by the brilliant 18 year old Denis Shapovalov, who beat him at Queen's Club in June.
Youth still has much to do to sear its mark. If the seedings go to plan, the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the draw will pit Isner against Kevin Anderson and Cilic against Pablo Carreno Busta. | Fourth seed Alexander Zverev has been knocked out of the US Open in four sets by Croatia's Borna Coric in New York. |
39,551,762 | Cafodd y perfformiwr o'r Rhyl ei gwobrwyo yng nghategori'r Actores Orau mewn Rôl Gefnogol mewn Sioe Gerdd am ei rhan yn Show Boat.
Gwobrau Olivier yw prif wobrau byd y sioeau cerdd a'r theatrau yn y DU.
Yn y blynyddoedd diweddar, mae Ms Trehearn wedi perfformio ar lwyfannau'r West End mewn sioeau fel Diary of a Teenage Girl, Floyd Collins a City of Angels.
Mae hi hefyd wedi ymddangos ar y teledu, gan gynnwys yn nrama Dim ond y Gwir ar S4C.
Ms Trehearn oedd enillydd cystadleuaeth Wawffactor 'nôl yn 2005. | Roedd y Gymraes, Rebecca Trehearn, ymhlith enillwyr Gwobrau Olivier nos Sul. |
38,847,355 | Why is she wearing a veil? Why is she kneeling? Why so many flowers?
Armchair art critics have been keen to offer up their own explanations.
"So perhaps Beyonce's having a girl & a boy, hence the pink bra & blue panties?" suggested @nicbamford on Twitter.
"She's SURROUNDED by beautiful flowers. This is her connection with life and earth. She's energised by nature" said @TheHelenOfTrill
†| Since Beyonce announced she and husband Jay Z are expecting twins, social media has been abuzz with theories about the deeper meaning behind the record-breaking Instagram photo. |
37,686,639 | Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic scored in each half on his first Newcastle start since September.
Mohamed Diame also struck twice - his first goals for the club - while Matt Ritchie scored a penalty and Ayoze Perez netted in stoppage time.
Preston midfielder Alan Browne had been sent off for elbowing Jack Colback.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez made seven changes to his side, who are top of the Championship table, including recalling Mitrovic and Diame.
They led 1-0 through Mitrovic's headed opener when Browne was dismissed.
Diame's goals were spectacular long-range efforts, while Newcastle also hit the woodwork twice in the second half.
Victory took the Magpies into the League Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in nine seasons.
The clubs meet again on Saturday in the league at Deepdale.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez:
"We play Preston again. They will try to amend the situation; they will try to change things. We will be playing away, so it will be totally different.
"It's another competition, so we have to enjoy it. Normally I say one or two days and after, concentrate on the next game. It will be tough, for sure."
Preston boss Simon Grayson:
"I'm not going through that again on Saturday. This is a big arena; it's a big pitch - they make it big. It will be different on Saturday.
"I'm not going to make promises that it's going to be a different scoreline, but I'd like to think that it will be.
"We could have played our strongest team from Saturday and still been beaten tonight. The league is our priority, but we are hugely disappointed."
Match ends, Newcastle United 6, Preston North End 0.
Second Half ends, Newcastle United 6, Preston North End 0.
Goal! Newcastle United 6, Preston North End 0. Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a corner.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Chris Humphrey.
Foul by Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United).
Liam Grimshaw (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal! Newcastle United 5, Preston North End 0. Mohamed Diamé (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey.
Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ayoze Pérez.
Attempt saved. Paul Huntington (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Paul Gallagher with a cross.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Isaac Hayden.
Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by DeAndre Yedlin.
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Diamé.
Attempt saved. Christian Atsu (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mohamed Diamé.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Anders Lindegaard.
Attempt saved. Vurnon Anita (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Isaac Hayden with a cross.
Christian Atsu (Newcastle United) hits the bar with a header from very close range.
Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey with a cross following a corner.
Substitution, Newcastle United. Ayoze Pérez replaces Matt Ritchie.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Chris Humphrey.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Tom Clarke.
Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United).
Daniel Johnson (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Isaac Hayden.
Foul by Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United).
Eoin Doyle (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Isaac Hayden (Newcastle United) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jonjo Shelvey with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Bailey Wright.
Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Atsu.
DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eoin Doyle (Preston North End).
Offside, Newcastle United. Vurnon Anita tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.
Substitution, Preston North End. Daniel Johnson replaces Simon Makienok.
Attempt missed. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner from a direct free kick.
Christian Atsu (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Tom Clarke (Preston North End).
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by DeAndre Yedlin with a cross.
Substitution, Newcastle United. Vurnon Anita replaces Paul Dummett.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Bailey Wright (Preston North End).
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration. | Newcastle thrashed 10-man Preston in front of almost 50,000 fans at St James' Park to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals. |
33,151,837 | The chairman in question is her parent, Sri Ram, and together they run Supreme Creations, the UK's largest producer of reusable shopping bags made from natural fibres.
For 16 years the business has been making jute, canvas and cotton bags for everyone from UK supermarkets Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's, to US sportswear giant Nike, and fashion retailer Top Shop.
Set up by Mr Ram, his daughter convinced him to let her join the business six years ago when she was 22.
He made her work her way up from the bottom at the firm's London head office.
When Ms Sriram joined the company it only made plain reusable bags, but her big idea was to introduce fashion designs. And as a result, sales rose sharply, and last year she was made chief executive.
Supreme Creations now manufacturers "several million" bags a year at its own factory in southern India, has 800 staff, and supplies 50,000 clients around the world.
The business is an example of a still rare but growing phenomenon - a company run by a father and daughter.
While father and son firms remain far more common, as an increasing number of women are deciding on a career in business, many are choosing to join their dads at the family firm.
But what is it like to run a company with your father or daughter? What are the benefits, and what can go wrong?
Here three sets of dads and daughters discuss their working lives.
Ms Sriram, now 28, says her dad took some persuading before he would let her join Supreme Creations, because he was apprehensive about mixing family life with business.
At the time she was an Oxford University graduate who had completed internships at Deutsche Bank and advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi, but "wanted to get a short stint with my father as he is a successful entrepreneur".
After joining the company she never looked back.
"My father and I have an extremely loving yet professional relationship, but he remains Dr Sri or chairman [at work]," says Ms Sriram.
"It keeps a very clear divider between our lives, which allows us to respect each other in a professional outfit.
"Business is business, however he has given me unadulterated advice and mentored me daily. This is priceless.".
Mr Ram says that his daughter was able to quickly understand the business and "carve a niche for herself".
He also thinks that their working relationship is more effective because she is his daughter rather than a son.
"There are many things that men do differently [to women]," says Mr Ram. "If I had a son then he might have been a mini version of me. But with a daughter, that yin and yang situation exists."
While everything appears to run smoothly at Supreme Creations, another father and daughter partnership, Peter Ibbetson and Gemma Guise, admit that their working relationship can be a lot more tempestuous.
Together they run two businesses - Primedia Solutions, which delivers media training to chief executives, and a public relations company called Journolink.
Mrs Guise joined the her dad at the businesses in London's Canary Wharf three years ago, and they ultimately had to bring in an independent adjudicator to prevent them from arguing.
Mr Ibbetson, 59, says: "We have put in a chairwoman who is the independent part of the business, and she is the oil between us.
"She's set out that if you're having a row or disagreement, you have to be allowed to take 10 to 15 minutes of time out, to prevent an escalation."
Mrs Guise, 31, says that the pressure of running the two businesses can be "immense", and that this is what can lead to arguments.
She adds: "You sacrifice everything for the business, your time, your income, your holiday, your life in general.
"We [my dad and I] share the best highs and the worst lows. We are best friends and worst enemies.
"But that common ground of sheer success and determination will always cement the cracks in our relationship."
Entrepreneur and business mentor, Clare Raynor, says she turned down the chance to join her father's company when she was younger, because she felt she "would be more an employee than a partner".
For a father and daughter relationship to work, she says it "really does depend" on their underlying relationship, and that their skills complement each other.
"If he has the knowledge and experience, and the daughter brings energy, enthusiasm, and ideas, then it can work," adds Ms Raynor.
To increase the chance of a father and daughter being a success, her advice is that creating a new business together will likely prove easier than the daughter joining a long-established family firm.
"With a start-up there's more room to understand each other's roles and ideals, which can be sorted out beforehand," says Ms Raynor.
"You are both creating things equally, but a hand-me-down business might have issues, and there could be conflict due to differing ideas."
Creating a new business with her father is exactly what 20 year old Charleh Dickenson did 18 months ago.
Ms Dickenson, who had suffered from food allergies from a young age, came up with the idea of producing a range of cakes and snacks, which are all free from gluten, dairy products, and eggs, and only contain naturally occurring sugars.
Joining forces with her dad, Peter Dickenson, they set up Designed2Eat. Based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, it sells both online and at food festivals.
Ms Dickenson says that setting up the company with her dad was an easy decision to make.
"I'm a daddy's girl, and we always got on really," she says. "We are very similar characters, but we have different strengths."
Designed2Eat now sells more than 1,000 products per month, and dad agrees that he and Ms Dickenson "complement each other very well". | Successful chief executive Smruti Sriram has one strict rule at work - she never addresses her chairman as "daddy", "dad", or "father". |
39,680,019 | Adam Rooney gave Dons the lead after just 12 seconds, and Ryan Christie struck the second on 25 minutes.
Grant Holt, 36, headed Hibs' first and set up Dylan McGeouch's leveller, but Jonny Hayes' shot deflected in off Darren McGregor for Aberdeen's winner.
"I needed a 36-year-old to come on and get us playing," Lennon said.
"He was brilliant. We scored two fabulous goals and then we're in the ascendancy. They got a huge slice of luck with the third goal.
"The first 30 minutes was pathetic and totally unacceptable. It's nothing to do with tactics or formations, it's to do with decision-making and individual errors."
Media playback is not supported on this device
Lennon accused some of his players of "hiding" and "not taking responsibility".
"We didn't deserve to lose the game but you can't give a team like Aberdeen a two-goal head-start," he said.
"Anything can happen once it gets back to 2-2. It just wasn't our day, but I'm not happy with the way we approached the game.
"Gallant losers are losers."
Lennon, who has led his side to the Scottish Championship title, admitted holders Hibs had been "caught cold" as Rooney scored following a mistake by McGregor.
"Darren has a lapse in concentration," Lennon told BBC Scotland.
"Aberdeen haven't worked to score three goals. The first two goals are unforgiveable.
"They've got loads of character but they shouldn't have to fight back in the first place.
"They'll go away with loads of regret. They were as good as Aberdeen if not better.
"I felt we were good enough and had the players to go to the final and beat Aberdeen and it was certainly in evidence today for long parts of the game. " | Hibernian made a "pathetic and totally unacceptable" start as they lost 3-2 to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, said manager Neil Lennon. |
39,871,218 | The drinks giant said that under the new Diverted Profits Tax regime, HMRC will ask for more tax and interest for the past two financial years.
Diageo said it would challenge the HMRC's assessment.
However, the company said it will have to pay £107m then work with HMRC to resolve the issue.
Diageo, which owns brands including Johnnie Walker whisky and Tanqueray gin, said: "The payment of this sum is not a reflection of Diageo's view on the merits of the case and, based on its current assessment, Diageo considers no provision is required in relation to Diverted Profits Tax."
The company does not expect the situation to have an effect on its tax for the current financial year to June, and expects the rate to be 21%.
The dispute centres on profits that have been moved between the UK and the Netherlands.
The Diverted Profits Tax regime was introduced in 2015 and levies a 25% charge on taxable profits that have been diverted from the UK.
The company said: "Diageo does not believe that it falls within the scope of the new Diverted Profits Tax regime."
Shares in Diageo fell 1% to £22.68 on Wednesday but have risen more than a fifth this year. | Diageo has been ordered to pay £107m by the UK tax authority as part of a long-running investigation into moving profit between its global businesses. |
34,808,054 | The incident took place in the north Indian holy city of Varanasi while the woman was asleep, the city's police told BBC Hindi.
The woman suffered burns on one side of her face and shoulders, but is currently out of danger, police said.
This is the latest in a series of attacks reported this year by foreign tourists in India.
In January, five men were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and raping a Japanese tourist in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta).
And in September, an American tourist said she was raped by two men in the northern city of Dharamsala.
Varanasi police superintendent Akash Kulharni told BBC Hindi that officers looking into the acid attack suspected the involvement of the Russian tourist's landlord's son, who disappeared after the attack.
They are waiting for the victim to regain consciousness so that they can record her statement, police added.
According to the official statistics, there are a few hundred acid attacks in India every year.
There has been legislation to restrict the sale of acid in the country, but campaigning groups say it is still easily available. | A Russian tourist in India has been admitted to hospital with "severe burns" after being attacked with acid. |
39,474,145 | With most votes counted in Sunday's poll, he appears to have won well over 50%, the threshold to avoid a run-off.
His closest challenger, Sasa Jankovic, has 14%, while satirical candidate Ljubisa Preletacevic is third with 9%.
Mr Vucic is pro-EU, but is accused by his rivals of using the election to tighten his grip on power.
Mr Vucic said the people had voted for his policy of joining the EU without turning away from other traditional allies.
"For me it is important this election demonstrated that a large majority of Serbian citizens favours the continuation of the European path while maintaining close ties with China and Russia," he told supporters.
He became prime minister after his pro-EU nationalist Progressive Party won a landslide victory in early parliamentary elections in 2014.
In the latest campaign, the 47-year-old highlighted Serbia's economic growth under his tenure.
He was previously a radical Serb nationalist who served under President Slobodan Milosevic in the late 1990s.
But in 2008, he left the country's Radical party to help found the moderate Progressive Party, signalling a clear break with his nationalist past.
"I do not hide that I have changed... I am proud of that," he told the AFP news agency in a 2012 interview.
But his past has followed him nonetheless.
In 2015, he fled a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, when the crowd turned on him.
The massacre saw about 8,000 Bosnian Muslims killed at the hands of Serb forces.
Mr Vucic was a member of the national assembly at the time, and famously said "you kill one Serb and we will kill 100 Muslims" just days after the massacre.
But in recent years, he has called for conciliation. Months after he was chased from the anniversary ceremony, he returned to the memorial site to pay his respects.
Up until now, the role of the president has been largely ceremonial, but it is thought it will become more influential under Mr Vucic.
But he denied the suggestion as he cast his vote on Sunday in the capital Belgrade.
"They can say whatever they want. I will respect Serbia's constitution. That is my obligation and that is what I will do," he said. | Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is projected to have won a clear victory in the country's presidential election. |
23,909,521 | Monday's transfer deadline day saw Arsenal break their spending record as they signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid for £42.4m, while Manchester United bought Marouane Fellaini from Everton for £27.5m.
But the marquee signings are not always the ones which prove to be the best value - you only have to look back 12 months to Swansea's £2m signing of Michu or the £7m spent by Aston Villa on Christian Benteke to see the quality that can be found lower down the market.
A combined total of 37 Premier League goals later and it was clear that, despite the reams of data and hours of footage now available from around the world, there are still talents waiting to be found.
BBC Sport asked European football experts to name the best sub-£10m signing going from their country to the Premier League.
Prof Chris Anderson, football analytics experts and author of The Numbers Game, also gives an insight into the best way to find undervalued talent.
Name: Jose Canas
Age: 26
Position: Defensive midfield
Move: Real Betis to Swansea for free at end of contract
Spanish football writer Andy West: Swansea have unearthed another Spanish gem with the capture of defensive midfielder Jose Canas on a free transfer from Real Betis.
Although he's a different kind of player from Michu, and consequently won't grab the same kind of headlines as last year's Spanish signing, he could become just as important to Michael Laudrup's team.
The 26-year-old's midfield partnership with Benat, now with Athletic Bilbao, was one of the key factors in Betis' unexpected success last season.
He is a committed performer who keeps his passes simple and uses excellent positional awareness to protect his back four. His physical attributes should ensure he doesn't encounter any problems in adapting to the pace and power of the Premier League either.
And when the South Wales derby takes place, the renewal of Canas' personal battle with equally tough-tackling Cardiff new boy Gary Medel, formerly of Betis' fierce city rivals Sevilla, will certainly be worth watching.
Name: Emanuele Giaccherini
Age: 28
Position: Striker
Move: Juventus to Sunderland for £6.5m
Italian football writer James Horncastle: Some have got a little carried away by Sunderland's signing of Emanuele Giaccherini.
His status as an Italy international, the performances he put in at the Confederations Cup and the part he has played as a member of Juventus' back-to-back Scudetto-winning squads, have given the impression he's a star.
He isn't.
How then do you explain the lamentations of Juventus coach Antonio Conte and many of the club's fans following his move to Wearside more? One newspaper claimed it hadn't been this upset even when Zinedine Zidane left for Real Madrid.
Well, it's because Giaccherini is a trier, a player who's overcome his small size - see his first Sunderland goal, an uncharacteristic header - to leave a big mark on his peers with his versatility and willingness to do a job no matter how laborious.
He never complains and always gives 100%, which is all a coach and fans can ask for, really.
Name: Yaya Sanogo
Age: 20
Position: Striker
Move:
French football writer Matthew Spiro: Capturing Yaya Sanogo on a free from Auxerre could prove a masterstroke by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger if the precocious Frenchman avoids injuries.
The tall, powerful attacker first caught Wenger's eye when starring for France Under-19s three years ago.
The Gunners, and a host of other top clubs, sent scouts to see the 17-year-old make his Auxerre debut in May 2010. Sanogo impressed, but suffered a horrific double leg fracture five months later.
That injury, and the knee problems that followed, sidelined him for two years.
Ready to quit and seek employment at the post office, only the steady flow of text messages from Hatem Ben Arfa and Abou Diaby prevented him.
Wenger never forgot Sanogo's raw ability. When the fit-again Frenchman scored four in 17 minutes for Auxerre against Laval earlier this year, he made his move.
Wenger did well to act early. Sanogo top-scored for France as they won the Under-20 World Cup in July.
The big question now is: can he stay fit?
Name: Marco van Ginkel
Age: 20
Position: Midfielder
Move: Vitesse Arnhem to Chelsea for a reported £8m
De Telegraaf football writer Marcel van der Kraan: Marco van Ginkel's personality, technique and attitude towards the game are absolutely phenomenal. And the way he moves on the pitch is reminiscent of a young Dennis Bergkamp.
He doesn't hit the headlines, so he may not strike people as a big young star immediately, but over the next two years he will emerge as a real bargain for Chelsea.
He has already entered the Dutch national team and was a star player in the Under-21 European Championships in Israel this summer.
Vitesse owner Merab Jordania has a very close relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, and Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta, Piazon and Cristian Cuevas have all gone in the opposite direction to Van Ginkel on loan this season.
Ajax, PSV and all the other big clubs in the Netherlands offered him all sorts of great contracts, but he said that if he left it would be for Chelsea.
And the Blues have maybe got him for a price that other clubs may not have done.
Name: Ricky van Wolfswinkel
Age: 24
Position: Striker
Move:
European football writer Andy Brassell: There are two factors that make the money Norwich paid for Ricky van Wolfswinkel a bargain.
There's the fact that all Premier League clubs have ended up paying a hefty premium for players after the well-publicised new TV rights deal.
Secondly, the Canaries did their business early, sealing a deal back in March and paying straight away - so buying him for under market value as Sporting Lisbon were desperate to get cash in immediately.
Having arrived from Utrecht in 2011, Van Wolfswinkel progressed well in Portugal and scored 45 goals in all competitions over two years in an oft-struggling team.
Today's Van Wolfswinkel is strong, takes no nonsense from defenders and is powerful in the air, as well as a versatile finisher. His arrival is a triumph for Norwich's forward planning.
Name: Jores Okore
Age: 21
Position: Central defender
Move:
Editor-in-chief of Danish football magazine Tipsbladet, Troels Bager Thogersen: The name Jores Okore isn't a household one in England like Didier Drogba or the Toure brothers, but the Danish stopper with Ivorian roots could be the next big thing in the Premier League.
It took him just 16 months to go from an unknown teenager at Nordsjaelland to being his team's best performer in the Champions League and a full Denmark international.
He has the strength, pace and mental toughness to be a star.
Some continental clubs, including Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund, chose not to pursue a deal for Okore because of his perceived lack of height at 6ft.
But with a great leap and impeccable timing, Okore should be able to subdue the biggest aerial threats in the Premier League.
Aston Villa arguably underpaid for Okore because of the height and they should be very happy they were the ones to secure Okore's signature.
Name: Kolo Toure
Age: 32
Position: Central defender
Move:
BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty: The wisdom of Liverpool's free transfer acquisition of the experienced Kolo Toure from Manchester City has already been underscored by manager Brendan Rodgers.
Looking for a player with experience, pedigree, a track record of success and leadership qualities to fill the void left by Jamie Carragher's retirement, Toure covered all those bases and came in as a bargain financially.
Toure may have suffered an injury in the Capital One Cup tie against Notts County, but Rodgers and Liverpool's players were starting to extol the virtues of the former Arsenal and City defender after clean sheets in wins against Stoke City and Aston Villa.
Liverpool have strengthened in central defence with the addition of Paris St-Germain's Mamadou Sakho and Sporting Lisbon's Tiago Ilori, but Toure's presence around Anfield will be invaluable and Rodgers already feels he has a figure of authority he can trust when the need arises.
Name: Nathan Redmond
Age: 19
Position: Winger
Move:
Former Fulham, West Ham and QPR striker and BBC Football League Show analyst Leroy Rosenior: I think at around £3m Nathan Redmond is a fantastic bit of business for Norwich.
He has all the attributes to be a really good addition. He is quick, direct, confident and has an eye for goal.
He has got loads of ability but plenty of potential to develop as well. And he looks like a lad with his feet on the ground as well.
You look at the money that players are going for at the moment and £3m is absolutely nothing.
There may have been a few raised eyebrows at the price but you look at Tom Ince, the same kind of player doing well in the Championship, and Blackpool are apparently asking £8m.
Prof Chris Anderson: A huge inefficiency in the market is that as you move further up the pitch, players become more expensive, but that does not mean that they will contribute more to a club's fortunes.
Defence and defensive players are misunderstood and undervalued.
It is hard to overpay for a terrific goalkeeper or players with strong defensive capabilities and, even if you are looking at attacking players, the ability to switch quickly and effectively to defensive play is also an important consideration.
During his years as Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson He also signed Rio Ferdinand as the most expensive defender ever. Those buys indicated that he understood the value of top-quality defensive players to his team.
Prof Chris Anderson: It is a myth that British players carry a premium. We have analysed the prices of British players and what we found is that they are significantly cheaper than the rest.
You may not overpay for an English player on average, but it is true that we overpay for British players at the very top end.
The very best ones, those who play for England, tend to command more of a price than they should compared to other players who are playing on their level. But the average British player is cheaper than the average non-British player.
Prof Chris Anderson: Great talent can be found anywhere because teams are not looking to recruit a whole league, but just one or two players.
Generally speaking though, Croatia is an area to which a lot of people are paying attention as their recent membership of the European Union means getting a work permit is easier.
Any place where players are not being paid a lot is a great place to look. You will find a significant increase in the number of Spanish players in the league over the last few years.
That is because tax laws in Spain have changed to make it more expensive to be a player and clubs are having such terrible financial problems.
Italy is not a place where Premier League clubs have recruited heavily in recent years and I think that is an overlooked market.
It also has had economic problems and I would argue that it provides as good, if not better, value than France which has received much more attention.
Prof Chris Anderson: Technologies are coming online that generate more information than ever about players, but that does not necessarily mean more insight.
What clubs are struggling with is to make sense of that mountain of data, so the old school scouts are still important.
Often it comes down to the issues of finance, who got there first and who can work out which of the players' representatives calls the shots. | In these days of austerity, even Premier League clubs - buoyed by their new-found TV millions - are keen to find a bargain buy. |
35,878,526 | Depending on who you talk to, there's anywhere between 500,000 and one million wallabies on the 1,100sq km (424 sq mile) King Island, which is 64km long, 26km wide and has a human population of just 1,600.
The lush, rolling pastures that feed the island's acclaimed beef and dairy cattle also support this extraordinary population of Bennett's wallaby, which feast by night while resting and breeding by day in their coastal scrub fortresses.
"It's just a perfect breeding ground for them," says the island's sharpshooter Shane Keeler who last year claimed 30,000 kills at A$3 ($2.3; £1.60) a pop.
He co-ordinates the Tasmanian government's Wallaby Management Program on the island.
"I was talking to an old bloke who lives down south and he said, 'back when I was a boy we'd be lucky to get 10 wallabies' and now you could go out and shoot four or five hundred in a night."
The programme allows for a virtually perpetual open season on hunting the Bennett's wallaby to control their numbers. It also coaches culling technique and supports the rollout of wallaby fencing.
But animal welfare activists say kangaroos and wallabies, demonised as expendable vermin, are commonly subjected to abhorrent treatment.
"It's the largest land-based wildlife slaughter in the world," said Elise Burgess, spokeswoman for Voiceless, an animal welfare think tank focused on the commercial slaughter of kangaroos.
"Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that over the last 30 years, 90 million kangaroos and wallabies have been commercially slaughtered. That's animals just killed for processing."
Ms Burgess said the slaughter method was largely self-regulated, involving many non-professional shooters as likely to wound an animal as kill it instantly with a bullet.
Voiceless urges research on fertility control and the establishment of nature corridors over lethal methods.
Government guidelines call for a brain-shot instant death with in-pouch joeys either decapitated or killed with a blow to head.
Wounded kangaroos, if they can be accessed, must be killed without delay.
Mr Keeler says he'll kill 70 or 80 wallabies straight with one shot each before he wounds one.
"Anyone who says they get 100% is [lying]," he says.
But the guidelines are largely self-regulated.
"I've got a commercial wallaby license. So I'm able to shoot and sell the product and I have a bloke that comes over from the department," Mr Keeler says.
"We'd shoot 30 or 40 and he'd check to see how I'm shooting them, making sure you are dropping them properly.
"But just with the normal farmers and their shooting they are just left to themselves."
That's where the Wallaby Management Program could be helpful.
While he shoots freelance, Mr Keeler also educates farmers and their hands on fencing, shooting and spotlighting techniques to increase the cull's efficiency and save their pastures from the wallabies.
"One thing I tell them is not to shoot them from a long distance. They are pretty quiet over here so you can drive right up to them. The closer you get to them the more percentage you are going to shoot," he says.
The island native said about 8,000 of the 83,000 wallabies were processed on the island for either human consumption or lobster bait.
The rest were mostly left to rot, helped by a thriving crow population that locals said were also stealing balls from the fairways of a new golf course on the island.
A leading golf magazine this year rated Cape Wickham Links as Australia's third-best golf course and the 24th best in the world.
But Mr Keeler said he was expecting a call soon from the golf club after he made a recent visit.
"There would be 400 wallabies up there," he said, which leave faeces "everywhere".
"It's going to be a problem I'd say."
