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40,206,314 | Conservative Damien Moore won 18,541 votes, securing a majority of 2,914 - a swing of 7.6% from the Liberal Democrats who came third.
Liberal Democrat Sue McGuire, who was selected after former MP John Pugh retired, won 12,661 votes. Labour's Liz Savage was second with 15,627 votes.
Elsewhere in Merseyside, Labour retained all of its seats.
There was a turnout of 69.1% in Southport, where Liberal Democrat MP John Pugh had stepped down in May after 16 years representing the town.
He said in April he would retire as he he did not want to work through "the nightmare chaos of Brexit" in the next parliament.
Mr Moore said he will be "hard working" and that people in Southport had told him their priority was to get on with the business of leaving the European Union.
Labour's Liz Savage said coming second was an "historic occasion" for the party.
Labour's Margaret Greenwood retained Wirral West, a marginal seat that was targeted heavily by the Conservatives after they lost it in 2015 when Esther McVey was ousted after just one term.
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Ms Greenwood got 54.3% of the vote and an increased majority of over 5,000 from 417, while Conservative Tony Caldeira came second on 42.1%.
She said she believes Labour have done better than expected because more young people voted.
"People really value public services... and realise that you need a Labour government to get them", she said.
There was a clean sweep for Labour in Wirral as Alison McGovern also held Wirral South, winning 25,871 votes.
Former Labour leadership candidate Angela Eagle retained her seat in Wallasey with 72% of the vote and an increased majority.
She said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn "fought a great campaign" and praised his "authenticity and honesty".
Labour MP for Bootle Peter Dowd took a sideswipe at Theresa May in his victory speech after he was re-elected on 42,259 votes with a 36,200 majority.
"We've moved from strong and stable to definitely weak and wobbly," Mr Dowd, who was first elected to the seat in 2015, said.
"Theresa May was walking through wheat fields this week - it's not wheat fields she's walking through tonight, it is something much more smelly."
Labour's Dan Carden retained the party's stronghold in Liverpool Walton, winning 85.7% of the vote.
His 36,175 votes marked an increase of 4.4% on predecessor Steve Rotheram, who is now the party's mayor of the Liverpool City Region.
Laura Evans of the Conservatives came second with 3,624.
Labour's Luciana Berger remains Liverpool Wavertree MP with a sizeable 79.6% share of the vote.
"The result is a very strong indication of people's support for Labour values today... we saw an increase in turnout - it's very heartening - of young people", she said.
Meanwhile in Cheshire, Chris Matheson increased his majority in the marginal seat of Chester by more than 9,000, gaining 32,023 votes. He was defending a majority of 93. | The Conservatives have gained Southport from the Liberal Democrats who have held the seat for almost two decades. |
35,751,919 | In a hearing before the Treasury Committee, Mark Carney said that the economy would be affected by the uncertainty created by an exit vote.
Mr Carney emphasised that the Bank was not taking sides in the EU referendum.
However, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg accused him of making "pro-EU" comments.
In a letter sent to Treasury Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie, Mr Carney said that Britain's membership of the EU had reinforced the "dynamism of the UK economy", and that the relationship had helped the UK to grow.
In a sometimes fractious exchange with MPs on the committee, Mr Carney denied claims he was "pro-EU".
Mr Rees-Mogg said his comments were "beneath the dignity of the Bank".
The referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union is to be held on Thursday 23 June.
"We will not be making, and nothing we say should be interpreted as making, any recommendation with respect to that decision," Mr Carney said.
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the governor had "come down with a resounding thump" in favour of remaining in the EU, pointing out that Mr Carney also praised the deal that David Cameron had struck with Europe to safeguard the City of London.
Our correspondent said that people were likely to take notice of what Mr Carney said to make up their minds about Europe. "Mark Carney is perhaps one of those figures that people might look to as being above the political fray."
Mr Carney appeared in front of the cross-party Treasury Committee to discuss the economic and financial costs and benefits of the UK's EU membership.