But the course's Melbourne-based owner Duncan Andrews said the animals weren't a major issue.
The fairway mowers mulched the droppings into powder, turning them into a "de-facto fertilizer".
He said only about 100 wallabies were jumping his perimeter wallaby fence.
"They seem to reside near three fairways - eighth through ten," he said.
"The only problem we have with the wallabies is that they are a danger to motor vehicles driving between the airport and Cape Wickham, particularly at night." | Last year, 83,000 wallabies were culled on Australia's King Island, and 30,000 were shot by a single man, writes Paul Carter. |
39,290,908 | The move follows a dismal pre-season test programme for McLaren-Honda, in which the Japanese company's new engine was both unreliable and uncompetitive.
McLaren are said to be evaluating options in the event the relationship with Honda cannot be made to work.
McLaren and Mercedes were unavailable for comment.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said during last week's final pre-season test that there was "no plan at all" to end the Honda relationship.
Any switch to an alternative engine supplier would require McLaren to find a way out of its multi-year contract with Honda, which was signed in 2013.
McLaren's contact with Mercedes was characterised by sources as informal and brief and has not led to any resolution on either side.
But the Mercedes board and motorsport boss Toto Wolff are said to be open-minded about the possibility of supplying their former partner.
Linking up with Mercedes - or Renault, which is another option - would be a momentous decision for McLaren with huge potential consequences because the Honda engine deal is worth close to a net $100m annually to the team compared to a customer engine deal.
As well as supplying free engines rather than paying the 17m euros (£14.8m) annual fee for a customer of Mercedes, Honda also pays half of McLaren's driver-salary bill and a significant sponsorship contribution.
If the Honda partnership was ended, McLaren's main shareholders - Bahrain's Mumtalakat sovereign investment fund and Saudi businessman Mansour Ojjeh - would almost certainly have to plug the gap themselves until a major sponsorship deal could be found, something with which McLaren have struggled in recent years.
Mumtalakat owns 50%, Ojjeh's TAG Group 25% and together they form the executive committee that runs McLaren. The remaining 25% is owned by former chief executive officer Ron Dennis, whose contract was not renewed in January and who no longer has any active role in the company.
McLaren and Mercedes were factory partners for 15 years until the end of 2009, when Mercedes set up their own team, partly because of the souring of the relationship over a number of issues. McLaren continued to use the German company's engines for the next five years as a customer.
The Mercedes engine has been the best in F1 since the introduction of turbo hybrid power-plants in 2014, when McLaren could finish only fourth in the championship, scoring only two podium finishes and no wins.
When McLaren signed with Honda, Dennis gave as the main reason for leaving Mercedes that it was not possible to win in F1 unless a team was an official factory partner of a major engine manufacturer. It is an argument that continues to be made frequently by senior McLaren figures to justify the decision.
But it appears McLaren are having doubts that Honda will ever produce a competitive engine and have decided that switching to a customer deal should at least be considered and the possibility explored.
McLaren were the slowest team in pre-season testing, which concluded last Friday, and their fastest lap time was 2.7 seconds slower than pace-setters Ferrari.
Boullier said in an interview with Spain's AS newspaper conducted during testing last week that he believed McLaren could win with a Mercedes engine.
The Frenchman added that McLaren risked losing their star driver, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, if they could not become competitive this year.
The Spaniard joined McLaren for the start of the Honda deal in 2015, believing it would give him a better chance of winning the title than his previous team Ferrari. Alonso, whose contract with McLaren expires at the end of this season, has not won a race since May 2013.
Boullier said: "He wants to be competitive because he has talent to show the world and to himself. And we need to be competitive to keep him happy.
"If we're competitive he'll be happy and if not he'll take his own decisions."
This content will not work on your device, please check Javascript and cookies are enabled or update your browser | McLaren have made an exploratory approach to Mercedes about engine supply in the wake of problems with partner Honda. |
37,820,663 | Residents were baffled by coaches of sightseers arriving in Kidlington, Oxfordshire and posing for photos in front gardens and against parked cars.
But a guide has now confirmed the tourists are attracted by the quiet houses and gardens.
The guide was responding to a BBC question sheet that was handed to tourists.
The tourists were first identified in Benmead Road and the Moors in July, the Spotted: Kidlington Facebook page reported.
Anne Clifton, who lives in the Moors, handed the BBC's question sheet to a member of the tour party when they reappeared in the road on 23 October.
She said: "I asked a woman standing at the door of the coach if she would be good enough to complete the form.
"She was not actually one of the tourists, but was leading the party."
A tour guide provided the following answers to the BBC question sheet:
Q: We are happy to have you here but why have you come?
A: 因为我们中国没有，这里有我们找国家的感觉
Translation: "Because we don't have [these] in China. Here, we are looking for the true sense of this country. "
Q: Do you like it?
A: 返璞归真
Translation: "[Yes]. Because the environment makes you feel you are closer to the simplicity of your original self."
Q: What do you like here?
A: 房子，花园
Translation: "The houses [and] gardens."
The tourists were a short walk from thatched cottages and a church but preferred to take photos outside modern houses.
Previous theories for the cause of the influx included mistaken identity, a covert social experiment or possibly Oxfordshire's connection to Inspector Morse.
Baz Daniels, who has lived in Kidlington for more than 20 years, said he had been in touch with a friend in China to try to get to the bottom of the tourist influx.
"Kidlington is apparently being marketed by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful English village on the way to Bicester Village shopping centre," he said.
"Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people's gardens." | Chinese tourists are descending on an English village in search of "the true sense" of the UK, the BBC can reveal. |
40,272,317 | 14 June 2017 Last updated at 13:45 BST
Hundreds of pelicans there have been seriously poorly due to a poisonous algae that has been growing far too quickly in the waters where they live.
While small amounts of this algae are fine, the pelicans have big appetites and too much of the green stuff makes them so ill they can't swim or fly.
So wildlife reserves are nursing them back to health and then setting them free when their tummies are better.
Check this out. | Poorly pelicans have been released into the wild, after being helped back to health in California, America. |
33,232,348 | Derbyshire GP Dr Peter Holden will call for a review of the issue at the British Medical Association's annual conference on Tuesday.
He says vehicles can be a "lethal weapon" in the hands of people who no longer have the ability to drive properly.
He says the current rules and guidance to doctors are out of date.
Everyone has to self-declare whether they are fit to drive at the age of 70 and every three years thereafter.
Although if they have a medical condition, such as epilepsy, they are required to notify the DVLA.
Doctors are asked to help regulate the system by asking patients about their driving abilities if they have concerns.
But Dr Holden said the current system was too one-dimensional, relying on specific diagnoses or on impairment to the senses.
He said there was a risk that people with the early stages of dementia "slip through the net".
Dr Holden added that doctors are increasingly seeing older patients who are driving by rote.
"They stop driving at night, then on motorways, then they go to great lengths not to do right turns," he said.
"But we all know there are times when we need quick reflexes when driving.
"It is a complex task that requires good psycho-motor skills," he added.
However Andrew White, medical adviser to the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), said it was important to strike "the right balance between safety and personal mobility".
"All drivers must ensure that they are medically fit to drive and notify DVLA of the onset or worsening of a medical condition affecting this," he said.
And George McNamara, of the Alzheimer's Society, said there was a danger of "scaremongering".
"A dementia diagnosis is not in itself a reason to stop driving," he argued.
"The critical issue, both legally and practically, is whether an individual is able to drive safely."
However he conceded that more guidance on this issue was needed. | Drivers in the early stages of dementia could be posing a risk to the public, doctors are warning. |
36,597,199 | "We were a unit that Poland couldn't beat," said the coach, reflecting on Scotland's failure to qualify for the finals in France.
"We were a unit that the Republic of Ireland couldn't beat, We beat Croatia twice over the last couple of years."
Scotland finished fourth behind Germany, Poland and the Irish in their qualifying group.
"It's not easy to take," Strachan told BBC Scotland. "In the 10 games we played, there's only one game we could be disappointed with.
"Things went against us, but we need to sort that out for the next campaign.
"There are teams at that tournament that we know we're as good as. There are teams at that tournament we proved we're better than.
"Poland and Germany are showing how strong they are. We were up against them.
"You don't have to produce 100 good players as Wales have proven, as Poland have proven with [Robert] Lewandowski.
"Where would Sweden be without [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic? It's just getting one or two players that make the difference."
Scotland last competed at a finals at the France 1998 World Cup.
But Strachan dismissed the idea that the mentality of the players could be questioned.
"Nobody can question that," he said. "Absolutely not.
"The mentality is fantastic. We just need to find the best system with the best players we've got for this next campaign.
"In life you have to take a few knocks to get somewhere. There's not a game where I've thought they could've tried harder. That's never going to be a problem.
"Look at Germany. Their first shot against us at Hampden got a deflection and went in. Two shots hit the post, comes back to their players.
"We score two wonderful goals. That can be life sometimes."
Qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia begins with an away tie against Malta in September, followed by Lithuania at home before crucial visits to Slovakia and England.
Slovakia held England to a 0-0 draw this week in Euro 2016, allowing both sides to qualify for the last 16 of the tournament.
"England on the whole have probably got the best squad of players," added Strachan. "Maybe Spain, France, England.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"So if Slovakia can draw with them, it's going to be hard.
"They're strong, physically strong. Good players. Central midfield is good, centre-halves are good - ably backed up by wingers that are tricky.
"They're going to be hard.
"It's going to be a heck of a tournament, heck of a qualifying section but we're looking forward to it." | Gordon Strachan believes his Scotland squad have proved they are better than some of the teams at Euro 2016. |
36,447,935 | SAG Team rider Salom was taken to hospital and underwent surgery after the crash at turn 12 on Friday.
"It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Luis Salom," MotoGP said in a statement.
"Despite the best efforts of the trauma team, he passed away at 16:55 local time."
British MotoGP rider Scott Redding wrote on Twitter: "My love and heart is with Luis Salom and his family. We lost another great rider. RIP Luis."
Spanish Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso wrote: "Such terrible news. Such anger and sadness. Rest in peace, rider. A huge embrace to Luis Salom's friends and family."
Danny Kent, the British Moto3 world champion wrote: "RIP Luis Salom, such a sad day. You'll be missed. Love to you and family."
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, winner of 14 Grand Slam titles, wrote: "Very sad news. Although words can't bring comfort in times like this, all my support goes to Luis Salom's family and friends."
British MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow wrote: "So saddened of what happened today in Barcelona."
Following a meeting of its Safety Commission, MotoGP said Sunday's race at the Circuit de Catalunya will still go ahead, but with a revised track configuration. | Spanish Moto2 rider Luis Salom has died at the age of 24 after crashing during a free practice session at the Catalunya Grand Prix. |
39,049,627 | Ticket-holders complained the French sports star appeared for only 45 minutes, halfway through the show at Bournemouth International Centre.
Punters praised the footballer, but said they first had to sit through an unadvertised auction and a warm-up act some deemed offensive.
Organisers A1 Sporting Speakers said only a "small minority" had complained.
The show, which is due at venues in Salford and London, was billed as "an evening" with Cantona.
Some people said the show started 30 minutes late and an interval before the athlete appeared prompted booing.
On the event's Facebook page, which has since been removed, many people demanded refunds, including Lee Garrett who described the event as "a disgrace".
Others criticised the auction, including Amy Neild, who wrote: "We paid £245 for our tickets to an audience with Eric Cantona not to sit through your money-making auction scheme!"
About 1,500 people attended the event, where tickets ranged from £45 to £1,000.
Luke Dawe, who had a £200 ticket, said it was due to include a signed Cantona picture but was told on arrival the former Manchester United striker would not be signing anything.
The interview with the footballer-turned-actor was also criticised.
"The questions asked were tedious and delivered with no poise," said Matthew Abrey.
Terry Baker, from A1 Sporting Speakers, said Cantona received a standing ovation and "hundreds of people were thanking us for the production".
"This has to be a small minority that are complaining," he added.
The BIC apologised and said it had received "a handful of complaints" which would be fed back to the show producer. | Angry fans have demanded ticket refunds after branding an event featuring Eric Cantona a "disgrace". |
30,096,803 | Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20, died after being hit by William Payne's Range Rover on North Hanover Street in Glasgow on 17 December 2010.
Their families called for a prosecution after a fatal accident inquiry report.
It said the women may still be alive if Payne had disclosed his condition and medics had advised him not to drive.
The Crown has said that it will re-investigate the circumstances of the women's deaths and meet their families at the appropriate time.
Ms Convy, of Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, and Ms Stewart, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, were accounting students at the former Central College of Commerce.
The friends were on a free period when they headed towards the city centre to do some Christmas shopping.
They were fatally injured after being struck by Payne's 4x4 Range Rover, which had mounted the kerb. Both students died of their injuries at the city's Royal Infirmary.
A fatal accident inquiry, held by Sheriff Andrew Normand at Glasgow Sheriff Court, found the women's deaths were an accident which was caused by 53-year-old Payne suffering a blackout while driving.
The inquiry heard that, in the three years before the accident, he had suffered six blackouts.
Following the accident, he was diagnosed as having "vasodepressor syncope syndrome", which results in loss of consciousness. His driving licence was withdrawn.
In his findings, Sheriff Normand said the friends' deaths may have been avoided had "reasonable precautions" been taken.
These were:
In a joint statement, the Convy and Stewart families called for Payne to face a criminal trial.
"A prosecution and a criminal trial would offer the chance of justice for the loss of two beautiful young women," the families said.
"It is in the gift of the Crown to see justice served and send a message to the wider public that such conduct will not be tolerated.
"In, doing so, the Crown may be able to prevent other families from suffering in the same way as we have."
The families said they had been "completely devastated by the tragic deaths" of the women at such a young age.
The said: "The lies of one man, described in the determination as less than entirely frank, self-serving and lacking in credibility, took the lives of our two innocent girls and his actions have killed a piece of all us."
The families said they had "waited for justice for Mhairi and Laura for nearly four years" and put their belief in the criminal justice and legal systems.
They said: "Much time and attention was focused on Mr Payne's human rights. What about Mhairi and Laura's rights to life? This is not how it should be. Our girls deserve better."
Aiming severe criticism at the prosecution authorities, they said: "We waited these long and extremely difficult years for the Crown to make a decision on whether to prosecute William Payne.
"Their continuing failure to make that decision has meant we have had to undergo the further unnecessary agony of a FAI, lasting three traumatic weeks spread across nine months of this year. Our waiting continues. That is incomprehensible to us."
The families criticised what they described as "a lack of comprehensive investigation and delay" for bringing about a situation which offered them "no resolution".
Instead, they had to endure "a fatal accident inquiry which was ill-prepared by the Crown, incompetently presented and unnecessarily limited in what it could examine and determine".
The families said: "The emotional and financial burden of uncovering much of the evidence discussed in the FAI fell on us and our legal team."
They said their "deepest heartfelt thanks go to those who continue with us in our fight for justice for Laura and Mhairi".
In a statement the Crown Office said: "Following the issue of the sheriff's determination into the circumstances of the deaths, Crown counsel has confirmed that a re-investigation of the circumstances is to be carried out."
"A law officer will be happy to meet with the families at the appropriate time." | The parents of two women who died after they were hit by a car driven by a man with a history of blackouts have called for him to face criminal prosecution. |
34,268,942 | The figure - for England, Wales and Northern Ireland - is equivalent to 160 allegations per school day. Theft and violent crime were the most common types of offence to be reported.
The NSPCC said the number of reported sexual offences - 1,502 - was worrying.
The government said crime had "no place in our schools" and it had given teachers greater powers to tackle it.
Data was collated from 32 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which responded to a Freedom of Information request from the Victoria Derbyshire programme.
It is not known how many reports led to convictions.
A total of 30,394 crimes were reported place at primary schools, secondary schools and further education establishments - excluding universities - in 2014, according to the data of 32 forces. In 2013, there were 28,444 crime reports.
Theft, burglary or robbery was the most common offence, with 13,003 incidents reported. There were 9,319 reports of violent crime, 4,106 reports of criminal damage or arson, and 754 reported drugs offences.
Some forces did not provide data on sexual offences, citing the Data Protection Act. But in the 25 that did respond fully, 1,502 crimes were recorded.
The largest number of crimes were reported to the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Midlands Police.
Supt Laurence Taylor - the policing lead for children and young people at a regional level - believes it is key for police forces to have a continued footprint in schools.
"If we don't get it right with policing in schools, we miss opportunities to intervene at an early stage to prevent children's behavioural issues becoming more problematic in later life," he said.
"It is important we break down barriers between children and police, intervene early when problems do arise and support schools in pupils' education [regarding issues such as online safety]."
His force, Sussex Police, currently has 27 dedicated neighbourhood schools officers, who each work with a cluster of schools in the region.
But, he added, while some forces were investing more in schools officers, others were reducing their provisions because of pressure on resources.
A government spokesman said: "Crime and violent behaviour have no place in our schools.
"We have put teachers back in charge of the classroom.
"They can search pupils without consent, confiscate prohibited items and use reasonable force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary.
"We know many good schools already work with the police and other organisations to educate pupils and protect them from harm and involvement in crime."
*Some of the data in these files has been redacted
**These files have limited data
Note: The data has come from Freedom of Information responses from 32 UK police forces. In some cases, data that could have led to the identification of individuals was removed. Data for Cambridgeshire Police was created by the BBC on the basis of information supplied by the force. Some forces included information about universities. These numbers were removed from the overall analysis.
Additional data research by Pupul Chatterjee and Antia Geada.
Watch Victoria Derbyshire on weekdays from 09:15-11:00 BST on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. | More than 30,000 alleged crimes linked to schools were reported to police in 2014, a BBC investigation has found. |
34,068,398 | Chelsea are in pot one alongside fellow seeds Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Juventus, Paris St Germain, Zenit St Petersburg and PSV Eindhoven.
Arsenal, City and United are in pot two, along with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Porto and Valencia.
The 32 teams in the draw will be put into eight groups of four.
In a change to previous seasons, pot one will be made up of holders Barcelona and league winners of the top seven European leagues - Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, France and Russia - rather than being based on club co-efficients.
As Spanish side Barcelona won last season's competition, Dutch champions PSV go into the top pot as Netherlands are the eighth-ranked association.
A team from each of the four pots will be drawn into the eight groups, with no more than one team from any one country in each group.
Spain are the first nation to have five teams qualify for the Champions League group stages this season.
Valencia beat Monaco in a Champions League qualifying play-off to reach the last 32 and they joined Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla, who qualified as Europa League winners.
Spanish teams have won four of the last seven Champions League, with Barcelona defeating Juventus in May's final.
Spain also lead Uefa's club coefficient rankings - the system used to decide which leagues get most qualifying spots for its competitions - by a considerable margin.
Manchester United have returned to the group stages following a one-season absence from the Champions League.
The Old Trafford club thrashed Club Brugge 7-1 in their qualifier but manager Louis Van Gaal is set to give the draw a miss.
"I think I shall watch the second team against Ajax because I think that is more important and I cannot do anything to impact on the draw," Van Gaal said.
One: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Juventus, Paris St. Germain, Zenit, PSV Eindhoven
Two: Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Porto, Valencia
Three: CSKA Moscow, Dynamo Kiev, Lyon, Olympiakos, Galatasaray, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sevilla
Four: Astana, BATE Borisov, Borussia Monchengladbach, Wolfsburg, Dinamo Zagreb, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Gent, Malmo | Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United will find out their Champions League group stage rivals when the draw is made on Thursday. |
38,620,126 | Veteran striker John Sutton slotted the visitors ahead at Dens Park, shooting past Scott Bain on 25 minutes.
Jack Baird doubled the Paisley side's lead, forcing the ball in from close range five minutes into the second half.
Dundee seldom looked like finding a way back, with Stevie Mallan impressive in the Buddies' midfield.
Mallan a summer signing target for Dundee boss Paul Hartley, is now subject of a bid by Barnsley.
It was a terrific performance from the team at the foot of the Championship and for St Mirren there was the rare experience of going off to an ovation from the travelling support.
There were chances at both ends and Marcus Haber rattled the post early on for Dundee, but it was Jack Ross' side who went ahead after 25 minutes.
Sutton composed himself around 18 yards out after a fine break and released a shot which went in low at Bain's left post.
It was the only goal of the first 45 minutes but there were chances galore. The best fell to Dundee forward Faissal El Bakhtaoui with a header just four yards out but he put it past the post.
And Dundee were frustrated by the performance of new Saints goalkeeper Billy O'Brien, on loan from Manchester City, who produced a series of fine saves.
For St Mirren, the goals apart, the highlight was a remarkable run by Mallan who killed the ball which plummeted from the sky with a sublime touch and set off on a solo which include a nutmeg and the beating of four Dundee players before being stopped inside the box with a desperate tackle.
Baird made it 2-0 early in the second half. Mallan took a corner with which Dundee failed to deal and the ball found its way back to Mallan. He made a run along the by-line and cut the ball back for the onrushing Baird to side foot home right in front of the delighted fans from Paisley.
What Saints need to do now is translate their cup form into league business - and quick.
St Mirren's Jack Ross: "I'm really pleased for the players because they have come in for criticism for large parts of this season. I want them to enjoy it. They proved they are good players.
"Now we will work hard at replicating that kind of performance for league games.
"Stevie Mallan deserves this interest in him. Today he responded to the platform he had. The situation may develop towards the end of the window. If we keep him, then fantastic."
Dundee's Paul Hartley: "That was just a lacklustre performance. We've not got any excuses because the best team won.
"We were off it all over the pitch. It's the same team that beat St Johnstone 3-0 here. It's not acceptable."
Match ends, Dundee 0, St. Mirren 2.
Second Half ends, Dundee 0, St. Mirren 2.
Kostadin Gadzhalov (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by David Clarkson (St. Mirren).
Substitution, St. Mirren. Cameron McAtherson replaces Kyle McAllister.
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Gary Irvine.
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Darren Whyte.
Foul by Mark O'Hara (Dundee).
Paul Fjelde (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Paul Fjelde (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Scott Bain.
Attempt saved. David Clarkson (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution, St. Mirren. David Clarkson replaces John Sutton.
Foul by Michael Duffy (Dundee).
Craig Storie (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, St. Mirren. Darren Whyte replaces Kyle Magennis.
Attempt missed. Danny Williams (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Paul McGowan (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren).
Attempt missed. Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Foul by Paul McGowan (Dundee).
Craig Storie (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Cameron Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Lewis Morgan (St. Mirren).
Foul by Paul McGowan (Dundee).
Jack Baird (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Stephen Mallan.
Mark O'Hara (Dundee) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren).
Substitution, Dundee. Danny Williams replaces Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
Substitution, Dundee. Michael Duffy replaces Tom Hateley.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Scott Bain.
Attempt saved. Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren) header from very close range is saved in the top right corner.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia.
Attempt missed. Paul Fjelde (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Paul McGowan.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Goal! Dundee 0, St. Mirren 2. Gary Mackenzie (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Cameron Kerr.
Second Half begins Dundee 0, St. Mirren 1. | St Mirren forgot all about their Scottish Championship struggles to stun Dundee in the Scottish Cup. |
35,704,466 | The UK's biggest commercial broadcaster said it expected to outperform the television advertising market in 2016.
Advertising revenue rose 6% to £1.72bn, with total revenue up 14% to £3.38bn.
However, total viewing across its channels fell by 3% last year, with the share for the main ITV channel falling from 15.6% to just 15%.
The broadcaster, which shows dramas such as Downton Abbey and Coronation Street, said ratings came under pressure in 2015 from the launch of new digital channels, a strong year for the BBC and a poor performance from some programmes.
Chief executive Adam Crozier said ITV had an additional 50 hours of drama in the schedules for 2016 as well as major sporting fixtures including the Euro 2016 tournament.
Shares in ITV fell 3.5% to 241p in afternoon trading in London.
Steve Clayton, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said its shares had done well last year, driven by an improving advertising outlook and a series of acquisitions.
"ITV looks to be in a good position; its balance sheet is sufficiently strong to keep funding the acquisition of new production houses. That gives more content to use at home and to sell abroad," he said.
"Earnings are enhanced by the deals, and ITV becomes less dependent on terrestrial advertising revenues, which are still an important source of income for the group."
ITV Studios has become a global production business with total revenue up 33% to £1.2bn and with 53% of revenues now coming from outside the UK.
Last year's acquisition of Talpa brought John de Mol onto the ITV team. He founded Endemol, which went on to develop the Big Brother reality franchise.
Sir Peter Bazalgette, the man credited with bringing Big Brother to the UK, was appointed as chairman of ITV last month.
He replaced Archie Norman, who has chaired the broadcaster since January 2010.
The former Endemol UK chairman is already a non-executive director at ITV and will take over from Mr Norman on 12 May.
ITV director of television Peter Fincham has announced he is leaving ITV and has been replaced by managing director of ITV Studios Kevin Lygo.
Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios in the UK, has succeeded Mr Lygo. | ITV has reported a 6% rise in annual pre-tax profits of £641m following strong revenue growth across the company. |
35,526,850 | Patricia McAuslan, 32, from Glasgow, died in the accident at about 19:40 on Thursday.
Her Ford Focus was in collision with a Scania heavy goods vehicle.
Ms McAuslan was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The 43-year-old driver of the HGV was uninjured in the incident. | Police have identified a woman killed in a crash involving a car and a lorry on the A701 near to Parkgate village in Dumfries and Galloway. |
38,906,197 | They were unable to continue their operations on Tuesday due to high water levels after heavy rainfall.
The search for Mr Cowie, 41, began near the rowing club beside the river at about 21:00 on Sunday.
It carried on throughout Monday and Tuesday but has so far failed to find any trace of the missing man.
Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Nith Inshore Rescue Service and a coastguard helicopter from Prestwick have been involved in the operation.
Extensive searches have been carried out along the length of the River Nith downstream to the Solway Estuary. | Police divers have resumed their search for missing Dumfries man Bryan Cowie reported to have fallen into the River Nith on Sunday night. |
38,222,259 | A group of men exercised "total control" over the girl in Keighley with information identifying her as being at risk from harm "not acted on".
The review followed the sentencing of 12 men who abused the girl over 13 months in the West Yorkshire town.
Bradford Safeguarding Children Board said "so much had changed" since 2011.
The trial, which concluded in February, heard the girl had been reported missing from home on more than 70 occasions over a two-year period.
From the age of 13, she was made to have sex in various locations in Keighley, including an underground car park and a church graveyard.
The independent serious case review, published by Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, was carried out to look at how to prevent similar incidents happening in the future.
The review said the girl, identified only as Autumn, lived close to two gangs who both "groomed and abused" her.
It said there was a view within the police at that time that "troublesome teenagers going missing were diverting attention from other strategic priorities".
The review added: "There was also a broader belief that children involved in this kind of harm were actively consenting and choosing to become involved."
Records identifying her has a child at risk of harm "were not fully shared" across various agencies, resulting in Autumn becoming "disillusioned" about help she was receiving.