Referring to a Bank of England report on the EU, Mr Carney concluded that EU membership had "likely increased the dynamism of the UK economy and correspondingly its ability to grow without generating risks to the Bank's primary objectives of monetary and financial stability".
However, Mr Rees-Mogg said this could be attributed to reforms made under Margaret Thatcher.
"It is speculative and beneath the dignity of the Bank of England to be making speculative, pro-EU comments," Mr Rees-Mogg said.
The MP said that he was concerned that the Bank was focused more on the positive aspects of EU membership than the negative, adding that it was guilty of "political partisanship" over Europe.
Mr Carney rejected Mr Rees-Mogg's statements as "wholly unfounded" and said: "With respect, what concerns me is your selective memory."
The governor said that he had not discussed what he was going to say on Tuesday with Mr Cameron. "I have not had conversations with the Prime Minister about what I might say about the European Union."
As he considered the shark infested waters he would face this morning, Mr Carney knew two things.
First, that the pro-remain camp would grab all his negative comments about Brexit and trumpet them as a victory for them.
And they will.
Second, that he was likely to be attacked by the pro-leave campaign for being deliberately partisan in his approach to the value or otherwise of the EU to the British economy.
And he was.
It was the only moment Mr Carney appeared to bridle, responding to Jacob Rees-Moggs' "beneath the Bank's dignity" attack with a testy "I cannot let that stand".
That's about as close as a central bank governor comes to blowing his top.
Read Kamal's blog in full
Mr Carney said risks from an EU exit included the Bank's ability to control inflation, a fall in the pound and banks moving abroad.
However, if Britain votes to leave the EU, Mr Carney said the Bank "will do everything in our power to discharge our responsibility to achieve monetary stability and financial stability".
He said that there were measures that the Bank of England could take in the short term to support the financial system but said he could not rule out the possibility that there could be issues with stability.
Commenting on the short-term impact of an EU exit, Mr Carney said: "There could be lower levels of activity because of the degree of uncertainty that could affect investment and household spending. Reasonable expectations during a period of uncertainty."
However, he said it would not be possible to say what the longer term impact of leaving the EU would be on Britain. "We are not forming a view because it's outside our remit," Mr Carney said.
Mr Carney was also questioned about the financial sector's reaction to an exit.
He said: "One would expect some activity to move, certainly there's a logic to that and there are views that have been expressed publicly and privately by a number of institutions that they would look at it, and I'd say a number of institutions are contingency planning for that possibility."
On Monday, the Bank of England pledged to offer extra funding to the financial market before and after the June vote, in case uncertainty put pressure on the banking system. | The governor of the Bank of England has said that the possibility of Britain leaving the EU is the "biggest domestic risk to financial stability". |
16,771,611 | Disability campaign groups and members of direct action organisation UK Uncut chanted, held banners and banged drums in the middle of Oxford Circus.
Campaigners say the changes in the Welfare Reform Bill would see half a million people lose their benefits.
The government said it wanted a simpler and fairer welfare system.
The proposals, which are due to come into force in 2013, include introducing a single universal credit.
The bill, currently going through Parliament, also includes a cap on benefits to about £500 a week, or £26,000 a year - the level of the average salary of working families. Last week the government was defeated in the Lords on that and other aspects.
The Disability Living Allowance would be replaced with a new allowance, Personal Independence Payments. This would involve upfront medical tests and regular assessments for working people aged 16 to 64.
UK Uncut said 15 wheelchair users chained themselves together in Oxford Circus at about 12:00 GMT, blocking traffic in part of Regent Street until about 14:30. They were supported by about 250 people, a spokeswoman said.
Q&A: Welfare changes row
One of the wheelchair users, referring to himself only as Andy, said the changes could be "devastating" for disabled people.
The 37-year-old, from Islington, north London, said: "The whole raft of cuts that are being carried through will affect all of the services that support disabled people - public services, social care, the voluntary sector - all these are being cut and disabled people disproportionately depend on these services.