As a result of the case, the review said a multi-agency child sexual exploitation hub had been set up in Bradford to bring together police, social care, health and voluntary sector information.
David Niven, independent chair of Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, said: "So much since then [2011] has changed in awareness, learning and education when it comes to the sexual exploitation of children.
"The Board will continue to work with all agencies involved in combating child exploitation, always encouraging improvement and holding them to account when appropriate." | A girl who reported being raped in 2011 was abused for a further year with agency interventions "ineffective", a serious case review has found. |
12,800,243 | One report said the buildings targeted included the headquarters of the ruling Baath Party.
Police tried to disperse protesters in the southern city, and one demonstrator was reportedly killed.
Violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces on Friday left at least four people dead.
The protests on Sunday came as a government delegation arrived in Deraa to offer condolences for those killed.
Residents told Reuters news agency that protesters had set fire to symbols of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, including the Baath Party building, a courthouse and two branches of a phone company owned by the president's cousin.
Earlier, protesters in Deraa called for an end to Syria's 48-year-old emergency law, and for the dismissal of officials involved in Friday's crackdown, reports said.
Activists were quoted as saying that police had used tear gas and live ammunition to try to clear demonstrators, and that one protester had been shot dead and dozens of others injured.
The protesters are said to be in control of the centre of the city and to have turned a mosque into a field hospital.
Syria's official news agency carried a denial that anyone had been killed.
Roads into Deraa have been blocked and there have been military helicopters flying over the city, activists said.
The internet, electricity and most communications are now blocked in the city, witnesses told the BBC.
Protests were also reported in other parts of the country on Friday and Sunday, and human rights activists said the authorities had been arresting those who took part.
Syrian President Assad, whose Baath party has dominated politics in the country for almost 50 years, tolerates little dissent.
The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones reports from neighbouring Lebanon that Syrian authorities are using a combination of force and concessions to try to prevent further protests.
The government said it would release 15 children arrested for spraying revolutionary slogans on walls in Deraa, and it has announced a three-month reduction in the length of compulsory military service across the country.
The official news agency has tried to explain the security forces' use of live ammunition by saying that instigators impersonating security officials have misled the police into using violence and live bullets.
So far Syria has remained unaffected by demands for change in the Arab world, but it now seems the government is facing a challenge to its authority, our correspondent says. | Demonstrators in the southern Syrian city of Deraa have set fire to several buildings during a third consecutive day of protests, witnesses say. |
33,310,951 | More than a third of respondents in Wales said they did not trust it, compared to a fifth in England.
Prof Roger Scully of the Wales Governance Centre said the polls were the latest to show more pessimism about health in Wales than other UK nations.
However, the Welsh government said the recent national survey showed people were "highly satisfied" with the NHS.
The findings are the first to be published from the new Welsh Political Barometer poll released by the centre, part of Cardiff University.
It also found 47% in Wales thought the NHS would get worse over the next few years, compared to 37% thinking so in England.
Prof Scully said: "These findings do tend to suggest that public evaluations of the performance of the NHS in Wales are not particularly strong, and also that people are not very optimistic about its future."
Pointing to a poll published by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft in January, he added: "Our findings here do not seem to be some freak outlier, but symptomatic of a consistent pattern in public attitudes."
The Welsh government responded by saying the latest National Survey for Wales of more than 14,000 people had found a more positive view of the NHS, with approval rates of more than 90% for questions about GP and hospital care.
"It is vital people have confidence in their health service," a spokesperson said.
"We know that when people are asked about their actual experiences, and not just an abstract question, they are incredibly positive about the Welsh NHS."
The Welsh Conservatives' Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar said trust in the NHS had been "rocked" by what he called Labour's "record-breaking cuts".
"There is clear need for an urgent plan of action to invest in the frontline, turn performance around and restore public confidence," he said.
The Welsh Political Barometer poll was based on research carried out for the Wales Governance Centre by YouGov, questioning more than 1,100 people in Wales and nearly 1,600 people for parallel polls in England. | Fewer people in Wales than England trust the NHS to provide a high quality service, a poll has suggested. |
39,765,543 | The hosts took the lead when Lucas fired home from Blaise Matuidi's cross before Marco Verratti added a second with a long-range strike.
Edinson Cavani tapped in to make it 3-0 and Marquinhos added a fourth to put the game firmly beyond Bastia.
After missing a penalty, Cavani got his second following a defensive error.
That goal was Cavani's 47th in 47 games in all competitions this season as he helped move PSG onto 83 points.
Monaco have the advantage in the Ligue 1 title race as Leonardo Jardim's side has two games in hand over PSG.
Match ends, Paris Saint Germain 5, Bastia 0.
Second Half ends, Paris Saint Germain 5, Bastia 0.
Foul by Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint Germain).
Lenny Nangis (Bastia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal! Paris Saint Germain 5, Bastia 0. Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Julian Draxler.
Substitution, Bastia. Sadio Diallo replaces Enzo Crivelli.
Attempt missed. Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Maxwell.
Hand ball by Christopher Nkunku (Paris Saint Germain).
Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint Germain) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box following a corner.
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Alexander Djiku.
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Christopher Nkunku replaces Blaise Matuidi.
Goal! Paris Saint Germain 4, Bastia 0. Marquinhos (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Giovani Lo Celso.
Attempt blocked. Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint Germain) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Edinson Cavani.
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Pierre Bengtsson.
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Giovani Lo Celso replaces Marco Verratti.
Penalty saved! Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint Germain) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the centre of the goal.
Penalty Paris Saint Germain. Edinson Cavani draws a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty conceded by Alexander Djiku (Bastia) after a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt blocked. Prince Oniangué (Bastia) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Enzo Crivelli.
Foul by Thiago Silva (Paris Saint Germain).
Enzo Crivelli (Bastia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal! Paris Saint Germain 3, Bastia 0. Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Gonçalo Guedes.
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Gonçalo Guedes replaces Lucas Moura.
Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain).
Alexander Djiku (Bastia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, Bastia. Lenny Nangis replaces Axel Ngando.
Hand ball by Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint Germain).
Offside, Paris Saint Germain. Julian Draxler tries a through ball, but Edinson Cavani is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Julian Draxler (Paris Saint Germain) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Blaise Matuidi with a cross.
Foul by Thiago Silva (Paris Saint Germain).
Axel Ngando (Bastia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain).
Enzo Crivelli (Bastia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Marquinhos (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lucas Moura with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Gaël Danic.
Attempt missed. Julian Draxler (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lucas Moura with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Jean-Louis Leca.
Attempt saved. Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint Germain) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Julian Draxler with a cross. | Paris St-Germain kept their slim title hopes alive as they thrashed Bastia but remain three points behind Monaco after their win at Nancy. |
37,423,730 | His Open Society Foundation will be in charge of spending the money around the world.
"We will invest in startups, established companies, social impact initiatives, and businesses started by migrants and refugees," Soros said.
"Our primary focus is to create products and services that truly benefit migrants and host communities."
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Soros said he would work with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Rescue Committee, to decide how best to invest the money.
His plan comes after the "Call to Action" by President Obama in June, in which he asked US companies to help resolve the world-wide refugee crisis. | The billionaire philanthropist George Soros says he will spend $500m on projects to help refugees and migrants. |
36,029,241 | Down Street in Mayfair, a station from 1907 to 1932, was used as a bomb-proof bunker for the prime minister during World War Two.
Passageways under Euston Station and Clapham South's deep-level bomb shelter will also be made accessible.
Tours of the sites will be run by London Transport Museum.
Down Street was also used as the main location for coordinating the country's railways.
Tours will also take place in the warren of tunnels 180 steps beneath Clapham South.
The site was used as a shelter during the Blitz, as a base for Caribbean migrants arriving in 1948, and even by visitors to the Festival of Britain in 1951.
London Underground's former headquarters at 55 Broadway near St James' Park, which opened in 1929, will be another site featured in the Hidden London project.
Chris Nix of London Transport Museum said visitors would get "a rare opportunity to see a secret side of London".
Tickets for the tours, which will begin next month, go on sale on 20 April. | A disused Tube station where Winston Churchill took refuge during the Blitz is among several London Underground sites to be opened to the public. |
34,680,443 | The city centre road was closed from Waverley Bridge to the Mound for more than an hour.
Officers were called to the 200ft Gothic tower in East Princes Street Gardens at about 14:00.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "We were called because of reports of concern for a person at the monument."
A woman involved in the incident was said to be safe and well.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "We can confirm that the incident at the Scott Monument came to a peaceful conclusion at around 15:30."
"Officers are now working to reinstate traffic in and around the area of Princes Street." | A section of Edinburgh's Princes Street has reopened following an incident at the Scott Monument. |
34,945,807 | The Fox and the Star, by first-time author Coralie Bickford-Smith, is about a fox in a forest who loses his only friend, a star in the sky.
Bickford-Smith, who works as a senior book designer for Penguin, said she was "touched and honoured" to win.
"It's totally unexpected, it doesn't feel real," she said.
The designer-turned-author took a six-month sabbatical from work to write and illustrate the book.
"I wanted it to be a children's book but it's for adults as well," she told the BBC, citing inspiration William Blake's short poem Eternity and the graphic work of William Morris.
"It's about love, loss and learning to accept change. Everyone's been through loss. I lost my mum while I was at university, it resonated with that.
"But art has to be magical and mysterious, and I want people to project their own emotions onto it."
Bickford-Smith, whose design work includes cloth-bound editions of Penguin Classics, said her debut was "a blend of classical old book design with a modern twist".
"It celebrates the book as a physical object," she added.
The Fox and the Star triumphed over a shortlist which featured titles including The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, and classicist Mary Beard's SPQR.
The full shortlist was
The shortlist was chosen from books nominated by Waterstones booksellers across the UK.
Last year's winner, The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, saw an increase in sales of more than 1000% in Waterstones stores.
Waterstones boss James Daunt, who chaired the judging panel, described The Fox and the Star as "a book of great physical beauty and timeless quality, one that will surely join that very special group of classic tales that appeal equally to children and adults". | A fable about friendship and loss has beaten bestselling novels The Girl on the Train and Go Set a Watchman to be named Waterstones Book of the Year. |
32,118,179 | He claimed a UK passport was in effect available to half a billion people because of the country's EU membership.
He announced the party's "pledge to Britain", which includes saying no to the EU and an extra £3bn for the NHS.
His party also wants to "control our borders", cut foreign aid spending and have no tax on the minimum wage.
At a press conference in London, Mr Farage said: "Interestingly, we have got a completely distinctive plan from the other political parties.
"We are the only party in this campaign saying Britain should have a trade relationship with Europe, but not membership of the European Union.
"Directly as a consequence of that, we are the only party in this election that is actually offering a solution to the immigration crisis."
The party is currently polling in the low double figures, and Mr Farage himself is contesting the South Thanet seat in Kent.
The leader said he was preparing for a "hell of a fight" and that he was "confident but certainly not complacent" about becoming an MP.
"The price of failure is that you disappear off the map - I'm not intending to fail," he told the BBC.
As he was mobbed by a scrum of journalists and photographers, Mr Farage said it would be "almost impossible" for either Labour or the Conservatives to command a majority after the election, and that he wanted people to vote for UKIP so his party could hold the balance of power.
He was also joined at the event by Mark Reckless, the former Tory MP who defected to UKIP last year, who said he believed the party could win "at least a handful" of seats after 7 May.
UKIP has long faced the accusation that it is simply a one-man band. A Farage cult.
It's something he and the party have repeatedly dismissed. But this election is all about Nigel. UKIP's number one priority is to get him elected to Parliament.
This is his sixth and almost certainly last attempt. If he doesn't win in South Thanet he's said he'll resign as leader, leaving UKIP minus its biggest asset.
UKIP has branched out with a raft of new policies but immigration remains at the core.
A demand for a referendum on leaving the EU is top of its wish list. UKIP is targeting around 20 seats.
The very least it has to do to have a good night on 7 May is hold Clacton and Rochester and get Mr Farage elected in Kent.
Two things are certain in the coming weeks: there will be organised anti-UKIP protests on the campaign trail and elements of racism (isolated elements, the party says) will emerge from within it, again.
Speaking at the launch of the pledges, Mr Farage also said a strong showing for his party in May could boost calls for electoral reform, which in turn could make his eurosceptics a "big party in British politics".
The UKIP leader also said he was concerned about the safety of some of the party's election candidates, and he has asked the Home Office for state-funded security for himself after being repeatedly targeted by protesters.
He said: "I think this will be a rough election campaign. I'm less fearful for myself but I'm concerned about some of our other candidates both at local level... and standing in the general election.
"There is I'm afraid something of a trade union-funded hate mob out there that have decided UKIP are a series of things we are not." | UKIP is the only party offering real change and has a "completely distinctive plan", its leader Nigel Farage has said. |
36,351,634 | Both players came off as Saracens beat Tigers to reach the final on 28 May.
Leicester centre Tuilagi, 25, went off with a leg injury, while Sarries fly-half Farrell, 24, had a rib problem.
"Manu has pulled his hamstring. I don't know how bad it is but it's not great," said Leicester boss Richard Cockerill.
"We don't know if he's out of the tour, we'll see how he gets on in the next 48 hours before assessing how bad it is.
"It happens. He's a powerful athlete and he's tweaked his hamstring. That's life, he'll get over it."
On Farrell's injury, Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: "I don't how serious it is. He's got a bang on the rib and you know ribs can go one way or another - hopefully it goes the right way."
Saracens became the first professional rugby club to switch to an entirely artificial turf when they moved to Allianz Park in 2013.
Newcastle are the other Premiership side with an artificial surface, while Worcester are also switching from grass next season - but there have been concerns raised in different sports over their possible implications for injuries.
"I'm not a fan of the artificial pitches at all," added Cockerill. "For me, artificial pitches are not for rugby union, there should be minimum standards of grass pitches across the Premiership - rugby should be played on grass.
"My own opinion is that artificial pitches are not great for the body, but I'm sure you could find an argument either way."
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter. | Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi could be doubts for England's tour of Australia after both suffered injuries during Saturday's Premiership semi-final between Saracens and Leicester Tigers. |
26,990,597 | Aberdeen International Airport led the way with a year-on-year increase of 8.2%, to record 289,193 passengers.
Edinburgh saw 730,000 passengers use the airport in March - an increase of almost 5% compared to the same period in 2013.
Glasgow reported an increase of 4.1%, with almost 532,000 people travelling through the airport.
Aberdeen saw strong growth in its fixed-wing operation, which was up by 7.4%, while helicopter passengers increased by 12.9%.
Aberdeen Airport managing director Carol Benzie said: "There are a lot of exciting things happening at the airport at the moment and the energy that these have created is palpable.
"We are pressing ahead with work on the terminal redevelopment, we have seen two new air services take off in the last month alone, and we have been working hard on further route development."
Edinburgh Airport said domestic passenger numbers increased by 5.3% last month, while international passenger traffic was up 4.4%.
Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "We enjoyed a busy March with good performances from domestic and international carriers.
"We also experienced our busiest departure day ever thanks to the thousands of French rugby fans leaving Edinburgh after the Six Nations."
Glasgow, where this week an Airbus A380 "super jumbo" operated by Emirates landed in Scotland for the first time, said its domestic traffic benefited from strong demand for London and regional services.
Its international passenger numbers were lifted by airlines such as KLM, Jet2.com and United, which all reported an increase in demand.
Glasgow's managing director, Amanda McMillan, said: "To be able announce further growth is extremely encouraging and rounds off what has been a historic week for Glasgow Airport and Scottish aviation.
"To have the A380 touch down on our runway was a remarkable and fitting way to celebrate 10 years of Glasgow Airport's successful partnership with Emirates which, yet again, demonstrated its commitment to Scotland." | Scotland's three busiest airports have reported strong growth in passenger numbers for March. |
39,280,761 | "Throne Idle" and "Ice work if you can get it" were among the newspaper puns to greet the future king as he returned to the UK, having missed the Commonwealth Day events.
When he's not dad-dancing in Verbier or spending time with his young family, the Duke of Cambridge splits his time between royal duties, a part-time job as a pilot and his charitable work.
So far this year, the 34-year-old has attended royal engagements on 12 days, including a trip to south Wales, a gala dinner and an investiture at Buckingham Palace.
34 days
The Princess Royal
29 days
Prince of Wales
28 days The Queen
12 days Duke of Cambridge
10 days Duchess of Cambridge
9 days Duke of Edinburgh
The record of these attendances is detailed in the Court Circular, which was last updated on 10 March and does not specify the hours of each event.
Nor does it take into account behind-the-scenes activity or preparation for royal events.
Since 2015, the prince has worked as a helicopter pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service. There, he works 9.5 hour shifts, clocking up an average of 20 hours per week - the salary for which is donated to charity.
Based on these hours and the royal engagements, Prince William will have worked the equivalent of 34 of the possible 53 working days in 2017 so far.
Earlier this year he announced he would be leaving his ambulance job in the summer to take on more royal duties.
By Peter Hunt, BBC royal correspondent
This is not unfamiliar terrain for Prince William or indeed for his family.
To be found wanting in the eyes of the tabloids is an occupational hazard that has dogged them for decades.
When the prince decided to ski with his mates rather than leave early and attend a church service that mattered to his grandmother, he could have predicted that he would be judged to have made an error of judgement.
It was an error that he can regret at leisure.
But what he couldn't necessarily have predicted was that he would have remained headline news for so long. The future king is wary of the media. The newspapers are increasingly concerned at his attempts to bypass them and use social media instead.
The next test will come in the autumn when he becomes a full-time senior royal.
If by then there isn't a noticeable increase in his royal workload, there's a risk the tabloids will once again sit in judgement and once again find Prince William wanting.
Read more from Peter Hunt
In 2016, Prince William clocked up 80 days of royal engagements - well behind the busiest member of the royal family, Princess Anne, with 179 days of engagements.
Prince Charles, 68, came second with 139 and the Queen, 90, matched her grandson with 80 days.
Prince William's job: What's it like being an air ambulance pilot?
Prince William: 'We must do more on illegal ivory trade'
Despite denouncing the work-shy claims as "absolute rubbish" and "grossly unfair", royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the headlines were "irresistible" for the tabloid press.
"It's an unfair perception that the photographs reinforce," he said.
Prince William has said criticism of being work-shy was not something he ignored, but not something he "took completely to heart" either.
Prince William is patron or president to 23 organisations, including the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Not all the work he does to fulfil these roles is classed as a royal engagement.
Centrepoint - the youth homelessness charity of which the Prince has been a patron since 2005 - said the royal visits hostels publicly and privately, volunteering alongside staff and regularly meeting with the Centrepoint parliament.
Chief executive Seyi Obakin, said: "Within the last three months, he has publicly and actively supported our plans to create a national helpline for homeless young people.
"Last month, he launched with us the Centrepoint helpline."
Prince William has also campaigned vigorously against animal poaching. At an international conference in November he called on the UK government to pass a total ban on the domestic ivory trade.
This week, the Cambridges are visiting Paris and in July, the royal couple are due to make an official visit to Germany and Poland, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Kensington Palace declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. | Headlines questioning Prince William's work ethic have dominated the tabloids after he was pictured on a ski holiday while other senior royals attended a service with Commonwealth leaders. |
34,608,338 | Education minister Huw Lewis has supported the outline business case for £24m to be spent on schools in the Gwernyfed catchment area.
The new schools will replace current ones in Hay on Wye, Talgarth, Clyro, Llyswen and Llangorse.
Building work is expected to start in early 2017.
The council had already been told that the Welsh government supported the case for investment in the area, but it had to wait for approval of the outline business case before design work could start.
Powys council's cabinet member for education, Arwel Jones, said: "The decision is a result of a detailed review of the area over the past few years demonstrating the need to address falling school numbers, inadequate buildings and address financial pressures." | Design and building work for five new primary schools in Powys is set to go ahead after the Welsh government approved plans. |
30,254,908 | He funded it alongside Justin Bieber.
Reports suggested Twitter had held meetings with Shots, the company behind the app.
In a statement seen exclusively by Newsbeat Mayweather said he was not aware of any meetings until he saw it in the news and he had urged the apps co-founders "not to ever be pressured into anything by anyone."
Speculation over Twitter acquiring a new company began after one of the social network's bosses accidentally posted a public tweet.
Chief financial officer Anthony Noto tweeted: "I think we should buy them. He is on your schedule for Dec 15 or 16 -- we will need to sell him. I have a plan."
Shots - is all about posting selfies - the difference being no public comments are allowed. It was among the companies Anthony Noto was thought to be referring to and the statement from Floyd Mayweather appears to confirm Twitter's interest.
The boxer said it was not a good time to sell the app.
"Everything great comes with time. Shots is only a year old and the app keeps getting better, bigger and becoming more relevant."
When the app launched in 2013, co-founder John Shahidi told Newsbeat it would help people avoid the "jealousy, envy and manipulation" seen on other social networks.
Mayweather's statement referred to Shots' intention to counter abuse online, eliminating public comments.
"It's also the first social network that puts positivity over anything else by the way it's designed."
"The new generation needs this so it's important that they continue to build on this. There's too much drama on these other networks."
Justin Bieber is understood to have invested most of the app's $1.1 million (£691,000) funding.
Twitter has bought dozens of companies since it launched in 2006 including social media dashboard Tweetdeck and video sharing service Vine.
Floyd Mayweather's statement ended by suggesting he would back Shots' owners to sell if they decided to, even though he was against the move.
"No matter what, I'll support John, Sam and the Shots team. I believed in them when nobody else did and will always stand by their side."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | The boxer Floyd Mayweather has said it is "not a good idea" for Twitter to buy the selfie-sharing app Shots. |
12,859,323 | Den Dover said he submitted the claims, which the European Parliament argue were unjustified, in "good faith" and that the rules were "far from clear".
But Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies has urged the police to investigate whether Mr Dover committed a criminal offence.
Mr Dover was expelled from the Tory Party in 2008 for "gross misconduct".
Mr Dover, who represented the North West of England in Brussels until 2009 and is a former MP for Chorley in Lancashire, originally faced a demand to repay £538,000.
The European Court of Justice reduced that amount by just over £192,000 on appeal, saying the parliamentary authorities had not sufficiently demonstrated all the claims were unjustified.
Announcing his intention to appeal against the ECJ verdict, Mr Dover said he did not believe he should be compelled to repay anything as the judgement required MEPs to "retrospectively" produce records to verify claims dating back many years.
"Had I known of this requirement at the time the expenses were incurred, then records would have been kept," he said.
Mr Dover said he was taking legal advice and would "continue to fight to clear my name".
"As I believe is clear from the judgement, and from the evidence submitted before the court, the rules regarding the payment of expenses and allowances to MEPs at the time were far from clear," he said.
"I submitted claims in good faith in accordance with the relevant rules as I, and other MEPs, understood at the time."
The European Parliament launched a probe in 2008 after it emerged Mr Dover had paid nearly £1m to a company, MP Holdings, which included his wife and daughters among its directors. The money came from allowances MEPs receive to pay staff salaries and costs.
It ruled that only £421,156 could be justified in salaries, National Insurance and legitimate staff travel expenses - and the remainder was "without justification".
Mr Dover told the court it was up to the parliament to prove the payments were unjustified, pointing out in court submissions that "the requirement to provide documentation justifying each item of expenditure since 1999 did not exist when the relevant expenses were incurred".
But Mr Davies, MEP for North West England, said further action should be taken against the former MEP.
"I am calling on the police here to investigate whether Mr Dover's actions were fraudulent and warrant criminal prosecution," he said.
"Most MEPs know the difference between right and wrong when spending public money but Mr Dover treated the European Parliament like a private piggy bank and let greed overtake honour.
"The Parliament has been shamefully weak in the past and has too often turned a blind eye to abuses but it is now demonstrating that such behaviour will no longer be tolerated." | A former Conservative MEP is to appeal against a ruling ordering him to repay £345,289 in expenses claims, saying he wants to "clear his name". |
35,766,956 | With construction costs of £350,000 (about £37.5m in today's money), these could be details of a grand early 20th Century manor for a rich landowner.
It is in fact a description of a new Cardiff lunatic asylum - that has since been called names ranging from "the loony bin" to "like something out of a horror movie".
On Thursday, a state-of-the-art replacement for a crumbling Whitchurch Hospital opens at Llandough in the Vale of Glamorgan.
But there was a time when it was considered modern and cutting edge itself.
"People would be spending their lives there, so it had to function like a self-contained society," said Mike Jones, a former nurse and member of the hospital's historical society.
"Two large pieces of farmland were purchased, enough to grow crops on and keep livestock.
"It was self-sufficient, with a butcher's, a bakery, while patients worked on the farm."
With a stigma attached to mental health, that such an outlay was made by the local council owed much to the influence of its first medical superintendent, Edwin Goodall.
His vision also ensured it was called a 'mental hospital' not a 'lunatic asylum' when it opened in 1908.
Initially, around 750 patients were treated for conditions like moral imbecility (women who had children out of wedlock), masturbatory insanity and forms of schizophrenia (where delusional people were locked up indefinitely).
Dr Goodall championed the idea that mental illness came from physical problems that caused changes in the brain and by isolating these, you could find a cure.
His research saw post-mortem examinations of the brain to diagnose Alzheimer's and analysis of faeces and urine.
Treatments included hydrotherapy, with prolonged baths to calm patients, and using mosquitoes to induce the potentially deadly tropical disease malaria.
This was because the high temperatures it caused killed the parasite responsible for syphilis, known as 'paralysis of the insane' in its later stages.
With some of the best facilities in the UK and a 150ft (45m) water tower that could be used as a lookout, it was taken over during the war years to treat injured soldiers.
This made it one of the first places where "shellshock", or post-traumatic stress disorder, was witnessed.
"I can remember walking nearer and seeing the water tower silhouetted against the sky," said Mr Jones about his first day as a student nurse in 1968.
"It was a strange feeling like I was coming home.
"The people who have stayed are ingrained in the walls, there are a lot of ghosts of people that seep into you.
"It's a paradox because mental illness has such a stigma, but there is a lot of warmth in the building."
There is a long history of mental illness in Elaine Paton's family, with both her parents treated at Whitchurch for depression.
While it is a place she came to know well, she can remember growing up in Cardiff with people referring to "the spooky place" and "loony bin".
At the time, as well as little appreciation of its role, there was also limited understanding of her own early battles with depression.
As an 18-year-old in 1972, she wrote in her diary that she was unable to stop crying - with doctors not recognising an underlying illness in the "weepy teen".
"In 1980, I can remember going to Whitchurch one last time before going to Australia for a year," said the writer and performer.
"It was cold and raining. Saying goodbye to a parent in any hospital is tough, let alone a mental hospital."
While the year away turned into 30, Ms Paton's life "has come full circle", as she returned to Whitchurch to act as artistic director on a production marking its closure.
"Even though the building can't look after people any more and is falling down, there is a great sense of loss.
"I wanted to depict what it is like to be mentally ill - it is invisible, so people can't understand.