"To reform one would have a big impact, but reforming them all is going to be devastating for those who depend on them."
Rosemary Willis, from Disabled People Against Cuts, added: "Maria Miller, so-called minister for disabled people, has repeatedly stated that we are 'financially unsustainable' and we want to ask this government exactly what they mean by that.
"We will not let this government push through these changes which have already led to disabled people taking their own lives."
Josie McDermot of UK Uncut said the bill was "cruel and unnecessary" and added that the protest was an "essential way to persuade the government to scrap their plans".
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said the government was "absolutely committed" to supporting disabled people and it was spending more than £40bn per year on disabled people.
"Households where someone receives disability living allowance will be exempt from the benefit cap and we are giving local authorities an additional £190m over four years to ensure vulnerable people are supported through the housing benefit reform, so we are not expecting people to become homeless," he said.
"The introduction of the universal credit from 2013 will see a simpler and fairer system of support for disabled people."
He added disabled people in greatest need would receive more support than they do currently.
Other changes in the bill include an under-occupancy penalty for council and housing association tenants with spare bedrooms, means-testing the Employment and Support Allowance (which replaced incapacity benefit) after 12 months and charging single parents to use the Child Support Agency. | People in wheelchairs chained themselves together in anger over welfare proposals, blocking traffic in one of London's busiest shopping areas. |
33,146,226 | Gordon MacRae, of the Humanist Society Scotland, said humanist weddings, which are not allowed in England and Wales, were a "great Scottish success story".
He estimates there will be 4,200 humanist weddings this year, more than Church of Scotland ceremonies.
The Kirk said it was not convinced the figures were correct.
It said weddings in the Christian faith, including Roman Catholic and other denominations, were still well ahead of humanist weddings.
About half of all weddings in Scotland are civil ceremonies carried out by an official registrar. The others are classed as religious or belief ceremonies.
Religious marriages in Scotland were never restricted by location, unlike civil ceremonies which were always in a register office before a 2002 change allowed other "approved places".
In 2005 the Registrar General for Scotland decided, after considering the European Convention on Human Rights, to allow humanists to conduct weddings as "authorised celebrants" - giving them equal status with ministers of religion.
Karen Watts and Martin Reijns were the first couple in Scotland to be married by a humanist celebrant, when they tied the knot at Edinburgh Zoo on 18 June 2005.
Ms Watts said the pair would not have been comfortable with a religious ceremony and a civil registration seemed a "bit cold".
She said at the time: "Neither of us are religious and it would have felt hypocritical to get married in a church.
"But at the same time we wanted something more meaningful than the legal civil ceremony."
Mr MacRae, chief executive of the Humanist Society Scotland (HSS), said its ceremonies allowed people to celebrate in a way that suited them, free from religious dogma.
He said humanism was a "rational, ethical and democratic approach to life" and that was put "front-and-centre" in its approach to marriage.
Mr MacRae said the change in the rules on belief weddings were a "great Scottish success story".
"It is shocking discrimination against humanists elsewhere in the United Kingdom that they are denied that outside of Scotland," he said.
The last year for which the National Records of Scotland published full figures on marriage was 2013.
In that year there were 3,185 humanist ceremonies, a massive increase on the 82 in 2005.
Humanist ceremonies overtook Roman Catholic weddings in number in 2010 and if the Church of Scotland has continued the steady decline of the past decade it could conduct fewer weddings this year than the humanist society.
In 2013 the Church of Scotland conducted 4,616, down from more than 10,000 a decade earlier.
Mr MacRae said: "At this rate we would anticipate being the largest provider of legal weddings of any of the religious or belief groups within Scotland by the end of the year."
The Church of Scotland's Acting Principal Clerk George Whyte questioned the figures but said the Kirk was not in the habit of competing for business.
The Reverend Dr Whyte said: "We are not selling ourselves as an exercise in earning money from people's weddings."
He said the HSS would charge £390 for a wedding celebrant plus the cost of becoming a member of the society.
"They offer a service people can buy and perhaps feel in the buying of a service they can tailor it in ways they want," Dr Whyte said.
"Perhaps that is more in tune with our consumerist society."
Dr Whyte said Kirk ministers were forbidden from charging a fee although the Church asked for payment for the use of its buildings.
He said: "We are not in competition but we are more than happy to discuss all sizes and locations of weddings and can be very flexible about the services we offer. Maybe we should have been shouting about that more loudly." | Humanist weddings, which were first held exactly a decade ago, could be Scotland's most popular type of belief ceremony by the end of the year. |
37,643,754 | The code has been injected into the sites by cyberthieves, said Dutch developer Willem De Groot.
He found the 5,925 compromised sites by scanning for the specific signature of the data-stealing code in website software.
Some of the stolen data was sent to servers based in Russia, he said.
In a blogpost, Mr De Groot said the attacks exploited known vulnerabilities in several different widely used web retailing programs. Mr De Groot is co-founder and head of security at Dutch ecommerce site byte.nl
Having won access, the attackers injected a short chunk of obfuscated code that copied credit card and other payment information. Stolen data was being sold on dark web markets at a rate of about $30 (£25) per card, he said.
His research found nine separate types of skimming code on sites, suggesting many different crime groups were involved.
Mr De Groot said he had been investigating skimming since his own card details were stolen. His work revealed the first sites harbouring the malicious code in late 2015 but further research showed the skimming started in earnest in May 2015. By the end of that year about 3,500 sites had been compromised.
Since then, he said, the number of sites had grown to 5,925 with some harbouring skimming code for almost 18 months. Victims included carmakers, fashion firms, government sites and museums.
The code used to steal data steadily became more sophisticated and now makes efforts to hide itself and tackle more types of payment systems.
"New cases could be stopped right away if store owners would upgrade their software regularly," wrote Mr De Groot. "But this is costly and most merchants don't bother."
Mr De Groot said some stores had taken action to flush out the skimming code and patch their stores after he published a list of compromised sites.
"I would recommend consumers to only enter their payment details on sites of known payment providers such as Paypal," he told the BBC. "They have hundreds of people working on security, the average store probably has none." | Almost 6,000 web shops are unknowingly harbouring malicious code that is stealing the credit card details of customers, suggests research. |
40,198,218 | CCTV footage shows the three men attacking a pedestrian in Borough Market before charging at armed officers. The men are then shot dead.
It comes after police investigating Saturday's attack - which left eight people dead - made three fresh arrests during raids in east London.
In total, 17 people have been arrested and five remain in custody.
Police have named Youssef Zaghba, a 22-year-old Moroccan-Italian man who lived in east London, Khuram Butt, 27, from Barking, and Rachid Redouane, 30, who also lived in Barking, as the men who carried out the attack.
The three men drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people in Borough Market.
The new footage - which first emerged on social media - shows police shooting dead the men within seconds of arriving in Borough Market.
Police have been praised for ending the attack within eight minutes of the first 999 call.
The video shows a person walking into shot, before being chased and apparently being stabbed by the three men.
While the attack is ongoing, armed police arrive, prompting the three men to then charge at officers. However, the three men are shot dead within seconds.
Armed officers can then be seen examining the bodies of the men, who were wearing fake suicide vests.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has said 46 shots had been fired at the three attackers by eight police officers - five from the Met and three from the City of London force.
The footage makes both compelling and harrowing viewing. The first grainy images show a man being set upon by the three attackers as he walks along one of the narrow roads around Borough Market.
They repeatedly stab him, bundling him to the ground, before a police car arrives. Armed officers, guns raised, get out of the car. Six seconds later the attackers are dead.
The speed, professionalism, nerve and expertise shown by the firearms officers shines through in the video. Their actions undoubtedly saved many lives.