"The production used dancers to illustrate this through balance which is so important to them. When you're mentally unwell, you're off balance."
While she said the dated facility can appear like "something out of a black and white gothic horror movie", underneath there is "a wonderful warmth".
"Edwin Goodall helped change the attitude - from locking people up in Victorian institutions, to trying to get them better during Edwardian times.
"It's very sad it's been allowed to disintegrate.
"But hopefully moving to this bright, new modern place will help get rid of stigma even further," she said.
While former clinical director Dr Morfydd Keen is nostalgic about her 30 years at Whitchurch, she agrees it is time for care to move away from the dated facility.
"There was a lady there for decades, who would just sit by the front door and ask 'you going to town love?', to everyone that passed," she said.
"She just seemed desperate to go out. In the end, I said to one of the nurses 'why don't you just get her in a taxi and take her out for the day?'
"But they'd tried many times and would get as far as the front gates before she told them to turn back."
Dr Keen described it as an "unintended consequence" that people became "institutionalised" and never left, which is why community care is now more common.
She worked on the addiction ward, dealing with drug-takers and alcoholics.
"We had some good results, but a lot died, although only two on the ward - an alcoholic from a heart attack and one person hung themselves," she said.
"They had to want to stop. You can't stop an addiction just because your family wants you to."
When she retired in 1999, hospital staff asked if they could rename the ward after her.
"I said 'yes, as long as you look after me when I'm old'. Unfortunately, they won't be able to now because it won't be there." | The grounds contained a dance hall, 800-seat church, bandstands and summer houses, while employees performed in the staff orchestra. |
39,141,622 | Part of a trackside wall "loaded with concrete and cabins by a third party" fell, said Network Rail, blocking all four lines into Liverpool Lime Street from about 17:45 GMT on Tuesday.
Network Rail said services would resume into and out of the station on 9 March.
An investigation into the cause of the 200-tonne landslip is under way.
A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: "Our engineers are working round the clock to get train services back up and running.
"Overnight we removed 60 tonnes of soil and five large containers, each holding many tonnes of material, from the top of the cutting to prevent further slips."
Engineers have been working to remove a "10 inch-thick concrete slab" before they can "start stabilising the retaining wall".
Network Rail will repair the damaged railway and overhead wires once the debris is cleared.
Network Rail said it was liaising with transport operators to ensure passengers get the right advice including Liverpool FC fans travelling to Saturday's Premier League clash with Arsenal.
Train customers are advised to check before they travel.
Liverpool Lime Street is the main station serving the city centre. | Sixty tonnes of soil and five large containers of debris have been cleared from a railway line after a wall collapsed on to the tracks. |
35,635,360 | Slocombe shot 80 films, from classic Ealing comedies such as The Lavender Hill Mob and Kind Hearts and Coronets, to three Indiana Jones adventures.
In 1939 he filmed some of the earliest fighting of World War Two in Poland.
Indiana Jones director Steven Spielberg said Slocombe - who won Baftas for the Great Gatsby, The Servant, and Julia - "loved the action of filmmaking".
He said the cinematographer was "a great collaborator and a beautiful human being".
"Dougie Slocombe was facile, enthusiastic, and loved the action of filmmaking. Harrison Ford was Indiana Jones in front of the camera, but with his whip-smart crew, Dougie was my behind the scenes hero for the first three Indy movies," Spielberg added.
Slocombe other work included The Italian Job and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Among his own favourites was Kind Hearts and Coronets, the Ealing Studios classic of 1949, starring Alec Guinness and Joan Greenwood.
A decade earlier, as a young newsreel cameraman, London-born Slocombe had shot parts of the Nazi invasion of Poland.
The quality of that footage, which was used in the documentary Lights Out in Europe, persuaded Ealing to employ him.
Steven Spielberg chose Slocombe, then nearing 70, to shoot Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark and then two further Indiana Jones films in the 1980s.
Slocombe was nominated for an Oscar on three occasions, including for Raiders, and was given a lifetime achievement award by the British Society of Cinematographers in 1996. He was made an OBE in the New Year Honours list in 2008 for services to the film industry.
With Dougie Slocombe's passing at 103 we've lost a link to several eras of Britain's cinematic history. His typically humane account of how as a news cameraman he escaped from wartime Poland by horse and trap and then by train would make a film in itself. He became, as he said, 'last man standing' of the great craftsmen who helped Michael Balcon turn Ealing Studios into a force to be reckoned with. Of the films he shot there he most loved the dark humour of Kind Hearts and Coronets - but he told me he was also proud of how Hue and Cry (1947) found black and white beauty in bombed-out London post-war. When Ealing closed, he went on to an extraordinary array of 1960s and 70s films: from The Servant (again, London in gorgeous monochrome) to the explosively colourful Jesus Christ Superstar in 1973.
Four years later, Steven Spielberg drafted him in to film scenes for Close Encounters of the Third Kind: they got on so well that he asked Dougie to be cinematographer on the first of three Indiana Jones movies. Dougie was already 70 when he started the job. I didn't know him until he was 100 and almost blind, but in the long conversations I had with him, his memory remained pin-sharp. The amiability and intelligence which helped make him one of the world's great cameramen were still there. His energy amazed. When he was 102, I telephoned to ask if I could come round the next day to interview him about an aspect of the Ealing years. Dougie said he'd be delighted. But it would have to be in the morning because in the afternoon he was booked in to record a five-hour TV interview - in French.
His other films included Whisky Galore, The Man in the White Suit, Rollerball and Never Say Never Again.
Speaking to the BBC last year, Slocombe recalled working under the Ealing Studio mogul, Sir Michael Balcon, as well as filming on location in a city still scarred by bomb damage.
"I think I'm the last man standing," he said. "All the major technicians and the producers and directors are gone - and that famous repertory company of actors and actresses."
Slocombe's daughter said he died in hospital in London. | British cinematographer Douglas Slocombe has died at the age of 103, his family has said. |
38,865,418 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Kenny McLean, Niall McGinn and Graeme Shinnie all squandered big chances for the Dons either side of half-time.
It looked as though Staggies goalkeeper Scott Fox would see his stunning array of saves rewarded with a replay.
But Logan's tame 87th-minute shot ricocheted cruelly beyond him to nestle in the bottom corner.
The visitors were clearly the better side. There's no debate over that.
Logan's late strike was of great relief as the danger was County might steal a goal near the end. It had fortune as the ball deflected, bobbled and outfoxed Fox.
It meant a lot to the Aberdeen bench who celebrated the final whistle with gusto.
They had been well on top but simply couldn't convert a number of great chances with Fox and committed defending contributing to County's clean sheet.
Chances came thick and fast for Aberdeen particularly in the second half.
McGinn saw a super volley tipped over and shot tamely at Fox when he might have moved further into the area.
Jonny Hayes sent a free-kick just over. Mclean flashed a header wide.
When called upon Fox was composed and confident, particularly when parrying Ryan Jack's thunderous effort wide.
Shinnie fired wide then saw another blocked superbly. Fox saved brilliantly from Andrew Considine. Ash Taylor's blasted follow up was superbly blocked by Jay McEveley.
Defensively, Aberdeen restricted County to very little.
County's biggest moment came when Michael Gardyne tried to nip the ball away from Joe Lewis on the edge of the area.
The Dons goalkeeper got a touch on the ball but clattered into the winger. Referee Bobby Madden waived play on to County's fury.
Their problem? Andrew Davies was booked for an earlier tackle where he won the ball but caught Mark Reynolds on the follow through. In fact, that challenge seemed cleaner.
An alternative interpretation of that incident may have had a big impact on the outcome.
Gardyne was eventually replaced and Staggies manager Jim McIntyre will most likely point to inconsistency and wonder why that incident went unpunished.
On the flip side, Tim Chow risked a second yellow in the first half after tripping Shinnie. He got away with it and was replaced at half-time.
Once source of positivity for McIntyre will be the commitment and desire shown by his side in attempting to keep Aberdeen at bay.
Fox was excellent for the most part. His performance seemed to raise the game of those around him with defenders demonstrating total commitment to keep the ball out.
McIntyre will be pleased with that but not their inability to trouble at the other end.
Ross County manager Jim McIntyre: "Most of their opportunities came from set-pieces, where they're very strong. I thought the boys battled and gave us everything they have, but we just didn't have the quality in the final third and didn't get into those areas often enough.
"Scott Fox was terrific, but they were all saves I would expect him to make. Of course, he's a really reliable keeper, and unfortunately for us, it takes a deflection for the winning goal. He's told me he's going to save it otherwise.
"It's frustrating, but Aberdeen threatened more than we did, and that was disappointing for us, especially as the home side."
Aberdeen assistant manager Tony Docherty: "I thought it was a fantastic cup tie and a very dominant performance.
"You get to that stage of the game, you're thinking, we've been so dominant, but you need to make sure you convert your dominance into winning the match, and fortunately we did.
"When Shay Logan cuts inside on his left foot, you're thinking, don't shoot - goal! He's done great to come inside, butScott Fox's performance was outstanding, and it's unfortunate it's taken that to beat him.
"But that's credit to our boys for getting into the final third with our dominance in the middle and our defending at the back."
Match ends, Ross County 0, Aberdeen 1.
Second Half ends, Ross County 0, Aberdeen 1.
Foul by Andrew Davies (Ross County).
Ash Taylor (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Joe Lewis.
Attempt blocked. Milan Lalkovic (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Ash Taylor (Aberdeen).
Liam Boyce (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Anthony O'Connor (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Oscar Gobern (Ross County).
Attempt saved. Andrew Davies (Ross County) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Craig Curran (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ash Taylor (Aberdeen).
Goal! Ross County 0, Aberdeen 1. Shaleum Logan (Aberdeen) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.
Liam Boyce (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ryan Jack (Aberdeen).
Attempt missed. Ash Taylor (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Marcus Fraser (Ross County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Marcus Fraser (Ross County).
Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Craig Curran (Ross County).
Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Craig Curran (Ross County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Anthony O'Connor (Aberdeen).
Martin Woods (Ross County) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen).
Liam Boyce (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jayden Stockley (Aberdeen).
Foul by Oscar Gobern (Ross County).
Ryan Jack (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Scott Fox.
Attempt saved. Jayden Stockley (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Kenny van der Weg (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ryan Jack (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Ryan Jack (Aberdeen).
Liam Boyce (Ross County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Andrew Considine (Aberdeen).
Substitution, Aberdeen. Jayden Stockley replaces Adam Rooney.
Corner, Ross County. Conceded by Ash Taylor.
Attempt blocked. Martin Woods (Ross County) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. | Shay Logan's late deflected effort secured Aberdeen's place in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Ross County. |
40,801,777 | Six policemen guarding the house have since been arrested, his spokesman added.
An investigation into the theft is now under way.
Mr Jonathan lived in the home when he was vice-president, local media say.
Confirming the theft, Mr Jonathan's spokesman said: "The house was totally stripped bare by thieves who stole every movable item in the house, including furniture sets, beds, electronics, toilet and electrical fittings, as well as all internal doors and frames."
He corrected "exaggerated reports in some media" about the items stolen, saying: "Being that the house is a modest, 4-bedroom duplex, it couldn't have been fitted with 36 plasma television sets and 25 refrigerators as falsely reported by some media outlets." | Nigeria's former President Goodluck Jonathan says that six televisions and three refrigerators were stolen from his home in Abuja - not 36 televisions and 25 refrigerators as some media outlets had reported. |
36,793,039 | The Assembly's independent Remuneration Board is considering a change in the rules to allow AMs to claim more than £8,000 for Cardiff accommodation expenses if they live in England.
The idea has been criticised by Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins.
But the board said it is required by law to put in place financial resources to allow AMs to carry out their duties.
Mr Hamilton, the leader of the seven-strong UKIP group in Cardiff Bay and is AM for Mid and West Wales, lives in Wiltshire.
A consultation on the proposal is underway until 16 September.
Under existing rules, AMs who live in the "outer area" of Mid and West Wales and North Wales can claim up to £8,820 per year.
AMs are allowed several options which include claiming the cost of renting a furnished property in Cardiff, reimbursing expenses relating to a property in Cardiff used by a member, or claiming the cost of overnight stays in Cardiff.
Under the proposal, outlined in a letter to AMs from board chairwoman Dame Dawn Primarolo, this rule would be amended so those who live outside Wales would be eligible - extending the outer area.
The letter said the existing rules were based on the assumption all AMs live in Wales.
There is nothing in current legislation that says AMs should reside in any particular location "either when they are elected or subsequently", Dame Dawn said.
It is understood rules which reduce the expenses allowed if you live nearer Cardiff would remain under the proposals - effectively extending the outer area to England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Currently, members who live in the "intermediate area" of Gower, Neath, Swansea East and Swansea West constituencies can get £3,420 for overnight stays.
Those in the inner areas of South Wales West, Central and East can get "overnight stays in exceptional circumstances".
But Bethan Jenkins, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West, criticised the proposals.
She said: "I genuinely believe that AMs should live and work in Wales if they are serious about representing their constituents.
"If you live outside Wales how can you possibly be as in touch and as close to your community?
"If there were interim proposals in place to help AMs who live outside Wales to move here then I would be relaxed about that, but I am worried immensely about the precedent this sets - that it will say to people, become an AM for Wales and live elsewhere."
Labour's Llanelli AM Lee Waters said on Twitter: "Remuneration Board plans to let AMs who don't live in Wales to claim for [a second] home in Cardiff.
"Shouldn't be allowed to stand, let alone claim."
Dame Dawn said: "The independent Remuneration Board is required by law to put in place financial resources that enable assembly members to carry out their duties as elected representatives."
She said: "No member should be impeded from undertaking the role they have been elected to do.
"The people of Wales decided who they wanted to elect on 5 May and they expect the board to ensure that those 60 members have appropriate and reasonable resource in place to represent them to the best of their ability."
She said she would welcome "any comments" the public and AMs may have.
At the time Mr Hamilton became group leader he said he lived "less than an hour from Cardiff".
"For the time being I'm living where I lived for the last ten years," he said, adding there was a "big logistical problem to solve" about where he based himself.
A spokesman for Mr Hamilton has been approached for comment. | UKIP's Neil Hamilton could have some of his living costs paid by the taxpayer, despite not living in Wales. |
33,872,593 | Geno Smith and linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali got into an altercation inside the locker room on Tuesday, Jets Coach Todd Bowles said.
"It had nothing to do with football," Bowles said of the fight. "It was something very childish."
Enemkpali, a relative newcomer, lost his job after landing the punch.
"You don't walk up to another man and punch him in the face," Bowles said.
The team was training for the upcoming American football season, which begins later this month. Smith is expected to miss several games.
Smith, who was competing to become the team's starting quarterback, will need surgery to fix his jaw.
With Smith sidelined, the team's other quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is likely to assume the starting role.
Later on Tuesday, Smith posted a closed-mouthed photo on Instagram with the caption "I'll be back". | A quarterback for the New York Jets will not be able to play for at least six weeks after a team-mate "sucker-punched" him and broke his jaw. |
36,248,166 | Chris May, 28, was last seen at his home in Kelvedon, Essex, on 25 May 2015.
His Volkswagen Golf was found abandoned about 10 miles away in the village of Fairstead.
Essex Police has now confirmed the case is no longer being treated as a missing person inquiry but as an unsolved homicide case.
Live: Latest updates on Chris May murder probe
The fact the case had been reclassified from a missing person case to an "unsolved homicide" case only emerged after the BBC found the case listed in a Freedom of Information request response from a member of the public.
It shows the case was being treated as a homicide as far back as February - though police made no announcement of that fact.
The reclassification from missing person to murder investigation was withheld from the public as part of the investigation, the force said.
Det Ch Insp Marina Ericson said Mr May was a drug user and dealt in ecstasy, cocaine and mephedrone.
"There is a strong likelihood that Chris' involvement with drugs is linked to his death," she said.
"There are a number of questions I still need to answer and I am appealing for the public's help to get that information."
Essex Police said four letters from anonymous authors have been sent claiming to have information about what happened to Mr May.
The first two letters received by the force have been established as hoaxes, the force said, although it believes the sender may hold vital information about the case. The first one had claimed Mr May was dead.
Second hoax letter sent to police
Whoever sent that last letter it a hoax
Chris is OK he is staying with me he is sorry for all he has put people through a specially his family and friends and the police we never thought it would get this much attention.
He had to go missing as there is a heavy drug firm after him as he owes them money how can you tell your family and friends that he is going to stay with me until he thinks it can be sorted
He will contact his family soon when he thinks it's safe he sead [sic] he loves them all but is not in good mind state who can help he sead [sic] he loves them all
Contact will be made again soon
Love you all xxx
Det Ch Insp Ericson said: "I am appealing for the person who wrote either of these letters, or anyone with knowledge as to who wrote them, to contact me or my team.
"We continue to investigate these two letters as it is my belief that the author or authors have knowledge of Chris' death." | The disappearance of a man last seen a year ago is now being treated as a murder case, it has emerged. |
34,424,296 | Kevin Brady, 32, from Gloucester, who set off on 23 September from Plynlimon, Powys said he could not swim 10 miles a day as he had not trained enough.
He had hoped to complete the 220-mile (350 km) swim on 11 October but said a finish on 18 October was more likely.
Mr Brady is raising money for charity.
After setting off from the river's source in mid-Wales 12 days ago, Mr Brady arrived in Shrewsbury on Saturday.
He said the water was "absolutely freezing" and if he could "keep up the pace and avoid sickness and injury" he hoped to finish about a week later than his original target.
He has now developed an ear infection, delaying the next leg of the journey due to an appointment with a Shrewsbury doctor.
"I want to get to Ironbridge, which is seven miles away, by 6pm today but am seeing the doctor at 11:15 this morning," he said.
He said he was using "two special potions" - one created by him, which he said "took a month to brew".
Ingredients included "apple cider vinegar, garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric" and Mr Brady said it was "just like lava".
"I take a swig after each swim and it kills every bacteria that's got into me. Yesterday I swam past a bloated dead sheep and I am still not sick. The potion must be working," he said.
The swim is to raise money for the Superhero Foundation, a charity which he co-founded with his cousin and fellow endurance athlete Jamie McDonald. | A man who wants to be the first person to swim Britain's longest river, the Severn, said it would take him longer than expected due to the "cold and the lack of current". |
39,857,466 | A statement from the central bank said it had revoked its licence.
It was accused in the US of, among other things, money laundering and facilitating the payment of thousands of dollars from a financier of the Lebanese Hezbollah Islamist militants.
In its defence, the bank said it had boosted anti-money laundering measures.
FBME was set up in Cyprus before moving its headquarters to Tanzania in 2003.
The US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) had made the original accusations of the links with Hezbollah.
FBME was placed under the management of Tanzania's central bank in 2014 following the FinCEN allegations, Reuters news agency reports.
The bank then mounted a legal challenge against the allegations saying that it had complied with regulations.
A US court however ruled in favour of FinCEN in April, allowing it to shut the bank out of accessing the US financial system. | Tanzania has shut down one of the country's largest banking institutions, FBME, following charges of aiding the finance of terrorism by US authorities. |
36,175,731 | Five people, including two paramedics were taken to hospital from the property on the Castlewellan Road on Friday night, after suffering the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said their crews became unwell while attending the scene.
Four ambulances were sent to the incident.
The five people received treatment at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, and were later discharged.
John McPoland from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service told the BBC that paramedics were initially called to the scene after receiving reports that a 60-year-old man was suffering from shortness of breath.
When the crew arrived the man's health had deteriorated and he was unconscious.
Mr McPoland said while delivering treatment, the paramedics, as well as three other people who were also in the property, started to feel unwell "with chest pain, headaches and nausea".
"The crew recognised that these were potential symptoms for carbon monoxide poisoning and immediately called the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS)," he said.
"The NIFRS arrived to take readings and their readings indicated high levels of carbon monoxide."
Mr McPoland also commended the paramedics' dedication: "The actions of the crew last night were unbelievable. They undoubtedly saved the lives of themselves and three other people.
"More remarkable than all that, after they were discharged from hospital they reported back to the station to fulfil the rest of their duties."
Police have said that a multi-agency investigation is now underway and that a post-mortem examination is due to take place to determine the cause of death. | A 60-year-old man has been found dead at a house in Newcastle, County Down, which was the scene of a major incident involving carbon monoxide poisoning. |
34,820,159 | Dale Gordon, known as Deezy, was involved in a fight with two men in Manchester at about 22:15 GMT on 15 November 2014, police said.
The 20-year-old died from head injuries in hospital the following day.
His mother Lynn Meecham said: "I have lost a young, talented, loving son and I hope in my heart there is someone out there who can assist the police."
"It only seems like yesterday as the pain has not gone away," she added.
A £25,000 reward is still on offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
The two other men in the fight were described as both being mixed race, between 5ft 8in (1.7m) and 6ft (1.8m) tall and in their mid to late 20s.
One man was said to be of average to athletic build, wearing a hooded grey top with a darker hoodie over the top, and possibly something red underneath.
The other man wore a dark top, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.
They were seen leaving the scene in a grey or silver hatchback car.
Three men, aged 24, 28 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of murder but have been since released with no further action.
Det Ch Insp Paul Parker, from GMP, said police had made "good progress" with the investigation but "need that key witness to come forward".
He added: "Gorton is a very strong community and I am sure there is somebody out there who can provide that key piece of evidence that brings the offenders to justice.
"I understand that people can feel scared about providing information to the police... and I can reassure you we will treat the information you supply with the strictest of confidence." | Police have appealed again for information a year after a rapper was fatally attacked. |
36,059,133 | Thunder have been fined by the league for failing to provide a safe playing surface for the match.
Umpires halted the round 11 game, with the hosts leading 14-9 after the first quarter, because of water on the court.
Mavericks are level on points with Thunder at the top of the table, but have a superior goal difference. | Manchester Thunder's postponed game against Netball Superleague leaders Hertfordshire Mavericks has been rescheduled for 25 April. |
39,464,914 | Danny Ward's cool finish put the Millers ahead but Gabriel Obertan levelled within five minutes, smashing home from Ryan Colclough's knock-down.
Anthony Forde put the Millers back in front from long range, but soon after Alex Gilbey turned home Obertan's pass.
Powell fired in a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box six minutes into stoppage time.
Wigan had failed to score in their previous four home matches, and 13 of their 20 league matches at the DW Stadium this season, as the Championship's two lowest scorers went head-to-head.
But both sides carved out plenty of chances, with Rotherham's leading scorer Ward missing an empty net from a tight angle, and Joe Newell firing weakly at Jakob Haugaard, who also kept out Carlton Morris' curling shot.
Gilbey forced Lewis Price into a fine diving save late on as Rotherham looked to have earned only their second away point of the season.
But substitute Powell came off the bench after a three-month injury lay-off to give interim manager Graham Barrow his first win in his fourth game in charge.
Second-bottom Wigan stayed seven points behind fourth-bottom Bristol City, who beat Wolves, with the rock-bottom Millers 20 point adrift of the Latics.
Wigan interim boss Graham Barrow: "I try and keep my emotions under control, but it's a good win for the club and it keeps things alive.
"I didn't think we were ever going to lose the game, although I suppose it was a looking a bit tight as to whether we were going to win it.
"The players responded very well in very difficult circumstances, and they showed a lot more character than they've done in previous performances."
Rotherham boss Paul Warne: "I'm biased, of course but my team didn't deserve to lose, so to come away with a defeat in such circumstances is hard to take.
"I can take pride that my team stood toe-to-toe in such a game. We've been on a terrible run, but I think we've lost 10 games by one goal and six by two.
"It's not like the lads are getting embarrassed - they're giving me everything they've got."
Match ends, Wigan Athletic 3, Rotherham United 2.
Second Half ends, Wigan Athletic 3, Rotherham United 2.
Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Aimen Belaid (Rotherham United).
Goal! Wigan Athletic 3, Rotherham United 2. Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) is shown the yellow card.
Lewis Price (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match (Wigan Athletic) for violent conduct.
Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lewis Price (Rotherham United).
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Darnell Fisher.
Attempt blocked. Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dan Burn.
Foul by Craig Morgan (Wigan Athletic).
Carlton Morris (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Ryan Colclough (Wigan Athletic) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Nick Powell.
Attempt missed. Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jamie Hanson with a cross.
Craig Morgan (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jonson Clarke-Harris (Rotherham United).
Offside, Wigan Athletic. Jakob Haugaard tries a through ball, but Ryan Colclough is caught offside.
Corner, Rotherham United. Conceded by Dan Burn.
Foul by Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic).
Richard Smallwood (Rotherham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Lewis Price.
Attempt saved. Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jamie Hanson with a cross.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Rotherham United. Jonson Clarke-Harris replaces Anthony Forde because of an injury.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Jack Byrne replaces Gabriel Obertan because of an injury.
Delay in match Anthony Forde (Rotherham United) because of an injury.
Darnell Fisher (Rotherham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Darnell Fisher (Rotherham United).
Substitution, Rotherham United. Jon Taylor replaces Joe Newell.
Corner, Wigan Athletic. Conceded by Will Vaulks.
Foul by Nick Powell (Wigan Athletic).
Carlton Morris (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Offside, Rotherham United. Will Vaulks tries a through ball, but Joe Newell is caught offside.
Substitution, Wigan Athletic. Nick Powell replaces Alex Gilbey.
Attempt saved. Danny Ward (Rotherham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Darnell Fisher. | Nick Powell kept Wigan's slim survival hopes alive with a stoppage-time winner against already-relegated Rotherham. |
39,933,876 | The 22-year-old former Arsenal and Bristol Academy midfielder has been capped more than 50 times.
James had been left without a club when Notts County Ladies folded one day before the start of the Spring Series.
"After the disappointment of what happened at Notts County, I'm delighted to join Yeovil Ladies," she said.
"I'm looking forward to working with Jamie [Sherwood, Yeovil's manager], who I can't thank enough and the talented group of players we have here.
"The ambition is to get maximum points from the next four games, putting us in a strong position leading up to the winter season." | Wales international Angharad James has joined Yeovil Town Ladies for the Spring Series, following her departure from defunct Notts County. |
38,164,283 | The property tycoon helped created the show and hosted it from 2004 until 2015, when he decided to focus on his candidacy for president.
The Apprentice was so successful in the US it sparked numerous international versions, from Malaysia to Russia. Many hosts translated Mr Trump's "You're fired!" catchphrase directly, others have given it a local spin, including "You are out" in Switzerland and "I do not want to work with you" in Turkey.
And Mr Trump is not the only The Apprentice host who has made a move into politics.
Businessmen who fronted versions of the show in Brazil, Finland and the Netherlands have all tried to make the leap, with varying degrees of success.
Millionaire businessman Joao Doria, a former host of the Brazilian version of The Apprentice, will take charge in South America's biggest city on 1 January.
The incoming mayor of Sao Paulo hosted two series of the Brazilian version of The Apprentice from 2009 to 2010. He is also known in Brazil as a talk-show presenter.
Mr Doria won the mayoral elections in October after campaigning on his business credentials and as a political outsider.
Like Mr Trump, Mr Doria said he will not pocket the salary for his new job.
The US president-elect announced, during a television interview, that he will not be taking the annual presidential salary of $400,000 (£320,000), but would take a token $1 if required.
The incoming mayor of Sao Paulo said he will take his salary of 288,000 reais (£69,000; $85,000), but will donate it to charity. "I have enough money to live the rest of my life without working," he told a Brazilian radio station.
After the US presidential elections, Mr Doria also told local media that he did not identify with fellow Apprentice host Mr Trump, who, he said, had a different way of thinking. He also endorsed Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton. I am "totally Hillary", he said.
Harry Harkimo, known as Hjallis, hosted Finland's take on The Apprentice in 2009 and 2010.
The businessman later campaigned as a representative of the National Coalition Party and was elected to the Finnish parliament in 2015.
Yet he was not a stranger to political circles: his two ex-wives were both members of parliament.
Mr Harkimo, who once sailed around the world representing his country, is known for his businesses in the sporting world, and as an owner of the ice-hockey team Jokerit.
He predicted a Trump win on his blog and called the "Make America great again" slogan a clever move. But he also made it very clear that he was not a fan of the man himself, calling him a "cartoon character".
The Finnish version of The Apprentice is called Diili, a slang word for "deal".
Former lawyer Bram Moszkowicz, now disbarred, is so well known in the Netherlands that they rebranded The Apprentice as The New Moszkowicz, when he hosted the first Dutch version of the series in 2005.
Like Trump, Mr Moszkowicz also hoped to have a crack at leading his nation, and expressed a desire to be a candidate for prime minister in the 2017 election. He became the leader of right-wing nationalist party Voor Nederland in April 2015, but only lasted nine months, after internal disagreements over his commitment to politics.
The Dutch version of The Apprentice was devised around finding a new employee for his legal practice. The show also found him a girlfriend - he eventually left his wife for the winner, Nienke Hoogervorst.
Mr Moszkowicz lost his right to practice law in 2012 after accusations of tax evasion.
He had previously represented anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders in a hate speech trial.
Mr Moszkowicz comes from a famous family of lawyers, marred by scandal. His father, Max, was an Auschwitz survivor turned celebrity lawyer; his two brothers were also well-known lawyers who were later disbarred.
The current host of the UK's Apprentice, Lord Alan Sugar, has been involved in politics for several years.
He was granted a life peerage to the country's House of Lords in 2009, and in the same year was appointed the government's "enterprise champion", a role he still holds today.
He was formerly one of the Labour Party's largest donors but said in 2015 that he was renouncing his membership after "losing confidence" in the party, which after the general election that year elected left-winger Jeremy Corbyn as leader.
The entrepreneur and former football chairman has hosted all 12 series of the show, and had a high-profile Twitter row with his US counterpart.
"Unlike you, I own The Apprentice. You were never successful enough," Mr Trump tweeted to Mr Sugar in 2012. "Drop to your knees, Sugar, and say thank you, Mr. Trump."
Mr Sugar replied: "@realDonaldTrump you only have 1.9m followers with 350m population in the US does that reflect your popularity?"
Four years later, the president-elect has 17m followers. | US President-elect Donald Trump's latest controversy hinges on whether or not he will continue to play a role in the reality television show The Apprentice when he takes over as the country's leader. |
40,788,491 | The liquid would tag clothing or equipment with a unique chemical footprint only visible under ultraviolet light.
The BBC has also learned that offenders are increasingly travelling into London from the Home Counties to commit thefts.
The force says the average age of those carrying out crimes in London is 15.
There has been a marked increase in the number of moped crime offences carried out in the capital in the last year.
In the 12 months to the end of June 2017, the Met logged 16,158 crimes involving powered-two-wheel vehicles compared with 5,145 the year before.
The moped crime wave that has swept London
Police say phones, watches, bags and other mopeds and motorbikes are generally the target of thefts.
The BBC has also seen social media messages where offenders brag about selling stolen bikes.
One account called "bristolbiketaker" features photographs of motorbike riders with masked faces, ditched or hidden bikes and bolt-cutters.
Avon and Somerset Police is investigating the account. It says posts often taunt the owners of stolen bikes.
Other accounts feature video of police chases filmed by offenders themselves and appear to show them selling keys for unlocking stolen bikes.
Officers say they have developed new tactics - including the use of tyre-deflation devices - but now want to be able to track offenders.
Det Supt Stuart Ryan, the force's lead on moped crime, said a tagging spray was being tested under Home Office guidelines.
"If delivered it will be a very exciting change because it does give us an opportunity to track them in a different way than we've been able to do before.
"We're trying to find a way we can deliver it safely both to the people on the bike and also the community and officers."
Det Supt Ryan said offenders were often travelling into London to carry out thefts.
"Mostly we're seeing it from Kent and Essex but we have had incidents from Surrey, Buckinghamshire, all round London coming in.
"It's quite stark that the average for these offenders is 15." | A spray that links suspected moped criminals to a crime scene is being tested by the Metropolitan Police. |
36,736,103 | The accident in Pennsylvania left the driver and his passenger injured.
The carmaker said that there was "no evidence" that Autopilot was responsible.
It follows an investigation into a fatal accident in Florida where the focus is on the apparent failure of Tesla's technology.
In the incident in Pennsylvania, the Model X car hit a guard rail and veered into the eastbound lane, ending up on its roof.
In a statement, Tesla said: "Based on the information we have now, we have no reason to believe that Autopilot had anything to do with this accident."
It said that it had received an automated alert from the car indicating airbags had been deployed but never received logs containing details about the state of vehicle controls, which would indicate whether Autopilot was on or off.
Autopilot is a feature which allows cars to automatically change lanes and react to traffic.
US car safety regulators are scrutinising the Pennsylvania crash to determine whether the Autopilot system was in use at the time.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a report last week following the death of 40-year-old Joshua Brown, who was killed while driving a Tesla in Florida.
It concluded that both the driver and the Autopilot system failed to detect a large tractor-trailer turning left in front of him.
In response to that, Tesla reiterated the safety record for its vehicles and the fact that the Autopilot feature is an auto-assist rather than autonomous feature - which means the driver needs to keep both hands on the wheel at all times.
The NHTSA is due to issue guidelines around the rules for autonomous car technology later this month.
Previously NHTSA chief Mark Rosekind has said that technology such as Autopilot needed to be twice as safe as the manual systems they replace. | A second crash involving a Tesla car - which includes a self-driving feature known as Autopilot - is being investigated by the US authorities. |
36,518,937 | At Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, midwife Samantha Stanton, asked the woman: "What do you expect? You're in labour, you should be in pain".
A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel found she acted unprofessionally towards the woman in June 2014.
Ms Stanton was suspended for 12 months, as reported by the Essex Chronicle.
Read more about this story and other Essex news
When she gave the woman a vaginal examination, the mother-to-be let out what her partner described as "a blood curdling scream" and asked Ms Stanton to stop, which she failed to do.
Ms Stanton told the woman to imagine she was "drinking a glass of rum and smoking a spliff" to ease her pain.
She was found to have squeezed the woman's nipples without her consent, and slapped her on the thigh.
The NMC found her actions "fell significantly short of the standards expected of a registered midwife" and said she had not respected the mother's dignity.
Panel members found she had "betrayed the trust" placed in her and said the 12-month suspension was "appropriate in this case to mark the seriousness of the misconduct". | A midwife who squeezed a woman's nipples while she was in labour and told her to imagine she was smoking a spliff has been suspended. |
34,038,204 | Rob Camm, 21, said he had wanted to do the Tough Mudder challenge since hearing about it before his accident.
Mr Camm, who was injured in a car crash, is believed to be the first tetraplegic to take part in event.
He could not tackle every obstacle in Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, but powered across muddy terrain in the wheelchair.
Competitors tackle assault course obstacles, including mud. Events are held across the world.
Speaking after the race, Mr Camm told BBC Radio Bristol he was "happy that I've done it, but a bit tired - but probably not as tired as all these guys who have been round with me".
His support team, including his father Ian Camm and cousin Simon Camm, tackled obstacles such as walls and tunnels.
Mr Camm practised by driving round the fields and the woods near his house in Breadstone, Gloucestershire, to get used to being off-road.
He said he wore a poncho for much of the way around to keep the rain off.
"This is what I wanted to do before [the accident] and it's what I'm doing now. There's no reason not to do it," he said.
Mr Camm, a keen rugby player, was paralysed in the crash in September 2013, a week before he was due to start university.
He is now studying politics and philosophy at the University of Bristol. | A man paralysed from the neck down has taken part in a 12-mile off-road race controlling a wheelchair with his chin. |
33,766,425 | Barry Dodson, 67, is alleged to have assaulted the girl, then aged 13, at Boston Castle in 1987.
Sheffield Crown Court heard she came forward after Mr Dodson became the town's mayor in June 2014.
Mr Dodson, of Cranworth Road, Rotherham, denies one charge of indecent assault.
In police interviews played to the jury, the woman said she wanted people to know "what sort of man he was."
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told officers her "life had been ruined" and she "couldn't live with it any longer".
Mr Dobson stood down from the role following the allegations and also resigned from the Labour Party, which he has represented in Rotherham East since 2000.
The trial continues. | A woman who claims she was attacked by a former Rotherham mayor when she was a teenager has told a court he was a "dirty pervert who liked children". |
40,480,040 | The 30-year-old was detained by police in May under the Mental Health Act over concerns for his welfare.
He was taken to hospital "for assessment" but was expected to make a full recovery in the short term.
Long-term injury absentees Seamus Coleman and Yannick Bolasie were also at the Finch Farm training ground.
All three players were part of a photo gallery posted by the club showing the squad's return to the training complex.
Defender Coleman has been out with a double fracture of his right leg, which he suffered playing for the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifier against Wales in March.
Winger Bolasie injured his right knee during the Toffees' 1-1 draw with Manchester United in December last year.
Everton boss Ronald Koeman said in January that Bolaise, who has had surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament, could be out for up to a year. | Everton winger Aaron Lennon is among the players to return to the Premier League club for pre-season preparations. |
37,524,128 | Select a formation below and choose your 11 players for the Scottish Premiership Team of the Season.
You can then save your top XI and share on social media or send by email.
Select your top Scottish Premiership top XI and share your team choice with your friends. | BBC Scotland has chosen 23 players who have caught the eye this season in the Scottish Premiership. |
38,248,431 | 8 December 2016 Last updated at 14:58 GMT
It described a payment of more two million Swiss francs ($1.7m; £1.3m) payment Blatter made to ex-Uefa boss Michel Platini as an "undue gift".
So where next for the world football body? The new man in charge, Gianni Infantino, has started to recruit executives to help clean up the organisation’s tarnished reputation.
Satirist Ikenna Azuike thinks he has already got the nod. | As the countdown to the winner of the BBC African footballer of the year begins on Monday, it is a week in which former scandal-hit Fifa president Sepp Blatter's six-year ban from football has been upheld after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport failed. |
35,294,097 | Mr Biden's son later died from brain cancer but when he had lost the ability to speak, his father thought he might have to sell his home.
"Whatever you need, I'll give you the money," the president told his deputy over lunch, Joe Biden told CNN.
The vice-president also said Bernie Sanders was more "authentic" on inequality issues than Hillary Clinton.
The Vermont senator and the former US Secretary of State are leading the field in the Democratic race to succeed Mr Obama.
Backing from the popular vice-president would be a coup but like the president, Mr Biden refused to publicly support either candidate.
He did, however, imply Mr Sanders had more credibility on the issue of wealth disparity.
Sanders speaks to "a yearning that is deep and real", said Mr Biden, but Mrs Clinton was new to it.
"Hillary's focus has been other things up to now [but] no one questions Bernie's authenticity on those issues."
When he and the president had lunch and discussed Beau Biden's declining health due to a stroke, Joe Biden revealed his concern about how his son, Delaware's attorney general, would support his family if he was unable to work.
The vice-president and his wife had discussed selling their home in Wilmington, Delaware, he told Mr Obama: "Jill and I will sell the house and be in good shape."
The president's response was to push back against that idea, said Mr Biden, adding that Mr Obama would be "mad" he was telling the story.
"He said 'I'll give you the money. Whatever you need, I'll give you the money. Don't [sell the house], Joe, promise me. Promise me.'"
Beau Biden died in May last year and Mr Obama gave a eulogy at his funeral.
Months later, his father revealed he would not run for president in 2016. | President Barack Obama offered money to Joe Biden when his son was terminally ill, the vice-president has said. |
37,275,627 | The UN agency says at the current rate of progress it will take until 2042.
It is only a year since the Sustainable Development Goals, which included the promise for schools, were launched.
The Unesco report suggests there are 61 million children of primary age who do not have access to school.
The 2016 Global Monitoring Report, launched by Unesco, shows that without a significant change the global promise for universal primary education by 2030 is unlikely to be reached.
It will be 2084 before all pupils have access to the end of secondary school, says the annual report on international education.
The most limited access to schools is in the countries which are the poorest or most troubled by conflict.
Niger, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Afghanistan, Mali and Chad are among the nations in which children are likely to spend the least time in education.
The report blames "chronic underfinancing for education" for the lack of sufficient progress - and warns that international aid for education is below the levels of 2010.
The lack of education is also far worse among the poorest communities.
Among the poorest rural girls, only 1% are likely to reach upper secondary school.
The report from Unesco highlights the benefits of wider access to education - helping to build more stable, prosperous, peaceful societies, improving health and reducing child deaths.
It says that inequality in education "heightens the risk of violence and conflict" and that countries with high levels of education are much less likely to face conflict and war than the poorest, least-educated countries.
The study says if there was universal upper secondary education by 2030, per capita income in poorer countries would increase by 75% in the following 20 years.
The lack of facilities in schools is also examined, with a lack of electricity affecting many schools in sub-Saharan Africa.
The promise that all children should have the right to primary education was first made in 1990, with a commitment that it would be achieved in a decade.
When that was missed, another 15-year target was set in 2000.
In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by world leaders, setting development targets to be reached by 2030.
A year later, Unesco is suggesting that the promise of universal primary education is already off track.
If it really does take until 2042, it will be more than five decades after the international community made its first promise.
"This report should set off alarm bells around the world and lead to a historic scale-up of actions," said Jeffrey Sachs, economist and UN special adviser.
"The gaps in educational attainment between rich and poor, within and between countries, are simply appalling," said Mr Sachs.
"Today's children will be retiring before we manage to provide a decent education for every child," said Vikas Pota, chief executive of the Varkey Foundation, which runs the annual Global Teacher Prize.
"It is truly appalling that between 2013 and 2014 education aid actually fell by $600m - a sign that international political will has dissipated on the subject."
Separate figures published last week by Unicef showed that Liberia has the highest proportion of children missing out on primary education, with almost two-thirds out of school.
In South Sudan, Unicef reported that 59% of children do not have access to primary school, with many schools shut by conflict. In Nigeria, the UN agency says more than a third of primary age pupils are out of school. | The target set by world leaders for all children to have at least a primary education by 2030 is likely to be missed on current trends, warns a report from Unesco. |
33,218,251 | "History," he replies simply.
The two main players in the current Greek crisis are Greece and Germany. History has taught the two countries different lessons and has complicated the search for compromise.
Even as the clock counts down towards default the shadow of the past still falls. Greece's chief negotiator Euclid Tsakalotos warned Germany against taking Europe back to the "politics we had in the 1930s".
Another Greek minister demanded €278bn ($315bn; £199bn) in reparations for Germany's wartime occupation.
Politicians in Berlin called that "'stupid" and a Bavarian MP accused the Greeks of "behaving like clowns at the back of the classroom".
It has largely been that way since the Greeks revealed in 2009 that their accounts were as good as fakes and that their real deficit was close to 13%.
The Germans, initially, were against rescuing Greece. One of the conditions Germany had insisted on when it gave up its beloved Deutschmark was that countries would not have to take on the debt of others.
The German press was quick to discover a country riddled with corruption and political favours. Greece's swollen public sector had nearly a million workers, almost 20% of the working population.
There were irresistible details - more than 500 people receiving pensions would have been over 110 years old.
In a moment of candour the then Greek Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangelos conceded: "We ate the money together."
In those early days of the crisis, in 2009 and 2010, Angela Merkel took to praising the wisdom and thrift of the Swabian housewife.
Her Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, said that "Greece has to realise that when you break rules over a long period of time, you have to pay a high price."
It was Merkel's view too: "There are rules and they have to be adhered to," she said.
Merkel was against bailing out the Greeks, but the bond markets made it clear that the crisis went way beyond Greece. It threatened the entire single currency.
And the Americans demanded action. The United States Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, told his European counterparts that "if Europe goes down, we'll go down with it".
The fear was that if Greece went bankrupt the crisis would spread to other heavily-indebted eurozone countries. It would be impossible to bail them all out and the markets would test what ultimately stood behind the euro.
The president of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, told Europe's leaders: "We have the worst financial crisis since World War Two."
In the face of such pressure Merkel gave way. Greece not only was bailed out but a giant fund was set up to demonstrate that Europe's leaders had the will and the means to stand behind any eurozone country with funding problems.
Greece was bailed out but it only piled debt on debt. The financier George Soros described the situation as "eerily reminiscent to the 1930s".
The rescue came with harsh conditions. Budget cuts of €30bn were demanded over a three-year period.
Many Greeks were outraged and took to the streets in a wave of protests. Some of the protests were anti-German.
There were placards with Angela Merkel dressed in Nazi uniform. The composer Mikis Theodorakis railed against debt servitude and what he called "the Germans' intention to impose on us a new Gauleiter".
Even though that was never the view of the majority of Greeks, the German press responded by portraying the Greeks as "lazy, profligate and irresponsible".
The best-selling tabloid Bild came up with the headline "sell your islands, you bankrupt Greeks. . . we give you cash, you give us Corfu".
The Greeks were slow to implement reforms and the medicine did not work. There were open doubts that it could work. "It is impossible to cut wages and prices by 30% without major riots," said Hans-Werner Sinn, president of the Institute for European Reform in Munich.
Others pointed out that "you cannot reduce the debt burden by shrinking the economy".
Within a year Greece needed a second bailout. Other countries like Ireland and Portugal had had to be rescued. Merkel remained cautious and risk averse.
To much of Europe she was known as Frau Nein, a leader resistant to taking the big steps needed to save the single currency.
Some in Berlin began openly debating whether Greece should leave the euro.
And then Angela Merkel's language changed. She started describing the Greek problem as an existential crisis not just for the euro but for the entire European project: "If the euro fails, then Europe fails," became her much-repeated refrain.
She told her supporters that for Europe to survive it would have to integrate much more closely. That would mean "not less Europe but more Europe".
As part of the second bailout private investors took a haircut and the total of Greek debt fell but the economy was shrinking. It contracted by 25% in five years.
There were many who doubted that the policy could work. Former UK Chancellor Alistair Darling said that to impose on a country "something that would have been worthy of the Treaty of Versailles is absolutely ludicrous. It just isn't going to work."
In 2012 Angela Merkel took on the doubters inside Germany. "Some people," she said, "ask whether Greece isn't a bottomless pit. . . that the opportunities outweigh the risks of turning away from Greece. I believe those risks are incalculable and therefore irresponsible."
Chancellor Merkel threw her authority behind keeping Greece in the eurozone and for a period the crisis subsided.
It eased further when Mario Draghi, the president of the ECB, said he would "do whatever it takes to defend the euro".
But in Greece hardship was deepening. Suicides were up sharply. Middle-class families relied on soup kitchens.
The Greek prime minister told Bill Clinton that Greece was living through its "Great Depression".
It was out of this mood of resentment and despair that the left-wing coalition Syriza, led by Alexis Tsipras, came to power this January.
His party believed they could count on the support of the French and the Italians in insisting that austerity had to be eased.
But the German voters - and those in other countries - were not in the mood for further concessions to a country that had already been loaned €240bn.
The German position was summed up by Wolfgang Schaeuble: "You get assistance, but only if you agree to go for reforms."
He stressed the word "only" by wagging his finger.
And during this period Angela Merkel had learnt a powerful lesson.
After the second Greek bailout the then Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had surprised everyone by saying he would put the deal to a referendum.
The German chancellor realised that any leader could throw the eurozone into crisis.
The currency was vulnerable to a political squall. That could not continue. Leaders had to be bound by their commitments. The eurozone would not survive if it kept breaking its rules.
So she has used much of the past three years ensuring that countries inside the eurozone do not exceed their deficits. Wider reforms have greatly reduced the risk that a Greek default would undermine the eurozone.
The risks have certainly diminished even if they have not disappeared.
But Angela Merkel and the other eurozone leaders have been steadfast in insisting that countries had to be bound by their commitments.
The new Greek government's miscalculation was to believe that the fear of a default would force the Germans to compromise.
€320bn
Greece's debt mountain
€240bn
European bailout
177% country's debt-to-GDP ratio
25% fall in GDP since 2010
26% Greek unemployment rate
But the mood in Germany had hardened; some 58% of Germans say they want Greece to leave the euro.
As to the Germans, they under-estimated what austerity had done to the Greek people. Yes the Greeks had backed off some reforms but no economy in the modern era had shrunk by 25%. To the Germans it was about honouring commitments; to many Greeks it was about resisting further poverty and inequality.
If Greece defaults it will demonstrate that the eurozone is not irreversible. The day after it will be a different monetary union.
Angela Merkel's authority will be diminished. She has staked her legacy on insisting that "if the euro fails, then Europe fails".
No doubt a Greek departure would prompt a push for closer integration, for advancing fiscal and political union.
If a deal emerges then it will have to address the sustainability of Greece's debt. The country, which represents less than 2% of the euro-zone's economic output, owes over €320bn.
Greece will have to agree to more painful reforms but no deal will survive unless the country is given a route map to escape this crisis.
History shapes countries and, even now, nearly six years after Greece said it was in trouble, the past limits the room for compromise. | In the film The Godfather Michael Corleone is asked about Sicily: "Why is such a beautiful country so violent?" |
39,968,475 | Armed officers from Dyfed-Powys Police cordoned off Murray Street, in the town centre, at about 13:30 BST on Thursday.
Police said three men were located in a property and an air weapon recovered.
The men were arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. No one was injured. | Three men are in police custody after a suspected firearms incident in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. |
39,762,941 | Police said the man was found dead at a property on Rosehill Close in Pendleton shortly after 06:30 BST.
The death of the man, who has not been named, is being treated as "suspicious". A post-mortem examination is due to take place.
A 48-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman are in police custody for questioning. | A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a man in Salford. |
39,228,615 | The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took control of northern Uttar Pradesh state - India's most populous - with the biggest majority there since 1980.
Mr Modi personally led the campaign against regional rivals the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj party.
Trends suggest the BJP is also set to win the northern state of Uttarakhand.
The Election Commission of India said the Hindu nationalist BJP had won a clear majority in Uttar Pradesh, with nearly four in 10 voters backing the party.
"I give my heartfelt thanks to the people of Uttar Pradesh. This is a historic victory for the BJP; a victory for development and good governance," Mr Modi wrote on Twitter.
The result will strengthen the BJP in the upper house of India's parliament, where its reform efforts have been hampered by the lack of a majority.
Mr Modi has been central to his party's election strategy. He campaigned aggressively on a promise to bring growth and modernisation, and to root out corruption.
These were strong promises in an impoverished state like Uttar Pradesh where caste, family and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched.
Mr Modi also strongly backed his move to ban high-value notes - amounting to 86% of India's currency - last year as a measure to tackle corruption.
The incumbent chief minister, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, opposed the currency move, and told the electorate that Mr Modi had "taken money out of people's pockets", and hurt businesses.
He also told people that he was the best person to bring development.
"My track record in the past five years shows that I have a vision for the state," he said at a rally recently.
Analysts say Mr Yadav's decision to form an alliance with the Congress party, and his direct attack on Mr Modi's policies probably hurt his prospects.
Congress, the main opposition party, remains in the lead in Punjab and Manipur states.
The BJP's resounding win in Uttar Pradesh has proven that Mr Modi's ability to connect with the voter has not diminished.
The party did not declare a chief ministerial candidate, and relied heavily on Mr Modi. The opposition called him "an outsider from Gujarat state", and criticised the BJP for not having a local leader, but this has clearly not affected sentiment on the ground.
The prime minister was able to successfully project himself as the "adopted son of Uttar Pradesh". He is an elected MP from the state.
The victory in Uttar Pradesh, as well as the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand will further boost his stature in national politics.
But there will be challenges ahead. People have put faith in Mr Modi's leadership, but he is not going to rule the state. | Narendra Modi's party has won a landslide victory in one of India's key states, a boost for the prime minister halfway through his first term. |
32,510,068 | The minister says the couple were with a friend when they were confronted by "anti-state activists", who threw glass objects at them.
Mr Varoufakis has been criticised for his handling of talks with Greece's international creditors.
He was sidelined this week as the government urgently seeks a deal.
The finance minister said he was sitting outside at a restaurant in the Exarchia district with his wife, artist Danae Stratou, and a friend, when they came under attack from a number of youths.
The area is seen as popular with far-left activists. Mr Varoufakis's left-wing Syriza party has in recent years moved closer to the centre.
In a statement to Greek media, he said he did not believe the youths intended to harm him or his wife but merely hit them lightly.
His wife then shielded him by hugging him with her back towards the youths, he said.
Another verbal confrontation took place as the couple tried to leave the restaurant on his motorbike, he said.
"I started a dialogue with them, saying that I wanted to hear them out, even if that meant that I would be hit," he said.
Mr Varoufakis has been widely criticised in recent weeks at home and abroad.
The couple were featured in a photo spread of their Athens flat by French magazine Paris Match and Mr Varoufakis's negotiating style has been criticised by his European counterparts.
Fellow minister Euclid Tsakalotos took Mr Varoufakis's place in talks with Greece's European partners late on Monday, in an attempt to unlock a vital €7.2bn (£5bn; $8bn) tranche in its bailout from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.
Greece faces almost €1bn in debt interest payments to the IMF in the next fortnight as well as regular salary payments to civil servants.
The EU wants to see the Syriza-led government commit itself to wide-ranging reforms before providing more money from the €240bn bailout.
On Monday night, parliament in Athens voted to reinstate public broadcaster ERT, taken off air in 2013 as part of a round of spending cuts by the previous government in attempt to meet the demands of its international creditors.
ERT was replaced by a slimmed-down broadcaster Nerit but the government has said it will rehire some 2,500 staff with a monthly supplement on electricity bills.
How close is Greece to Grexit?
Greek bailout talks in 90 seconds | Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has described how he and his wife were abused by a group of youths at a restaurant in Athens late on Tuesday. |
23,677,488 | Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday's move was "to some degree expected", but stressed that Washington considered settlements "illegitimate".
This "underscores the importance of getting to the table quickly", he told reporters during a visit to Colombia.
Palestinian negotiators have accused Israel of trying to sabotage the talks.
An Israeli government spokesman rejected the criticism, saying every peace initiative so far had proposed that the settlements affected become Israeli territory.
Hours later, the Israeli authorities published the details of the 26 long-term Palestinian prisoners who will be freed on Tuesday.
The delay allows time for last-minute legal challenges by the families of their victims, who have been protesting against the decision.
During a visit to Colombia on Monday, Mr Kerry was asked about the implications of the Israel's decision to issue tenders for building 793 housing units in East Jerusalem and 394 elsewhere in the West Bank.
He said the announcement was "to some degree expected", but that he did not expect it would derail the negotiations, which resume in Jerusalem on Wednesday two weeks after a preparatory round in Washington.
On Tuesday, it emerged that the municipality of Jerusalem had approved some 900 homes close to the Jewish settlement of Gilo in east Jerusalem. A city councillor was quoted as saying that construction would not begin for years.
Mr Kerry stated that the US "views all of the settlements as illegitimate" and had "communicated that policy very clearly to Israel".
"I think that what this underscores, actually, is the importance of getting to the table and getting to the table quickly and resolving the questions with respect to settlements, which are best resolved by solving the problems of security and borders," he said.
"With the negotiation of major issues, these kind of hot-point issues... are eliminated as the kind of flashpoints that they may be viewed today."
Mr Kerry added that he had spoken with Israel's chief negotiator, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is recovering from hernia surgery.
About 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
On Sunday, Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee, told the BBC that Israel was deliberately sending a message to the US that it would press ahead with "stealing more land" regardless of any attempt at launching negotiations.
Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "If the Israeli government believes that every week they're going to cross a red line by settlement activity, if they go with this behaviour, what they're advertising is the unsustainability of the negotiations."
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said the construction "in no way changes the final map of peace".
"The construction decided upon in Jerusalem and in the settlement blocs is in areas that will remain part of Israel in any possible peace agreement," he told the BBC.
The Palestinians have previously agreed in principle to minor land swaps.
However, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose centrist Yesh Atid party is the second largest in Israel's coalition government, said the decision to call for tenders was "unhelpful to the peace process".
In a separate development on Monday, Israeli police said a missile fired towards the Red Sea resort of Eilat had been successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system.
Residents had reported hearing a loud explosion and a siren. | The US has urged the Palestinians "not to react adversely" to Israel's approval of 1,200 new settlement homes only days before peace talks resume. |
32,342,080 | The declarations were made at the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) congress.
Dominican Republic FA president Osiris Guzman compared the Swiss to iconic historical figures, also including Moses, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King.
"Membership is sending a message that we continue to support Blatter," said Concafaf president Jeffrey Webb.
Blatter is one of four candidates.
The others are ex-Portugal international Luis Figo, Dutch FA chief Michael van Praag and Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, who, along with Blatter, were all present at Thursday's congress, but did not give speeches.
The Trinidad & Tobago Football Association praised Blatter, 79, as the "father of football".
The heads of football federations from Jamaica, Haiti, Turks & Caicos, Cuba, Panama, St Vincent & the Grenadines and Puerto Rico also expressed their support for Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term in office - having been in power since 1998.
There are 41 Concacaf member associations.
The election will take place in Zurich on 30 May. | Sepp Blatter has been likened to Jesus, Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill as 10 Concafaf members gave their backing to the incumbent for the Fifa presidency elections in May. |
29,629,306 | Scientists have treated a man for "internet addiction disorder" said to be linked to overuse of the wearable specs.
The 31-year-old, who was also being treated for alcohol abuse, had apparently been using the device for 18 hours a day.
He showed signs of "frustration and irritability" when not using it, according to a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviours.
The study claims it is the first reported case of internet addiction disorder (IAD) linked to Google Glass.
The wearable device has a built in camera and microphone which can record photo, video and sound.
IAD is not officially recognised as a clinical diagnosis, and psychiatrists are split on its existence.
But it is sometimes used as a way of identifying addictive behaviour relating to phones, computers and video games.
The man was taking part in a US Navy programme for alcohol misuse.
Doctors noted he had a history of "mood disorder" consistent with substance abuse, depression, anxiety and severe alcohol and tobacco use disorders.
Over the course of his 35-day treatment the report claims he became "extremely irritable and argumentative" once he was parted from the device.
He also seemed to mimic the movement used to operate Google Glass, when not wearing it.
"The patient exhibited a notable, nearly involuntary movement of the right hand up to his temple area and tapping it with his forefinger," the study claimed.
Doctors also said his symptoms reduced over time.
They noted he became less irritated and showed "improvements in his short-term memory and clarity of thought processes."
Google Glass went on sale in the UK in June, costing £1,000.
At this stage the device is aimed at tech developers rather than the likes of you and me.
Google has so far declined to comment.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | It can get you thrown out of a cinema and hit with a driving fine - now it's claimed using Google Glass can be addictive. |
37,778,511 | The old glass Coke bottle, originally sent from New Hampshire, was discovered more than 1,000 miles away in Turks and Caicos in 2011 by Clint Buffington.
The message read: "Return to 419 Ocean Boulevard and receive a reward of $150 from Tina, the owner of Beachcomber."
Mr Buffington returned the message on Monday to the daughter of the man who sent it.
"I've never given one back to someone," Mr Buffington, who has collected bottles with messages since 2007, told ABC News.
"But in this case I knew it was the right thing to do. Just imagine it was a letter from your parents."
He first wrote about the discovery on his blog in the hope of crowd-sourcing help in locating the sender.
After speaking to a county clerk and tax assessor, Mr Buffington found the property to be the Beachcomber Motel in Hampton, New Hampshire.
The accommodation was owned by Paul and Tina Tsiatsios, but the couple had since passed away.
Mr Buffington was able to locate their daughter, Paula Pierce, to whom he returned the letter.
Ms Pierce said she never knew about the letter, but her husband did.
"My father secretly told my husband, who I have known since 1969. He told my husband that he did this soon after he bought the motel, which they did in 1960," Ms Pierce told ABC News.
"It was a very sweet gesture, he was trying to tease her (his wife)."
Ms Pierce said the joke was that room rates ran at about $15 (£12) or $20, so $150 would have been a lot of money at the time.
But she insisted on fulfilling her father's wishes and gave Mr Buffington his rightful reward of $150.
"It is like completing the circle," she said. | A Utah man has returned a message in a bottle from 50 years ago that he found while on holiday. |
35,712,772 | The Crown Prosecution Service says adults should be charged if, for example, they make a profile in the name of a victim with fake information which could damage their reputation.
The guidelines also include advice on new crimes such as revenge pornography.
The CPS guidelines advise prosecutors on how to interpret existing laws.
A six-week consultation on the proposed changes has now started.
"It is vital that prosecutors consider the bigger picture when looking at evidence and examine both the online and offline behaviour pattern of the defendant," said director of public prosecutions Alison Saunders.
"Online abuse is cowardly and can be deeply upsetting to the victim."
Fake accounts and websites can be used by those posing as their victims to post embarrassing messages or pictures.
This "may amount to an offence, such as grossly offensive communication or harassment", the CPS said.
Imposters have set up false accounts to discredit former partners, and attract new ones - a practice known as Catfishing.
Fraudsters have also set up fake LinkedIn profiles, in an attempt to harvest the personal details of legitimate users.
Facebook estimated in 2012 that it had tens of millions of illegitimate accounts.
The CPS is advising its prosecutors to be prepared to charge under existing laws if a case falls into one of three categories:
However, the guidance also sets out less serious situations where prosecutions should be considered under a fourth category: where a false identity is used to post upsetting messages, including false information that could cause anxiety.
Ms Saunders said there must be a balance between prosecuting people for malicious communications and protecting free speech - and only "grossly offensive" material could lead to prosecution.
The CPS has said children should rarely be prosecuted, because of their lack of adult judgement.
Prosecutions for online activity could be brought under a number of laws, including the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, which created a new offence of revenge pornography to prosecute people who post sexual images of others online without permission. | Lawyers will be advised to prosecute "trolls" who use fake online profiles to harass others, under guidelines being proposed in England and Wales. |
39,521,424 | Captain Mark Cosgrove has also been banned for one game after the incident against Loughborough MCCU last month.
The points deduction and fine come after Leicestershire incurred a fifth fixed penalty in 12 months.
The club also have a further eight-point penalty suspended for 12 months.
Fast-medium pace bowler Shreck, 39, who has been suspended by Leicestershire for two games, was found guilty at a disciplinary hearing held at Grace Road on Friday for "using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or making an obscene gesture".
Cosgrove, who was handed the one-match ban as he was captain of Leicestershire for each of the five incidents in the past year, is set to serve his suspension in the Championship match against Glamorgan, starting on 21 April.
The captain pleaded guilty to the charges.
"We've got to get better be be more disciplined - 16 points is a big deal to us. It's a game," Cosgrove told BBC Radio Leicester.
"Hopefully we can get some positive points on the board. This hurts the boys. We need to learn and get better.
"Charlie is very disappointed and very apologetic. He overstepped the mark. He knows he did the wrong thing.
"We've just got to take it and move on and get busy into the season."
In August 2015, Leicestershire were deducted 16 points and given a suspended fine for similar breaches.
In a statement from the cricket discipline commission on Friday, it was "noted that actions taken by the club since the previous disciplinary panel hearing have not been effective". | Leicestershire have been deducted 16 points and fined £5,000 on the eve of the County Championship season after bowler Charlie Shreck was found guilty for a breach of player conduct. |
36,612,020 | They say memory chips from Flight MS804 which contain vital information will be delivered to French experts next week.
The Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo when it vanished from radar in the eastern Mediterranean on 19 May.
All 66 people on board the plane were killed. Some debris from the plane has since been recovered from the sea.
In a statement, the Egyptian investigative committee said the two recorders would be sent to France's BEA accident experts to remove salt deposits from the memory chips.
They will then be returned to Egypt for analysis.
It is hoped the recorders - which contain the pilots' conversations and technical parameters of the flight - could help determine the cause of the crash.
The Airbus A320 was flying overnight from Paris to Cairo when it vanished from Greek and Egyptian radar screens, apparently without having sent a distress call.
Some wreckage from the plane was later found some 290km (180 miles) north of the Egyptian port city of Alexandria.
On Thursday, the Egyptian committee also said that French experts would join their Egyptian colleagues to try to retrieve human remains from the sea.
A specialist vessel is still continuing an operation to map the wreckage. | Damaged flight recorders from the EgyptAir aircraft that crashed last month will be sent to France for repairs, Egyptian investigators say. |
36,072,480 | They are now seven points clear of the relegation zone, having been 12 points adrift of safety in February.
"It's just unfortunate that we didn't realise coming off that we were safe," Nicholson told BBC Radio Devon.
"We thought that there was still a chance that it could all go wrong."
He added: "Otherwise I think you'd have probably found a load of the players diving into the crowds."
Since Nicholson's side fell to the bottom of the table in February, they have lost just three of 15 league games, keeping clean sheets in eight of their last 11 matches.
"Honestly I never had any doubts we'd do it, but then I didn't look at a league table for about three months at one point," he added.
"I'm just delighted and elated for everybody involved with Torquay - the players have just been magnificent, for me, for themselves, for each other.
"From now on success for this football club is promotion and league football." | Torquay United player-manager Kevin Nicholson has admitted his side did not know they had secured National League safety until they had left the field after their win at Bromley. |
36,410,360 | With just seven added to the overnight score, the Tykes totalled 308.
Lancashire then collapsed from 46-0 to 92-7 and, when Neil Wagner went to Adil Rashid's first ball, at 126-8 they were in danger of being asked to follow on.
But they rallied to reach 196, thanks to Liam Livingstone's unbeaten 60 before Yorkshire closed on 77-3.
Livingstone's 48-run ninth-wicket stand with Kyle Jarvis (33) took Lancashire past the initial follow-on avoidance target of 159.
But the Division One leaders were bowled out just four runs shy of a batting point, leaving the hosts with a 112-run first-innings lead.
Earlier, after being last out in the Tykes first innings for 45, it was the introduction of Steven Patterson that parted the Lancashire openers, Tom Smith square driving low and hard to point.
Hameed soon followed to Bresnan for 17, taken at second slip by Adam Lyth moving to his left and, three runs later, with the first ball of a new spell, Jack Brooks trapped Luke Procter lbw moving across his stumps.
Wickets continued to topple in the afternoon, Bresnan, Brooks and Patterson each claiming a second victim, until Jarvis came in to thrash 33 off 28 balls in his stand with Livingstone which took just in 6.4 overs. He was stumped after charging at Rashid, who then had last man Simon Kerrigan lbw.
Lyth dominated the final session with an unbeaten 44 in 31 overs as the Tykes built on their lead, for the loss of three wickets, two of which fell to Wagner.
Yorkshire's Steven Patterson:
"It was a good day for us in the end. We would have liked 15-29 more runs in the morning but it was good to get out there and bowling. We bowled a bit wide for 10 or so overs but then found our rhythm, applied pressure and it showed.
"I knew when I went out that I wanted a couple of wickets for 300 and it is always nice to reach a personal milestone. Now I will have to set another one, probably 350 but I will struggle to reach that this year.
"The pitch is offering plenty, if we have a strong first hour with minimal damage and can get 250 ahead with seven wickets in hand. We can then make an imposing total to put them under pressure."
Lancashire's Liam Livingstone:
"We didn't get as many runs as we would have liked but we are ready to fight on over the next couple of days.
"If we have a good morning and can bowl them out for under 200 we can chase it on the final day. We want to play a positive brand of cricket and are not scared of chasing final-day totals.
"It was a difficult day for us, but we finished it quite well and pegged it back at the end and I was very happy with my knock." | Yorkshire enjoyed the better of the second day in the Roses match as they came close to making Lancashire follow on before closing with a lead of 189. |
33,106,460 | They showed 193 people - all but four of them men - were charged in the year to the end of March.
That number was down from 206 in 2013/14 and 267 the previous year.
The figures showed that the accused had an affiliation with Rangers in 30% of the charges, Aberdeen in 16%, Celtic in 10% and Hibernian in 8%.
Some 16% of all charges were connected to the Dundee United versus Aberdeen match in December last year.
A further 7% were connected to Hamilton v Motherwell in September and 7% to the Scotland v England match in November.
Court proceedings have begun in relation to 168 of the 193 charges.
The report on the figures said the average age of the accused had risen from 23 to 27.
Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 criminalises hateful, threatening and otherwise offensive behaviour that is likely to incite public disorder in relation to football.
Last year people were accused of offences that were "threatening" in 61% of the charges and "hateful" in 30% of charges.
Behaviour was described as "otherwise offensive" - for example including a reference to celebration of loss of life or support of terrorist organisations - in 13% of charges.
Of the 58 charges relating to "hateful" behaviour, 50 charges involved incidents of religious hatred, down on previous years, while 4% involved racial hatred, and no charges involved sexual orientation.
As in the previous two years, derogatory behaviour towards Roman Catholicism (84%) accounted for the largest proportion of religious abuse.
Six charges (12%) included behaviour that was derogatory towards Protestantism.
One charge included derogatory behaviour towards Judaism, and one charge included derogatory behaviour towards Islam.
Fewer charges occurred in football stadiums than in previous years, with the majority relating to incidents outside grounds or in town or city centres on match days.
An academic evaluation of the act, published by the Scottish government, said football fans said they had not noticed any significant decrease in the amount of problematic behaviour since the new laws had come into force.
The report also said police and stewards in football grounds appeared to be concentrating on groups of young fans - terming them risk groups - and losing focus on more serious offenders, perhaps away from stadiums.
There has also been some criticism of the act from within the legal profession, with some sheriffs "emphatically critical" of it. Successful prosecutions have fallen from 73% to 52%.
Minister for Community Safety Paul Wheelhouse said: "We have seen a raft of encouraging statistics and evidence published today showing that hate crimes in Scotland are on the decrease, both on the streets of Scotland and in our football grounds and this is to be welcomed.
"Religious crimes are down, race crimes are down, crimes in relation to sexuality are down and we've seen a decrease in crimes of offensive behaviour at regulated football matches in Scotland. Whilst the legislation we brought in two years ago has had its critics, the latest statistics show a steady decline in offences at stadiums and a YouGov poll shows 80% of Scots support the Offensive Behaviour Act."
"We will not be complacent and will continue to monitor how the act is working very closely going forward. However, I believe the legislation is working. The evaluations, backed by the latest statistics out today, demonstrate that the act has had a positive impact and our approach has delivered real improvements in behaviour at football and online." | The number of people charged under the controversial football hate crime legislation has fallen slightly, according to Crown Office figures. |
22,018,289 | Familiarisation visits are carried out by firefighters on high risk blocks so firefighters can learn the layout.
The data was not used properly at Lakanal House, where six people died.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said its judgement of what is high risk differed from that of council inspectors.
A three-week-old baby was among the victims of the blaze at Lakanal House in Camberwell in July 2009.
The inquest into the deaths found that information gathered by the LFB during prior familiarisation visits to the tower was not passed on to firefighters at the scene.
This meant they did not know where emergency exits were and may have incorrectly advised those who died to stay in their flats.
Coroner Frances Kirkham wrote in a letter to the LFB: "Gathering of operational knowledge has little value unless it can be stored, disseminated, accessed and updated when most needed at incidents when the use can save valuable time and inform critical command decisions."
Freedom of Information requests sent by BBC London have now revealed that many tower blocks rated as high risk by local authorities received no visits at all from the LFB last year.
The BBC does not have a list of which tower blocks the LFB itself rates as high risk.
Of London's 114 tower blocks rated high risk by local councils, just four received the four annual familiarisation visits the LFB's own guidelines say the riskiest buildings should have.
The research showed 21 of the buildings received no visits whatsoever.
According to the LFB's Freedom of Information response, three have not had any familiarisation visits since 2008.
LFB regulations say that even the lowest-risk buildings should be visited every one to two years.
Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, described it as "totally unsatisfactory".
She went on: "It is the LFB's responsibility to do these visits and it seems they are just not doing them.
"And clearly nobody is checking up on them to make sure they are taking place.
"The whole thing needs looking into and I will be raising it with both the London Fire Authority and the government because there are questions that need to be answered."
For 16 of the high risk tower blocks on the council list, the LFB was unable to say whether they had been visited at all, because no data was recorded in fire stations' logs.
Fire safety expert and chartered surveyor Arnold Tarling said the lack of visits meant if a fire did occur at one of the buildings firefighters would be "going down there blind".
He added: "It is entirely unacceptable.
"Over time buildings change and I would expect that firefighters carry out at least one inspection per year."
A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "Our guidance on identifying and visiting high risk buildings is clear.
"London Fire Brigade and London authorities need to work together to ensure that this guidance is adhered to and necessary visits take place."
The LFB said that since the Lakanal fire it had now put in place mobile computers on fire engines which would ensure familiarisation visit data was available on the scene of fires.
Responding to the BBC's investigation, the Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: "The way in which a local authority would [judge] a block as being high risk might be different to the way a fire service does it.
"They might decide that given the layout of the building, the height of the building, the way it's designed, it's sufficient to record that information and put it on a mobile data terminal - and not necessary to go back and visit very frequently."
He continued: "I'm pleased there's only a very small minority that according to your information didn't have any visits.
"But my requirement would be that there are no buildings which haven't had any visits and I will be picking up on those stations and making sure they're done as soon as possible." | At least 21 London tower blocks rated as a high fire risk by local councils were not visited by firefighters last year - despite flawed visits being a factor in the fatal Lakanal House fire. |
35,826,078 | Footage shows other drivers and pedestrians rushing to get the baby out of the car, then moving her to safety.
The woman then appears to get back into the car to manoeuvre it off the crossing at Brayford Wharf East, Lincoln.
British Transport Police are investigating and appealed for witnesses to get in touch.
There were no reports of any injuries.
The incident happened on Saturday, close to a university in a busy area of the city.
Network Rail said it takes safety very seriously and it is important drivers and pedestrians do not enter crossings after lights start flashing.
A spokesperson added: "Troublingly, the footage also shows members of the public walking onto the crossing long after the light sequence starts as the barriers come down.
"While no doubt frightening for those involved, this incident was not as serious as it could have been, with the signaller able to stop the trains and the driver able to remove the car from the crossing."
The incident comes a matter of weeks after British Transport Police released footage of a lorry overtaking a van at a level crossing at Ulceby. | A woman driving a car with her baby inside became stuck under a level crossing barrier. |
35,406,987 | Net profit in the months from October to December dropped by 2% to 1.6 trillion won ($1.4bn).
Earnings were weighed down both by stagnating demand in emerging markets and by discounts to revive sales in the US.
Shares in the carmaker fell by just over 1% on the news.
The overall net profit for 2015 was 6.4 trillion won, making it it Hyundai's lowest annual profit in five years.
Sales fell by 7% in China, with the slowdown in the world's second largest economy taking its toll.
Other emerging markets also saw retail sales declining, while the US, EU, Korea and India saw a slight increase in the number of vehicles sold.
China and the US are Hyundai's two biggest markets.
The company warned the outlook for 2016 remains cloudy though.
"We expect the uncertainty surrounding the global auto market to persist this year," Hyundai said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors said they missed their global sales targets for last year for the first time since the financial crisis.
The carmakers, which together are the world's fifth largest automaker by sales, sold 8.01 million vehicles, compared with a forecast of 8.2 million. | South Korea's biggest carmaker, Hyundai Motors, has seen its profits fall for the eighth consecutive quarter, giving a cautious outlook for 2016. |
34,636,761 | The alarm was raised at about 11:45 on Sunday by members of the public.
Fire crews from Inverness, Fort Augustus, Foyers and Drumnadrochit tackled the blaze. Firefighters remained on the scene for three hours.
NHS Highland has cancelled all scheduled appointments and has started looking at alternative arrangements for patients.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland have started a joint investigation into the cause of the blaze.
A spokesman for NHS Highland said: "Phone diverts are currently in place and members of the public are advised that should you need to speak to anyone from the practice please dial the usual number and your call will be answered by the appropriate team.
"Out of hours arrangements are operating as normal.
"Options for alternative arrangements are still being explored and we will update you once there is more information available." | An NHS medical centre in Fort Augustus been badly damaged after a fire ripped through the two-storey building. |
35,815,538 | Jurgen Klopp's side were protecting a two-goal lead from the first leg at Anfield but Anthony Martial's 32nd-minute penalty offered United brief hope after he was fouled by Nathaniel Clyne.
Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata had missed clear opportunities for United but Liverpool were also a threat as David de Gea saved superbly from Coutinho while Daniel Sturridge hit the bar with a free-kick and Jordan Henderson missed an open goal.
The away goal Liverpool threatened, and which left United needing four on the night, came right on half-time when Coutinho beat Guillermo Varela with ease before lifting a near-post finish past De Gea.
It ended the game as a contest with United unable to rouse themselves again as Liverpool completed the formalities to win the first European meeting between the two clubs.
Sadly, the final stages of the match were marred by clashes between supporters near the Liverpool corner of the ground - and it remains to be seen if Uefa take any action.
Manchester United, in the first half at least, played with a pace, and showed a spirit and endeavour, that has rarely been displayed at Old Trafford this season - but the task was too much.
And that was down to the lamentable performance at Anfield last Thursday when Liverpool dominated every facet of the first leg to secure a two-goal lead that could actually have been much more.
It left United vulnerable to one goal from Liverpool that would leave them needing four, and so it proved when Coutinho's brilliant dribble provided that crucial away strike.
United, from that point on, looked like the team they have been for most of this season - pedestrian, uninspired and struggling to illuminate an Old Trafford stage that has suffered much this season.
And there was suffering in hearing songs of celebration from 3,000 Liverpool fans tucked away in one corner of the stadium as their arch-rivals celebrated victory in the first European meeting between the two sides and a place in the last eight of the Europa League.
It was also further evidence that, for all those who still feel United might be better off without Wayne Rooney, that this team still misses him very badly as he was reduced to watching the game from the stands with his son as the England captain recovers from a knee injury.
Liverpool are progressing rapidly under Klopp, who is putting his imprint on the side six months after he succeeded sacked Brendan Rodgers.
And some of the old European anticipation will be rising at Anfield as they contemplate Friday's quarter-final draw.
Time for some perspective, though, and a warning that Klopp is embarking on a rebuilding programme that will not be a quick fix.
There are still some tasty potential opponents lying in wait, none more so than Klopp's old club Borussia Dortmund, tournament favourites and impressive winners against Tottenham over two legs.
The notion of Klopp facing Dortmund is an enticing one and he would be guaranteed a rapturous reception at the club he took to two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League final.
And that is before you even get to Sevilla, winners in the past two seasons and who cruised into the last eight against FC Basel.
This was another disappointing night in a disappointing season for Manchester United - and there will be extra pain in losing a European tie to such fierce adversaries.
If there is some comfort, it can be gained in the performances of young strike duo Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
Rashford, just 18, never gave up at any point, chasing lost causes endlessly while trying to provide United's lost spark.
Martial, 20, tormented Clyne with his pace in the first half to earn - and score - the penalty that gave United some hope.
They are small crumbs of comfort on a miserable night for United but they need all the hope they can get after this.
Liverpool's on-field celebrations were marred by trouble in the stands in the closing minutes and after the final whistle.
BBC Radio 5 live commentator Ian Dennis had a clear view of the disturbances in the crowd and said he saw fighting and seats being ripped out.
"Punches are being traded by rival supporters," he said.
"I have seen three red seats from the Liverpool section being thrown into the Manchester United fans.
"There are about 10 Liverpool supporters sat on the front row of the top tier and there is a human wall of police officers in luminous clothing protecting the Liverpool fans sat in the Manchester United end.
"Uefa will take action - mark my words."
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal: "I am not angry, I am not frustrated. I was very proud of my players.
"They gave everything and I was very pleased the fans recognised that. They applauded after the match despite us being out - that was remarkable I think.
"I hope Man City is the catalyst. We have to beat City and we have a chance to still qualify (for the Champions League)."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "They got a penalty - it was a penalty - and Phil had a genius moment.
"I love it two minutes before half-time because he twice reacted quicker than his opponent.
"It was the most unexpected that he could do in a situation like this."
Manchester United will travel to the Etihad for a Premier League derby against neighbours Manchester City on Sunday, the same day as Liverpool play Southampton.
Match ends, Manchester United 1, Liverpool 1.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 1, Liverpool 1.
Attempt saved. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Christian Benteke.
Attempt saved. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Christian Benteke.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Matteo Darmian.
Attempt missed. Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marouane Fellaini following a corner.
Attempt missed. Matteo Darmian (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Attempt missed. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by James Milner.
Substitution, Liverpool. Christian Benteke replaces Roberto Firmino.
Attempt missed. Daley Blind (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Roberto Firmino (Liverpool).
Foul by Chris Smalling (Manchester United).
Divock Origi (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United).
Adam Lallana (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Offside, Liverpool. Mamadou Sakho tries a through ball, but Roberto Firmino is caught offside.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by David de Gea.
Attempt saved. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Adam Lallana.
Attempt saved. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emre Can.
Attempt missed. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
Substitution, Liverpool. Joe Allen replaces Jordan Henderson.
Substitution, Manchester United. Bastian Schweinsteiger replaces Michael Carrick.
Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool).
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Matteo Darmian.
Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Daniel Sturridge.
Foul by Antonio Valencia (Manchester United).
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).
Attempt missed. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jesse Lingard.
Substitution, Manchester United. Matteo Darmian replaces Marcos Rojo.
Attempt missed. Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right misses to the right. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho.
Attempt saved. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Carrick with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Juan Mata. | Philippe Coutinho's brilliant solo goal killed Manchester United's hopes of a Europa League comeback and sent Liverpool into the last eight in comfort at Old Trafford. |
33,567,273 | The new stadium is expected to accommodate 5,000 supporters with capability to double in size.
Forest Green have played at The New Lawn since 2006 with chairman Dale Vince hopeful the new development would be completed in around five years.
"By the time we get to build, we will be in the Football League," said Vince.
The development, dubbed 'Eco Park', will be a 100-acre sports and green technology centre at Junction 13 on the M5.
Located on either side of the A419, half of Eco Park will be dedicated to creating state-of-the-art sporting facilities, including an all-seater stadium, training fields, 4G pitches, multi-disciplinary sporting facilities, as well as a sports science hub.
The other half of Eco Park will compromise a green technology business park, capable of serving up to 4,000 jobs.
Forest Green were promoted to the Conference - now called the National League - in 1998 and Vince says they are outgrowing their existing home.
"We've seen our gates double and it chokes the hill and it upsets our neighbours," he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
"We want to get bigger. We've got intentions to get into the Football League so the problem will only get worse.
"We've been looking for a couple of years, working with Stroud Council. This place would be ideal."
Vince added he hopes The New Lawn "could become affordable low carbon homes" and after an initial consultation period the green-energy tycoon hopes to submit a planning application in September.
Since taking over the club in 2010, Vince introduced: | National League side Forest Green Rovers have unveiled plans for a £100m sports facility, which will include a new stadium for the club. |
32,162,074 | Many people face paying tens of thousands of pounds in income tax, said the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
From Easter Monday, anyone over the age of 55 will be free to cash in Defined Contribution (DC) pension savings.
But apart from a tax-free lump sum of 25%, they will be liable for income tax on the remainder.
If the sum being taken out - when added to annual income - exceeds £42,386, they will pay tax at the higher rate of 40%.
"Do watch out," said Paul Johnson, director of the independent think-tank IFS.
"If you can keep your income below the higher rate threshold, you're going to end up paying less tax than if you take it in a big lump."
The Treasury, he said, is hoping to benefit to the tune of £0.5bn in 2015/16, partly because some people will be caught in the tax trap.
By 2018/19 it expects to raise an extra £1bn, as a result of people cashing in their pensions.
One of those who was unaware of the full tax implications is Bill Miller, a 61 year-old former local government worker from South London.
He is considering withdrawing the full £125,000 he has saved in his pension.
But since he already has an income of £31,000 from other sources, he faces a one-off tax bill of £43,500.
Even allowing for 25% of his windfall being tax free, he would move into the higher rate tax band. And since his income for the year would be over £124,000, he would also lose all his personal allowance - the amount you can earn before you pay tax.
That is because, under current tax rules, an individual loses a £1 of their personal allowance for every £2 net of tax that they earn above £100,000.
"That's news to me," he told the BBC.
"It's a shock. I've been saving for my pension all these years, and I don't want to lose it. And there's a danger that I could - without realising."
But if Mr Miller were to spread the withdrawals over five years, he would only pay £9,303 in tax, according to calculations by the accountancy firm Blickrothenberg.
Yet many may sympathise with Bill's lack of detailed tax knowledge.
A survey commissioned by Sanlam Wealth Management suggests that 85% of over 55s are unaware they will face any tax bill when liberating their pensions.
A Treasury spokesman pointed out they have consistently stated that 25% of people's pensions is tax free and the rest is taxed at the marginal rate.
Moreover, under the present system, pension withdrawal incurs 55% tax. The Pension Wise website clearly warns of the tax concerns involved, he added. | Hundreds of thousands of people are being warned about a big tax bill if they decide to cash in their pension pots from next week. |
34,729,535 | Addressing the Howard League for Penal Reform's conference, Mr Gove said he hoped numbers would "fall over time".
He also indicated there could be major reforms to sentencing - but added that he did not want to "leap to any conclusions".
The use of body-worn cameras, currently being trialled, would improve prison staff behaviour, he also said.
"If prison officers are wearing body-worn cameras, that does mean they're less likely to be assaulted.
"It also means that they are more likely - and I don't think that this is as much of a problem as it was 20 years ago - but it also means that any individual prison officer is more likely to behave appropriately and decently as well", he told the central London conference.
The justice secretary was directly asked by a panel member whether the prison population, currently 85,000, needed to be cut.
He replied: "Obviously I'd like to see the prison population fall over time.
"I believe the best way we can do that is by dealing effectively with those offenders who are in our care at the moment, through effective rehabilitation."
Like his predecessor, Chris Grayling, Michael Gove does not like to use the word "crisis" to describe the state of the prison system.
Nevertheless, he was remarkably frank about the "deeply concerning" problems in jails - highlighting rising levels of violence, high self-harm rates, poor sanitation in some establishments, lack of purposeful activity, drug misuse and staff corruption.
Unlike some of those who've held the prison brief before, Mr Gove spoke openly about his desire to reduce the jail population. This is significant.
It confirms the change in direction in crime and punishment policy, described by the justice secretary as "a new era"; it sends a message to magistrates and judges to explore alternatives to custody, where possible; and it prepares the ground for sentencing reform, possibly next year, which might see fewer people locked up.
Mr Gove's remarks echoed David Cameron's comments at the Conservative Party conference last month, in which the prime minister called for an end to the sterile "lock 'em up or let 'em out" debate.
The justice secretary said he wanted to "transcend the old divisions that used to bedevil the debate".
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said that in recent years government minsters had tended to shy away from answering questions about wanting to reduce prison numbers, worried that they could appear "soft" or that their aims would not be achieved.
Mr Gove also indicated that there could be major reforms of sentencing.
"We do need to look at our whole sentencing framework," he said, adding that he did not want to "leap to any conclusions".
He said more research was needed on the effectiveness of sentencing before devising plans as to how a "more sensitive" regime could be achieved and said it was "worth analysing" the impact of short sentences.
Other options ministers are understood to be looking at include greater use of electronic tagging as an alternative to imprisonment, and reducing the number of inmates who are recalled to jail for beaching the terms of their release.
The Howard League conference was also told about the justice secretary's plans to give prison governors more control and the sell-off of older prisons, which he said had support at the "heart" of government. | Justice Secretary Michael Gove has said he wants to reduce the prison population in England and Wales. |
35,465,628 | All of the managerial movements for February will appear below, followed by the full list of each club, league-by-league.
To read January's list, visit the ins and outs page. | BBC Sport tracks all the manager ins and outs as well as listing all the current bosses in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, Football League and National League. |
34,465,164 | The clash happened hours after Cipriani was told he would not be in the 31-man squad for the tournament, but before the selection was announced in August.
The Sun broke the story and said senior players had to step in after Catt threatened Sale's Cipriani, 27.
But the RFU said this was untrue.
Other reports suggested 2003 World Cup winner Catt, 44, told Cipriani he would "end his England career".
An RFU spokesman said: "Danny and Mike were involved in a robust conversation on the training pitch following a misunderstanding around a training drill instruction.
"Both shook hands afterwards and the incident played no bearing on selection."
Stuart Lancaster's men are already eliminated from the tournament after losing to Wales and Australia, and face Uruguay in their final Pool A game on Saturday. | England coach Mike Catt and fly-half Danny Cipriani had a training-ground incident before the World Cup but the Rugby Football Union denies there was almost a mutiny among players. |
35,425,996 | Ms Rinehart, an iron ore tycoon, had been named by Forbes magazine as the country's richest citizen for the past five years straight.
But her fortune fell by A$4.5bn ($3.2bn; £2.25bn) in the last year, the sharpest drop on the list in dollar terms.
Australia's new richest person is US-born heiress Blair Parry-Okeden.
Ms Rinehart still, however, has a net worth of $8.5bn.
Ms Rinehart inherited mineral and exploration company Hancock Prospecting from her father, and is its chairperson.
Over the years she has been embroiled in several court battles to maintain a firm grip on her business empire.
She was for a time the richest woman in the world.
Her fall from the top spot is attributed in part to a global drop in the price of iron ore.
Ms Parry-Okeden, the American born heiress to US media company Cox Enterprises, moved to Australia decades ago with her former husband and has only recently been naturalised as Australian citizen.
Her wealth is quoted by Forbes magazine as $8.8bn.
Property investor Harry Triguboff comes third on this year's Australian list, with a net worth of $6.9bn.
Rising rents and continuing Chinese demand for his Sydney apartments helped drive up Mr Triguboff's fortune by $1.3 bn, Forbes says in its report.
A total of eight women make the 2015 list, double last year's tally.
Overall, 26 of the fortunes listed by Forbes fell compared to the previous year, because of the weaker Australian dollar.
Biggest winner was Mike Cannon-Brookes, whose wealth jumped by 62% thanks to last years' stock market floatation of his software company Atlassian.
Thirty-six year old Mr Cannon-Brookes is the country's 17th richest person with $1.78bn. | Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart has lost her top spot on the Forbes Australia rich list. |
35,871,737 | He will miss Dundee's match against Ross County at Dens Park on 2 April.
Bain, 24, was sent off for a foul on Billy McKay inside the penalty area that was deemed to have denied McKay an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Dundee boss Paul Hartley had pointed out the presence of a covering player.
McKay slotted home the resultant penalty to halve his team's deficit before equalising in injury time.
Bain could make his Scotland debut against the Czech Republic on Thursday. He is one of four uncapped players in Gordon Strachan's squad for the friendly in Prague. | The Scottish Football Association's disciplinary panel has rejected Dundee's appeal against the red card shown to their goalkeeper Scott Bain in Sunday's derby against Dundee United. |
22,655,455 | Lydon will leave his role as head of rugby at the Welsh Rugby Union to take up his new post.
The WRU has already started the search to find his successor.
"I am sad to be leaving Wales, but the challenge of playing such a pivotal role in the development of English rugby at this time is one I had to take up," said Lydon.
"Welsh rugby is in great shape and I leave behind a team of people more than capable of achieving the goals we have set.
"The experience I have gained across the past five years with the WRU will set me in great stead for the exciting new challenge ahead."
Lydon arrived in Wales with a rugby CV that included 32 Great Britain rugby league caps, experience as technical director of the Rugby Football League and as a rugby union coach with the England Sevens and the senior England team.
He was appointed by the WRU in November 2008 to be responsible for the development programmes across all tiers of Welsh rugby for players, coaches and match officials.
Lydon's new role in English rugby will see him report to England head coach Stuart Lancaster in the new international performance department at Twickenham.
"This is a significant appointment for the future of England Rugby, made following a rigorous selection process," said Lancaster.
"Joe has a huge amount of experience as a player, coach and head of a successful performance and development structure in Wales and I am looking forward to working with him.
"He will be responsible for developing and managing a world class system of international player development for all our teams.
"We would like to build on the current system of talent identification, development and selection process that ensures that we have continual supply of high quality international players for England."
Lydon's remit will include Saxons, U20s, U18s, Sevens, and the Women's senior, Sevens and U20 teams. | Joe Lydon has been appointed head of international player development for the Rugby Football Union. |
33,646,875 | Below are some of the biggest takeaways from the BBC's exclusive interview.
UK-US RELATIONS
At the beginning of his presidency, there was talk that the much-vaunted "special relationship" between the US and UK had grown cold. But almost eight years later, the loving feeling has certainly returned (if in fact it ever left), with Mr Obama praising the "outstanding partner" he has in UK Prime Minister David Cameron. He was insistent the UK had a vital role to play in both the European Union and the fight to stabilise Syria.
AFRICA
"We have heard that in the US they have allowed gay relations and other dirty things." So says William Ruto, the deputy president in Kenya - hardly the kind of talk that would fly in the US, where the right to marriage was recently extended to gay Americans across the country. But Obama says he has no tolerance for intolerance, and will push a more inclusive agenda on his trip.
Mr Obama scored a victory when the US struck a nuclear deal with Iran, but finding neutral ground with Tehran might have been the easy part. Now he has to get Republicans in Congress on board with the plan. His critics say lifting sanctions will result in more money flowing to Hezbollah and the Assad regime, further destabilising the region. But Mr Obama says Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has incentive to modernise the economy.
GUN LAWS
The tail-end of Mr Obama's presidency has brought a looser, more candid commander-in-chief. Witness his last press conference, where he virtually dared reporters to ask him tough questions about the Iran deal. With the BBC, he openly discussed the biggest frustration of his presidency - his inability to pass any gun control reform.
RACE RELATIONS
When Mr Obama sang Amazing Grace on a stage full of black ministers at the funeral for one of the victims of the Charleston shootings, jokes flew on Twitter that he had achieved a "peak black" moment. It was a long time coming for many who hoped to see Mr Obama more fully engage with issues of racism during his presidency. But with little over a year left in office, he has been more assertive about dealing with race relations - and says the country has evolved on race since he moved into the White House. | President Barack Obama sat down with the BBC's North America editor, Jon Sopel, to discuss Britain's role in the world, his upcoming trip to Africa, and Mr Obama's plans for his remaining time in the White House. |
38,827,858 | The 23-year-old played 27 times for the English League Two outfit, but his contract with the Scottish Premiership club has ended by mutual consent.
Laing had joined Well from Nottingham Forest, initially on loan, in January 2015 and made 31 appearances.
He had previously had a loan spell with County, playing 12 times for the Magpies.
Transfer deadline day passed without any major changes to Mark McGhee's Motherwell squad.
They failed in an attempt to sign Turkish striker Nadir Ciftci from Celtic on loan.
That could have allowed Well to accept an approach A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers for Scott McDonald.
But the Australian will remain at Fir Park until at least the end of the season.
Motherwell did make two additions to their squad on deadline day, with midfielder Shea Gordon joining from Sheffield United and goalkeeper Oliver Pain on loan from Sunderland.
The 18-year-old Gordon, who has captained Northern Ireland youths, and 19-year-old Pain will initially join Motherwell's development squad.
Australian-born Pain signed for Sunderland in September after leaving Crystal Palace and is a replacement for Well under-20s goalkeeper PJ Morrison, who needs an operation following a wrist injury.
In addition, Well midfielder Tom Fry has joined League Two outfit Annan Athletic on loan, while defender and fellow 19-year-old Luke Watt has joined East Fife after the end of a similar loan move to League One rivals Stranraer. | Motherwell have released Louis Laing after the defender spent the first half of the season on loan to Notts County. |
34,777,566 | Farmer Robert Fidler 66, built the four-bedroom home near Redhill, Surrey, without planning permission.
He was told on Monday he would be jailed for his "defiance" if the property was not demolished by June.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said it would send in the bulldozers if Mr Fidler did not knock down the house.
Mr Fidler would have to repay the council's costs.
"We don't have choice - ultimately we have to ensure that these notices are complied with," said planning committee chairman Mark Brunt.
"On 6 June we expect the site to be clear and the building to be gone."
Mr Fidler told the High Court he had sold the house at Honeycrock Farm in Salfords to an Indian businessman and that the injunction ordering demolition was invalid.
The house was built on greenbelt land between 1999 and 2006. The council first ordered its demolition in 2007.
Mr Fidler claimed the council wanted to destroy his life and that its case was based on lies and deception.
The council said there was another house on the farm where Mr Fidler and his family used to live.
"I urge him to come and continue to talk to the council and look at realistic options for providing accommodation for his family on the site," said Mr Brunt.
Planning law expert Martin Goodall said Mr Fidler had reached the end of the road and would have to demolish the house.
"There are very strong policies against building isolated houses in the greenbelt or open countryside and local authorities cannot allow it," he said. | A council is standing by to demolish a mock-Tudor castle built behind a stack of hay bales if its owner fails to comply with enforcement notices. |
32,702,914 | The BBC's Emma Saunders was in the Austrian capital to report from behind the scenes.
So it's goodbye to Vienna.
Before leaving for the airport, I managed to clarify the frankly very confusing situation regarding the votes from Macedonia and Montenegro, and it's all a bit of an anti-climax.
Turns out the EBU took 100% of those countries' votes from the televotes i.e. from Joe Public, and disqualified the juries' votes. It should have been 50/50. So ultimately, it made no difference to any of the scores. Thank goodness for that.
Host Austria woke up with a big hangover this morning - from Conchita mania to nul points in one fell swoop. Eurovision can be brutal. At least Austrians could share their pain with their neighbour Germany, who also went home with zilch.
The so-called big five - including the UK - were left largely disappointed, bar Italy, who came third.
No doubt there will be more soul-searching after another poor show for the Brits, despite Electro Velvet's valiant efforts. Deja vu. Again.
So that's it from me - auf Wiedersehen. See you in Sweden.
So Sweden's Mans Zelmerlow wins Eurovision - he's been the favourite pretty much all the way through, so not a huge surprise.
It's the sixth time Sweden has won the competition. Pretty impressive.
The inspired graphics coupled with a contemporary Aviici-style dance track clearly appealed across the continent, not least in the UK, which was one of many countries to give it 12 points.
It was a three-horse race between Russia, Italy and Sweden until near the end but Zelmerlow looked blown away when the presenters announced that they'd "done the maths" and Sweden were the winners.
He was given a huge hug from Conchita as she handed over her Eurovision crown.
"I have so much to say... I'm so extremely happy," Zelmerlow said as he accepted the award.
"We are all heroes, no matter who we love , who we are or what we believe in."
It was yet another disappointing night for the UK, who managed to get just 5 points, leaving them in 24th position.
So the voting is well underway and Twitter has been in overdrive since the contest started. Here's some funny ones to keep you amused while you wait for the results.
On Georgia
@PIXELATEDCROWN "Woah can't believe they let an actual raven compete in eurovision I hope they win."
On Eurovision in general
@Louisxmichael "Hungary has made me hungry for better music #eurovision."
On Spain
@richardosman "Nice reworking of 'Old McDonald Had A Farm' #spain #Eurovision"
On Latvia
@popbangcolour "You know those toilet roll covers your gran has, Latvian lady has dressed like one of those... #Eurovision."
On Montenegro
@Lozbotron "No one in the world is more embarrassed of their dad than some kid from Montenegro right now."
On Austria
@Cleverdever "Piano fire just got put out. Because there's way too much hairspray in this arena for that to go on for long"
Hungary - After all that drama, Hungary's delicate and soulful ballad comes as something of a relief. Boggie's Wars for Nothing is an acoustic number which builds up vocally as she's joined by four harmonising backing singers.
It's got a traditional Eurovision peace message (clue is in the title) which could go in its favour. Again, it's all about the voices but there is a very impressive constellations image projected on to the floor during the first half of the song. Thank goodness for aerial cameras.
Georgia - Nina Sublatti has a strong voice and she looks pretty scary as she belts out her anthem Warrior wearing a Goth-style leather jumpsuit with thigh high boots. And she's taken epaulettes to a whole new level - frankly, it looks like two ravens are poking out of her capped sleeves.
She says her song is about feminism, Georgian women's history, and honesty. Good on her. And it's another entry that's offering something different from the pop and ballads on offer. I just wouldn't want to be the one to tell her she hasn't won.
Azerbaijan - Hour of the Wolf isn't a bad song but I'm afraid I was so distracted by the contemporary dancers in harem pants swirling around Elnur Huseynov that it's hard to comment. And one of them was bare-chested, shock, horror.
But I do recall it had a hint of Hozier about it, at least in the verses. It's not Elnur's first time at Eurovision - in 2003, as part of duo Elnur & Samir, he came eighth. I'm not sure he'll be able to top that tonight.
Russia - Polina Gagarina's A Million Voices is now one of the favourites to win. Some commentators in Vienna feel it sticks in the craw a little, given the song's message of peace and tolerance opposite Russia's handling of the crisis in Ukraine and its anti-gay stance. But that's not Polina's fault.
The song is very Eurovision and although she looks a bit nervous, her voice doesn't suffer for it. It will be some turnaround if Russia do take the Eurovision crown after last year's entry was booed by some members of the audience.
Albania - Gosh, this was a hard one to sing. The notes are all over the shop. Elhaida Dani gives it a good crack though. The staging could have been a bit more interesting.
Again, not a bad song but it's probably going to get lost in the penultimate spot, especially sandwiched between big hitters Russia and Italy.
Italy - any Il Divo fans out there? You're going to love Il Volo. Some think the fact it's sung in Italian could go against it but it's a beautiful language so I can't see it myself. Simple staging for this trio - the music speaks for itself.
It's been a favourite for months and should feature highly even if it doesn't win. I doubt the boys will be too bothered if they don't - they've already sold one million records and collaborated with Placido Domingo and Barbra Streisand.
Montenegro - This is only Montengro's second appearance in a Eurovision final. Knez is a huge star in his home nation and his Eurovision entry Adio has a traditional regional feel, featuring a folky instrumental opening that transports you straight to the shores of the Adriatic.
And actually, that's no bad thing. A bit of old school Eurovision never hurt anyone. We were also treated to some traditional dancing with his five lovely backing singers. What's not to like?
Germany - Sophie Ann stepped into the breach when the contestant that won the selection contest in Germany earlier this year shocked presenters by telling them he didn't want to go to Eurovision after all.
So instead of Andreas Kummert's acoustic ballad, we get to hear Black Smoke, a funky number from a singer who grew up in Hamburg, was born in London and studied in New York. How very international.
The song isn't unpleasant but it all feels just a little bit dated. And she spends the entire first verse with her back to the audience - how rude. "We're only left with black smoke," Sophie Ann smoulders. I'm still worrying about that piano.
Poland's entry, Monika Kuszynska, was very emotional about getting through to this year's final. She was in a rock pop band who were involved in a serious car accident in 2006, which left her paralysed from the waist down. "Sometimes we can only see the dark side but many beautiful things can go with a terrible event," she said after making it through the second semi-final.
In the Name of Love is another ballad, written by Monika herself, about how she overcame the trauma she suffered. The melody is pretty run-of-the-mill but it's hard not to feel moved by the sincere performance. And she blows a little kiss to the audience at the end. Nice touch.
Latvia - This is very different to everything else on offer and has polarised opinion here in the Austrian capital. Aminata's Love Injected is an electro ballad, which the 22-year-old penned herself. I reckon Aminata could be Latvia's answer to La Roux. She certainly sounds like Elly Jackson, particularly during the verses.
Aminata is wearing a red dress that wouldn't look out of place on Diana Ross but she does own the stage (I'm back in Cowell mode). And she should be applauded for entering something unusual.
Romania - Yet another pared-down set, this time for Romanian artist Voltaj with his song De La Capat (All Over Again). The stage is scattered with strategically placed suitcases though. Is he hoping to make a quick getaway? But I like the way he chops and changes between Romanian and English throughout his performance.
The song is about supporting children whose parents have to leave their homeland to work abroad and he finishes with a message to the audience: "Don't leave the children behind". Er, I think he might be aiming this at me. Kids, I'll be back from Vienna on Sunday. Promise.
Spain - now this, folks, would be just another ballad if it wasn't for the costume gimmicks! Bring it on! Edurne - David de Gea's girlfriend for the footy fans amongst you - starts off by climbing over a man lying on the stage. Good start. And it gets better. So she's wearing a red evening dress with a Kylie-style snood hood that she pushes back before launching into the strong chorus.
Meanwhile, the long train of her dress is billowing behind her thanks to a bit of wind machine action and the man who was lying on the floor has recovered himself sufficiently to pull the train, resulting in Edurne's dress flying off to reveal a glittery gold number underneath!
I was worried there might be a Madonna moment as he tugged on the train but they must have sensibly opted for Velcro. Well, it worked of Buck's Fizz. Not only that, there are also some ambitious dance lifts a la Strictly (Len would definitely NOT approve).
Cyprus - John Karayiannis says his influences are Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, although to be honest, you wouldn't know it by listening to his Eurovision entry, One Thing I Should Have Done. Personally, I think he sounds more like Will Young. This is probably the most traditional ballad in the contest.
It does have quite an old-fashioned feel so maybe that's why the first verse was broadcast in black and white. Members of the audience wave their obligatory phone torches in time to the music and John looks like he's about to cry by the end of the song. Oh dear. John says his eyesight is so bad he can't see further than the end of his nose but he has 9 spare pairs so he should be alright.
Australia - This is the perfect antidote to Cyprus (no offence but there are a LOT of ballads in this year's contest). This year's wildcard has split opinion in terms of whether it should have been allowed to enter but lighten up people! The Aussies love Eurovision and this is a really decent pop song from established artist, Guy Sebastian.
We're not quite sure why he's got the M6 backdrop behind him - it's not saying exotic Gold Coast to me - but we're loving the jaunty hat and the dancing's not bad either. Tonight Again could land top five.
Belgium - Loic Nottet came second in the 2013 Belgium version of The Voice as part of BJ Scott and this entry, Rhythm Inside, is a bold effort and has more than a touch of Lorde's hit Royals about it. Australian artist Sia recently re-tweeted Loic's version of her hit Chandelier, which must say something.
There's a teetering pirouette in the middle which looks pretty risky plus one of the dancers appears to be doing a floor workout gym-style for some inexplicable reason. The track might be too cool and edgy for Eurovision's audience but it made it through the first semi-final so watch this space.
Austria - Conchita is a hard act to follow and this year's Austrian act has been somewhat in the shadow of the 'Queen of Austria' this week in Vienna. Rock band The MakeMakes are giving it a good crack with their song We Are Yours!
It's pretty low key after the whirlwind that was Conchita but they certainly haven't disgraced themselves on the big stage in front of a home crowd. And they do all have facial hair to keep the beard theme going. And we have another gimmick - woo hoo! The piano is set on fire! Er, health and safety anyone? Where are the EU regulations when you need them?
Greece - Phew. They've either put out the piano fire or they've wheeled in another for Maria Elena Kyriacou's entry, One Last Breath. This is another typical Eurovision ballad, with a predictable 80s-style drum beat joining in for the second verse.
She's got a fine pair of lungs on her though and the wind machine is in full action as she builds up to the finale. Maria Elena co-wrote the song herself. Before winning a Greek talent show, she was a professor so at least that's something to fall back on if the wind doesn't blow in her favour (sorry!)
Armenia - Genealogy, had to change their song title from Don't Deny to Face the Shadow after it was deemed too political by the powers that be with its apparent reference to the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago. Not quite sure what the point was given the lyrics remain unchanged.
But anyway, it's a powerful rock ballad sung by a six-strong group, featuring opera-style warbling plus your more standard pop voices. There's some pretty impressive harmonies here, too.
Lithuania's upbeat This Time comes from yet another male/female duo, Monika Linkyte and Vaidas Baumila. The song can certainly hold its own and there's a three-second kiss between the pair midway through the performance which seems to go down very well with the audience. There's definitely chemistry there.
Serbia's entry has the perfect ingredients for a Eurovision hit. Big diva voice, spooky dancers with masks who strip off to reveal new costumes, reminiscent of Bucks Fizz, and an "I am what I am" message from its plus-size singer, Bojana Stamenov. Beauty Never Lies starts off as a ballad before building into a classic Euro discobeat dance track that is sending audiences wild in Vienna.
And hats off to the backing vocalists/dancers for presenting the chorus in sign language while leaping around the stage. This could be a surprise winner.
Norway's entry is a real grower and duo Morland and Debrah Scarlett have to be one of the coolest acts in this year's final. Some songs don't need gimmicks and this is one of them. Their song, A Monster Like Me, is creeping up in the betting odds and it's a really hard one to call - it could be too slow for voters hearing it for the first time and it's not typical Eurovision fare. Then again, that could work in their favour.
Kjetil Morland comes from southern Norway but has spent most of his adult life in the UK, after moving there to study. This of course explains his very English accent which threw me off guard in yesterday's press conference. So worth cheering them on along with Electro Velvet if you like the UK connection. (Don't tell anyone but this is my favourite).
Sweden is favourite to win this year's contest with Mans Zelmerlow's Heroes and it's not hard to see why. The Aviici-style track is being belted out by Eurovision fans across Vienna (including on a tram last night on the way back the press centre) but its trump card is the stunning background graphics.
The innovative and interactive projections wouldn't look out of place at the Brits or Grammys. Whether the graphics should be as important a factor as the song itself is a debate that will no doubt rumble on should Sweden win.
Slovenia - This was a slick opening performance from married duo Marjetka and Raay. Their act is called Maraaya, a combination of... you've got it, Marjetka and Raay. Here For You has a genuine contemporary edge with a catchy chorus that should see it do well tonight. And it can't be easy kicking off a show watched by nearly 200m people on TV.
Not sure if the huge headphones paired with a wedding dress is a good look but anything goes at Eurovision. Their act also features a very energetic dancer playing an imaginary violin, plus Raay making love with the camera from his piano seat. Whatever floats your boat.
France - Not one act who has been placed second in the line-up at Eurovision has ever won. So it's a tough ask for France's Lisa Angell. Let's hope her lucky routine is in place - when her daughter is backstage with her, Lisa kisses her on the forehead and if she's not there, she keeps a picture of her close by. Bless.
Lisa's a fantastic and powerful singer live but I can't see this ballad doing the business, despite the men in uniform flanking her on either side. It's one of the few entries this year to be sung in a native tongue, titled N'oubliez Pas. Or Don't Forget. Sorry Lisa, we just might.
Israel - Golden Boy, Nadav Guedj, certainly lives up to his name here in the press centre. They absolutely love the 16-year-old bundle of energy who intends to prove he's "the king of fun". For his tender years, he oozes confidence and totally owns the stage (I'm channelling my inner Simon Cowell).
And check out his bling winged gold trainers. His track covers all angles, starting off with a ballad-like solo which morphs into a Justin Timberlake-style dance track before it leads into a Middle Eastern-influenced chorus. Hold on to your hats.
Estonia - Elina Born and Stig Rasta certainly have their country behind them - they picked up 79% of the vote from Estonian TV viewers in the selection contest. Goodbye to Yesterday has some pretty odd lyrics in places ("I'm all alone, lying here naked waiting by the phone" for starters). Songwriter Stig rarely sings himself, he usually just writes for other people. And you can tell.
Don't get me wrong, he can hold a tune but Elina definitely has the stronger voice. However, the song is strong and the pair will be hoping for a second win for Estonia in Vienna. The piece de resistance is a clever illusion which sees Stig "disappear" into thin air at the end of the performance. Hurrah, the first real gimmick of the night!
United Kingdom - Rolling Stones tribute act singer Alex Larke and vocalist Bianca Nicholas are really enjoying the ride here in Vienna. Their song, Still In Love With You, has been the subject of much debate on social media and Alex himself has described it as a "Marmite" song i.e. you either love it or hate it. But it's a fun ditty and in a Eurovision Song Contest sadly lacking in gimmicks this year, Electro Velvet's performance should stand out.
Keep your eye on those costumes, that's all I'm saying. Not to mention Bianca's fabulous hair extensions and some pyrotechnics for good measure. Don't forget, Sandie Shaw won in Vienna in 1967 with Puppet On A String. Let's hope it's a good omen.
The show is being hosted by three women, Mirjam Weichselbraun, Alice Tumler and Arabella Kiesbauer but Conchita is clearly the lady of the moment as she pops up out of a podium in a sparkling pink number - and now the 'Queen of Austria' is flying across the stage!
All the contestants walk up to the stage surrounded by their respective flags.
I'll be giving you my thoughts on each entry.
The show is just about to start, and the noise has really ramped up in the last 15 minutes or so. We'll be lucky to hear the performances at this rate!
And if you're having a party, get in touch with Graham Norton and he might just give you a shout-out.
So hold on tight, here we go...
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more - I've arrived at the press centre and will be here for the duration.
Just before leaving the hotel, I saw Electro Velvet dashing back out, presumably on their way to the arena.
And I literally bumped into Graham Norton as I came out of the lift - or should I say, he bumped into me. He looked in a bit of a rush. For your information, the beard is looking well-groomed ahead of the final.
On the way to the arena, I passed dozens of fans streaming out after the final dress rehearsal, soaked to the skin.
It's rained pretty much solidly since I arrived - I bet the sun comes out tomorrow just as I board the plane.
Flags are flying already inside the press room and elbows are out. A French radio station has already stuck its label on the BBC's allocated table. This could be war!
On a lighter note, I've just been introduced to Terry Vision - a puppet who is a reporter for unofficial Eurovision website ESC Insight.
Hmmm. Do you think he might be based on someone closer to home with a strong Eurovision association?
Eurovision fans, it's the day you've been waiting for - the grand final!
It's raining here in Vienna (just for a change) but that isn't dampening anyone's spirits.
I've just spotted Alex from Electro Velvet in the hotel foyer looking relaxed ahead of the final dress rehearsal this afternoon and the place is swarming with fans - I bumped into several members of one unofficial fan club from London who did an impromptu dance routine in the hotel reception complete with LED light gloves, presumably in honour of Electro Velvet's illuminating stage show.
Not to mention their specially made T-shirts carrying the slogan: "Sounding Good, Sugar", a line from Still In Love With You.
The bookies' odds have made interesting reading during the week, with fluctuations aplenty following each semi-final.
According to Oddschecker this morning, which compiles all the big bookmakers, Sweden are still out in front, followed by Russia - who have edged past Italy, now lying in third.
Belgium and Australia are also in the running.
Electro Velvet are somewhere in the middle.
But who knows? Last year, it was predicted that the UK would claim a top five place but we ended up coming a disappointing 17th.
The Eurovision experts here in Vienna have also been sharing their thoughts about how it might go tonight.
Paul Jordan, best known as Dr Eurovision, told me: "Sweden is one to watch, they usually do well.
"It's not the best song but it's contemporary and his performance is really innovative.
"Russia could do well. Given the wider political context it will be interesting to watch the reaction for this [they were booed last year]."
That's unlikely to happen this year, though.
According to The Moscow Times, Eurovision organisers have "sound-reducing" technology at the ready to silence the audience should any booing occur this evening.
In Copenhagen last year, Russia's Tolmachevy Twins were repeatedly booed, although they ended up in seventh place.
The pair took the flak for their mother country's stance on Ukraine and Russia's record on gay rights.
We'll find out tonight if Russia's entry this year, Polina Gagarina, with her song about tolerance and peace, will suffer the same fate.
Just bumped into Kathrin Zechner, director of television at ORF, Austria's state broadcaster.
She was responsible for choosing Conchita to represent Austria at last year's contest and is in charge of the show's production.
"We went for the most challenging and she has a wonderful voice. She is so laidback and wise for her age.
"I told her to present six songs and Phoenix just stood out."
"Tears, happiness and pride! When they said Austria was in the lead, I nearly fainted!"
"The theme of the eye is about the vision of life and keeping an eye on the people around you.
"We've put the green room in the middle of the room, so it's really part of the show, as are the audience.
"The Building Bridges theme is about diversity, between old and young, women and men, different races, sexuality.
"I'm the only female director on my board, so that's my focus. Men will never give a place to women for free, you really have to push.
"We wanted three Austrians who are multi-lingual, from different ethnic groups. They're all professionals and all working mums."
"Keep an eye on your neighbour, Austria is a great place to visit and we built the longest, sparkly bridge - to Australia and back!"
We're all a bit bleary-eyed in the press centre this morning after the semi-final last night but thankfully, one of the BBC producers has come armed with PG Tips to keep us going. I managed to grab UK hopefuls Electro Velvet for a quick chat ahead of the first dress rehearsal for the final.
Bianca: "We just can't wait to get up there. The nerves are starting to come a little, but that's a good thing. It just means that you care a lot about it."
Alex: "I think we'll be quite pumped on the night, there'll be a lot of adrenaline!"
Bianca: "All that stuff is totally outside of our control. If you focus on where you're going to come, how you're doing in the odds, it can distract you from the performance which is the most important thing."
Alex: "We've put ourselves in our own little bubble, so we're not communicating with the outside world. We're just getting on with making sure our performance is tip top and then hopefully the rest will fall into place."
Bianca: "I hope we'll feel on top of the world and feel proud of what we've done wherever we come."
Alex: "There might be a glass of wine!"
Bianca: "We're quite lucky we're on early so we can then enjoy everyone else's performances. We've made some really good friends, it's like one big family. So we'll get to see some of our friends' performances and we're rooting for them, too."
Alex: "We did a little stint on the ukulele (at last night's semi-final). When they announced the UK, the place went nuts - it's been great, it lifted me."
Bianca: "It's so nice that a complete stranger wants to approach you and wish you good luck. It's really encouraging."
Bianca: "Eurovision is very fan-led, the staging is getting better and better and we're using state-of-the-art technology in our performance, it's just moving with the times."
More and more fans are descending on the Austrian capital as Grand Final day looms and I caught up with Mike and Louise, a couple from Nottingham, who are first-timers at Eurovision.
Michael: "We wanted to come to Vienna anyway so we thought, 'let's kill two birds with one stone'. We're more festival-goers really, we're off to the Isle of Wight later this year. It took us two days to get here because Louise doesn't fly!
Mike: "I think it's OK, I think it was wrong to put in the old has-beens - Englebert and Bonnie - in it.
Louise: "Electro Velvet were just put together for this, it's just one record and we might not hear from them again."
Mike: "We went to the first semi-final. Most of the songs were big ballads or very poppy and I think Electro Velvet have been quite clever, it's slightly off-beat.
Louise: "I think the song's catchy."
Mike: "They played it live in the auditorium and it came across OK with the sound system beefing it up."
Louise: "Everyone was cheering. You can never tell!"
Louise: "It's me really! It's always been there since you were young. In the last 8-10 years it's changed again, young people are having parties. In England we always know we're never going to win. Good bands don't want to be part of it."
Michael: "If Take That or Blur entered, they wouldn't win... It's all political."
Louise: "I love Italy but having seen Serbia, I think with the lyrics, the big ballad start-off and then the beat, it's got all the ingredients.
Michael: The Australian one was good. That's a good pop song.
So we now have the order of the 26 acts in grand final. The UK is in fifth - Alex from Electro Velvet told me just now he was pleased with the slot, adding that many of the upbeat songs are in the first half. They are sandwiched between a strong track from Estonia and Armenia's moody protest ballad. France had better start worrying though - no-one who is second in the line-up has ever won Eurovision. Here's the list in full.
1.Slovenia
2.France
3.Israel
4.Estonia
5.United Kingdom
6.Armenia
7.Lithuania
8.Serbia
9.Norway
10.Sweden
11.Cyprus
12.Australia
13.Belgium
14.Austria
15.Greece
16.Montenegro
17.Germany
18.Poland
19.Latvia
20.Romania
21.Spain
22.Hungary
23.Georgia
24.Azerbaijan
25.Russia
26.Albania
27.Italy
And breathe... now we know the entire line-up for Saturday's grand final.
The biggest cheers went up in the press room for performances from Azerbijian, Montenegro, Slovenia, Israel, Norway and Sweden during the second semi-final - and that was reflected in the vote tonight, as they all went through.
They were joined by Lithuania, Poland - which seemed to be something of a surprise to some - Cyprus and Latvia.
Everyone held their breath as they waited for the last act to land a place in the final - and it went to Israel's 16-year-old Nadav Guedj.
Sadly, the other 16-year-olds in the competition - San Marino duo Michele Perniola and Anita Simoncini - will not be joining him.
Multiple-Eurovision winner Ireland also missed the cut, as did Malta, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Iceland.
I spoke to Eurovision expert John Kennedy O'Connor after the results were announced: "Heartbreak of course in Ireland. It's 20 years now since their run of incredible Eurovision glory was halted and for the second year in a row, they didn't make the final.
"The poor Czechs were bounced out again and they are yet to ever appear on the final stage. San Marino of course disappointed and the youngest singers in the contest couldn't capitalise on their experience in the junior event last year."
So who is responsible for the outcome?
Viewers at home were able to vote in the semi-final if their country was performing in it. The UK are one of the "Big Five" who will go straight through to the final but Brits were allowed to vote on Thursday night.
The public determined half of the vote and the other half was down to the national juries of all the countries taking part or allocated to the semi-final.
As the results came through, the betting odds online began frantically changing before my eyes as we finally knew for definite who would be singing on Saturday night.
Russia, Belgium and Serbia are looking good while Sweden and Italy are still the favourites. Australia, Estonia, and now Norway, could also be in the running.
There was a jubilant atmosphere at the press conference that followed the show - the losers and their supporters must have sneaked out the back.
I think I was the only Brit among a sea of excitable Israelis surrounding me on all sides of the seating area, and it wasn't long before they broke into a spontaneous rendition of Guedj's Golden Boy.
Poland's entry, Monika Kuszynska, was very emotional about getting through. She was in a rock pop band who were involved in a serious car accident in 2006, which left her paralysed from the waist down.
"I feel I've got something to say, a message to put in my songs. Sometimes we can only see the dark side but many beautiful things can go with a terrible event. I always look on the bright side, that's why I'm here."
Sweden's Mans Zelmerlow said he was feeling "happy and relieved" after going through before admitting, "I could have done some things better tonight. I was a bit rushed in the second verse, so I hope I'll be in the running to be champ!"
Don't worry Mans, you have three dress rehearsals before the big event to make it perfect.
There's a frisson in the air today in the Eurovision press centre as the 'Austrian Queen', aka Conchita, is in the house.
Her press conference was crammed to the gills with journos and Eurovision superfan bloggers. She didn't disappoint, entering the room wearing a dress slit to the waist to the strains of her single You Are Unstoppable.
What's it like hosting the green room at the semi-finals, ahead of Saturday's grand final?
"Three days ago I thought: 'Why would I agree on doing this? Last year, the last thing I wanted was for anyone to ask me how I felt! But I really do enjoy it, it's a new experience. I'm pushing my boundaries - I have just one minute and 48 seconds for each contestant."
How have you dealt with the fame that came with your win last year?
"I'm still not used to being a known person outside Austria. It's something I really appreciate."
And you've written a book about your life already!
"I'm just 26, it was too early to write my memoirs - there weren't that many! But then we came up with a concept that everyone liked, a book that I myself would like - with many pictures!"
Midway through proceedings, the MD of Sony Records in Austria surprised Conchita with a platinum award for her self-titled album.
Conchita: "What are you doing here? Am I fired? [Then] Thank you so much, gosh, that's unbelievable, thank you so much to my fans, that's huge."
How do you feel about Conchita lookalikes?
"I'm flattered people copy my look at carnivals etc - it's easy, a man just doesn't have to shave!"
Why are you known now just as Conchita, not Conchita Wurst?
"I heard the only way you get an Oscar is to drop your surname!"
You're a very positive person but some things must make you angry?
"Any negativity in the last year was about me and my character and I really don't care about other peoples' opinions.
With things in society - all I can do is reach as many people as possible through a camera and hopefully reach other people who have more influence than I do.
"I would love to meet President Putin. I would love to spend a week with him to understand what it's like to be President Putin, but I don't know if it's going to happen!"
Do you have a favourite in this year's contest?
"I do and I won't tell you!"
Guten morgen from Vienna.
The Australian fans are the big story at Eurovision this year, as Guy Sebastian vies to take the Eurovision crown beyond Europe's shores for the first time in the competition's history.
I caught up with an Aussie family - mum, son and daughter - who had travelled from Queensland to join the party.
So what's brought you all the way from Australia?
Nick: "We're here because Conchita won and we love Conchita."
Michaela (mum): "I was born in Austria so for me, Conchita's win was a huge thing. That's why I had to come back and they came with me."
Have you always been big Eurovision fans?
Michaela: "Yes. I used to make them sit and watch. I grew up with Eurovision in the '70s, so they just had to listen - there was no escape!"
How did you feel when you found out that Australia were going to be part of the competition this year?
Eloise: "It was pretty exciting as we were coming anyway."
What do you think of Guy's song, Tonight Again?
Nick: "I think he'll do really well, it's a good song, everyone likes it over here and he's a great performer. We voted for him when he was on Australian Idol."
Have you had a good reception here in Vienna?
Eloise: "Everyone loves Australians (we're kind of a novelty)."
Michaela: "Everyone is friendly and we've come from afar. There have been mixed reactions to us being in it, but such is life."
Nick: "They think it's kind of weird we've come all the way - it is a bit odd as we're not in Europe. I think a lot of people are perplexed as to why we love it so much."
Why do the Australians love Eurovision so much?
Nick: "It's the immigrant population: Greeks, Italians, English, Austrian.
Michaela: "For the older generation, it's like a part of home for us. When we watch it, it brings Europe a bit closer. I think that's why a lot of the immigrants like it - and then their children either grow up liking it or hating it!"
And do you have any other Eurovision favourites this year?
All (in unison): "Belgium, we love Belgium!"
After a whirlwind introduction to the craziness of the press room, we raced down to Vienna's beautiful City Hall Square - home to the Eurovision Village all this week. Crowds had gathered and the stage was set for the "Big Five" contestants (France, Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain) plus wildcard Australia to prove themselves ahead of Saturday's grand final.
The square was packed with fans from across the continent and beyond, despite the heavy rain which decided to make an appearance just as the bizarre warm-up acts - lindy hop and flamenco dancers anyone? - got going.
Guy Sebastian was first up, receiving a raucous welcome, not least from a substantial group of Aussies who clearly felt it was worth the air fare and 24-hour flight to join the party.
"You guys are awesome for staying in the rain. We love Eurovision in Australia and we are super-excited to be taking part."
Guy chose to perform an acoustic rendition of Tonight Again, saying he wanted to save the full show for Saturday.
French contestant Lisa Angell was up next, with one of the few Eurovision entries this year not to be sung in English, N'oubliez Pas (that's "Don't Forget" to me and you).
So does she want to win? "If I want something, I want something," she said. "If I want bread, I want bread, if I want cheese, I want cheese, so if I want to win, I want to win." Er, ok.
It was soon time for the Brits to cheer as Electro Velvet - Alex Larke and Bianca Nicholas - arrived, complete with the obligatory apology from Alex for "bringing the weather with us".
With the rain now streaming down, the lyrics "Don't go out in the pouring rain / You might get wet, I'd be upset" seemed just a little ironic.
For some reason, Germany's Ann Sophie wasn't present so we had to make do with the video that accompanies her track, Black Smoke.
Italy and Spain rounded off the evening, with Italian trio Il Volo belting out their Il Divo-esque Grand Amore. It got the biggest ovation of the night and many here believe it's a serious contender for the Eurovision crown.
Spain's Edurne then belted out her gutsy number Amanecer as the rain finally cleared up and the crowds began to disperse.
So I've made it into the frankly massive Eurovision press centre - 800 square metres with 800 separate work spaces.
A dress rehearsal for tomorrow night's second semi-final is just about to begin. Nerves are jangling, as the elimination of PKN at last night's show proved no-one is safe.
The rehearsal is being beamed across the press centre on giant screens but, sadly, I'm not allowed to give you any updates - none of the rehearsals can be reported on.
Meanwhile, Vienna itself has gone Eurovision crazy. The city's Madame Tussaud's now has a wax figure of last year's winner, Conchita Wurst, and there's even a display in the Leopold Museum titled Nul-Pointers.
The exhibition contains - you guessed it - a portrait of each of the 34 Eurovision participants whose performances did not earn them a single point. According to the museum, "they represent icons of failure".
Talk about a back-handed compliment.
Earlier, I spotted my first gay-themed pedestrian traffic light (see above). They were due to be removed in June but Maria Vassilakou, in charge of traffic issues in the local council, has said they will now remain.
Right, it's time for me to hop off to the Euro Village to see the "Big Five" performing. I'll report back later.
Malta's enigmatic singer Amber has been spreading the Eurovision message of peace and equality ahead of her performance at the second semi-final on Thursday.
Yesterday, she was seen sporting a "Yes" badge when she met Ireland's Molly Sterling in Vienna, to show her support for the marriage equality referendum - which takes place on Friday in Ireland. It's the world's first referendum on same sex marriage and is, of course, being closely followed by the many gay fans of Eurovision.
Earlier today, Amber was spotted at Vienna's Learning Cafe, a free service for kids and teenagers from refugee families.
Amber plans to become a primary school teacher after Eurovision, so at least she has something to fall back on should her song, Warrior, not make it through to the grand final.
Press accreditation sorted, with much excitement surrounding the goody bags handed out to journalists - salami, sausages, you name it. Shame I'm vegetarian. Still, the chocolate and random shoe polish makes up for it.
I've not even left the airport lounge yet and the first big shock of Eurovision 2015 has happened without me. PKN, Finland's hotly tipped and much-hyped punk outfit, failed to make it through the first semi-final last night.
Shame - their song made a change from the plethora of power ballads on offer this year (even if it wasn't that easy on the ear).
The Netherlands may be four-times Eurovision winners, having last won in 1975, but any hopes of adding to that tally were also dashed on Tuesday night when they fell at the first hurdle.
Four other contenders will also be going home disappointed - Moldova, FYR Macedonia, Belarus and Denmark.
But it's not all bad news - Moldova's early exit means Eduard Romanyuta can go back to his PhD thesis on Ukranian tax policy. I kid you not.
Here are the 10 countries that did make the grade:
See you in Vienna!
And we're off… 16 countries will go head-to-head at the first Eurovision semi-final tonight live from Vienna, with 10 lucky acts going through to Saturday's grand final.
Among those could be Finland's punk rock outfit PKN, Russia's Polina Gagarina - with a song about unity, fairness and equality - and Estonia's ones to watch, duo Elina and Stig.
This year's competition has a lot to live up to after Conchita Wurst stormed to glory in 2014 in Copenhagen. The self-styled "bearded lady" will Rise Like a Phoenix once more to host this year's green room in both the semis and the final itself.
And never fear, the UK's entry, Electro Velvet, has a guaranteed slot on the stage this Saturday. As one of the "Big Five" which contribute the most money to the European Broadcasting Union - along with Italy, Spain, France and Germany - the UK goes through automatically. Phew.
As last year's winner, Austria also gets a bye into the final as does this year's surprise package, Australia, which has been invited to take part to celebrate the song contest's 60th anniversary.
You can watch both semi-finals (the second takes place on Thursday) on BBC Three at 20:00 BST tonight and on Thursday. | This year's Eurovision Song Contest has taken place in Vienna. |
30,589,804 | Prime Minister David Cameron said he was delighted a workable agreement had been reached.
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said it "sets out a plan for financial and welfare reform".
The two main parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin have said they are recommending the proposals to their executives, but some other parties are disappointed.
Some key financial points in the document:
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said he would be recommending the document to his party executive.
"Of course every one of us would have liked to have had a more comprehensive and complete agreement but this is as much and more than we have ever been able to do on these issues in the past," he said.
"So it is a very significant agreement."
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the party's negotiations team would also be recommending the proposals to its ard chomairle (party executive).
The party's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the deal had the potential to give the executive a "fresh start".
"And it is a fresh start we need to seize with both hands," he said.
"I think it's been a remarkable achievement."
The Stormont House negotiations tackled a number of contentious issues.
Three - flags, parades and the past - were inherited from the failed talks chaired by the US diplomat Richard Haass a year ago.
Read more here.
However, Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt said no party was able to give the agreed proposals 100% endorsement as "they all have their own processes", but he said he would ask his own party to give the agreement "a fair wind".
Alliance leader David Ford said he made it clear to the government that he would accept what was in the paper, but said it did not go far enough to meet the needs of Northern Ireland society.
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said he believed the "deal falls short" and that he was disappointed the document was not as comprehensive as he hoped it would be.
"A crisis has been averted. We have a broad agreement about a range of issues.
"I am led to ask the question, when is a deal actually a deal? Certainly, as far as the DUP are concerned, the Ulster Unionists and now Sinn Féin, as well, they all believe this is a good proposal.
"The SDLP and Alliance are both sounding a note of caution. Alliance says it falls short of what is needed. The SDLP say they are disappointed.
"Although the crucial issue of cash has, for the moment, been sorted, there are other issues in this that probably haven't been fully addressed.
"The issue of the past, parading and the flying of flags in Northern Ireland, these are all crucial and very controversial issues.
"As far as flags and parades are concerned, we don't think that has been totally sorted.
"Until we see the fine detail of this deal, we won't know how much of an agreement this is and how much of an agreement it isn't."
Mr McDonnell said the party was disappointed by parading proposals, while the measures on dealing with the legacy of the Troubles fell short of those put forward during last year's talks chaired by former US diplomat Richard Haass and Harvard professor Meghan O'Sullivan.
Other key points agreed
But Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said it had been a good day.
She said a draft agreement for the parties had been put on the table taking on board many hours of discussions and that it was positively received.
She said it was a "genuine step forward" in progress on "some of the critical issues in Northern Ireland".
Former US diplomat Richard Haass chaired cross-party talks a year ago on the issues of flags, parades and the past. Those talks broke up without any resolution.
Mr Haass said progress on dealing with the legacy of the Troubles was perhaps the most significant element to the agreement.
"The good thing, I think, more than anything else was that there was significant progress on dealing with the past, setting up these new institutions that will provide mechanisms for dealing with a lot of the unresolved issues," he said.
The current talks on welfare reform, the past, flags and parades have lasted 12 weeks.
On Tuesday night, the Northern Ireland Office confirmed it would not go ahead with a panel to resolve a parading dispute in north Belfast.
It said the government was committed to finding a resolution to the Twaddell/Ardoyne dispute, but that a mediation panel is not covered by Tuesday's agreement. | A broad agreement has been brokered on some key issues in the cross-party Northern Ireland talks. |
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