Separately, CCTV footage of Butt, Redouane and Zaghba apparently meeting at about 00:10 BST on Monday 29 May - five days before the attack - has also been published by the Times.
The film shows the men meeting outside a gym in Barking, according to the newspaper.
It shows Redouane throwing his mobile phone on the floor and walking off camera with the other two attackers, for about 10 minutes, before returning to collect his mobile.
The footage has been passed to police, the Times added.
On Wednesday night, two men were arrested on a street in Ilford, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 27-year-old man was held on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts. A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs, and was later further arrested over firearms allegations.
A third man, aged 29, was arrested on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts at an address in Ilford.
The other two men arrested were held under the Terrorism Act earlier on Wednesday - a 30-year-old detained in Ilford and a 27-year-old in Barking.
Twelve people arrested after the day after attack have been released without charge.
NHS England said 29 patients remained in London hospitals, with 10 in a critical condition.
A British Transport Police officer who was seriously injured after confronting the three attackers armed only with a baton has said he did "everything I could" to fight them off.
The officer, who has not been named, has been praised for his bravery, and added: "I want to say sorry to the families that lost their loved ones. I'm so sorry I couldn't do more."
The family of French national Alexandre Pigeard, a waiter at Boro Bistro, in Borough Market, said he was stabbed to death while working on the restaurant's terrace.
"Alexandre was a marvellous son, a perfect older brother and a radiant young man," they said in a statement. "All his friends praised his kindness, his good humour and his generosity."
On Wednesday, police searching for French national Xavier Thomas, 45, said they had recovered a body from the Thames, bringing the death toll to eight.
Mr Thomas's next of kin have been told, police said, but formal identification has not yet taken place.
Meanwhile, the prime minister of Spain said Ignacio EcheverrÃa, 39, who died defending a woman with his skateboard, should be given a posthumous award - the Silver Cross of the Order of Civil Merit. Mr EcheverrÃa was from Madrid and was working for HSBC bank in London.
The others killed in the attack have been named as Sebastien Belanger, 36, from France, Australians Sara Zelenak and Kirsty Boden, Canadian national Chrissy Archibald, and James McMullan, from Hackney, London.
It earlier emerged that Khuram Butt was known to police and MI5 in 2015, but the Metropolitan Police said there had been no evidence of a plot.
Butt had appeared in a Channel 4 documentary The Jihadis Next Door, broadcast last year.
An Italian police source confirmed to the BBC that Youssef Zaghba had been placed on a watch list, which is shared with many countries, including the UK.
In March 2016, Italian officers stopped him at Bologna airport and found IS-related materials on his mobile phone. He was then stopped from continuing his journey to Istanbul.
But speaking at her house in Bologna, Zaghba's mother told the BBC she believed her son was radicalised in the UK.
Rachid Redouane claimed to be a Moroccan-Libyan. He married a British woman, 38-year-old Charisse O'Leary, in Dublin in 2012.
His ex-wife said she was "deeply shocked, saddened and numbed" by his actions. | A video has emerged showing armed police shooting dead the three men who carried out the London terror attack. |
31,033,138 | He will be replaced by British-born Steve Easterbrook, the company's current chief brand officer, in March.
"It's tough to say goodbye to the McFamily," said Mr Thompson, a 25-year veteran, in a press release.
McDonald's recently reported disappointing results.
Fourth quarter earnings were $1.1bn, down 21% from a year earlier. The company also reported its fifth consecutive decline in sales.
Crucially, sales in the lucrative US market were down by 4.1%, as US consumers continue to eschew McDonald's, in favour of so-called "fast-casual" restaurants like Chipotle and Shake Shack.
After the earnings were released last Friday, McDonald's said its profits would remain under pressure for the next several months as it sought to lure back consumers with menu changes.
The company is also facing a labour issue in the US, where efforts to unionise fast food workers have led to a spate of lawsuits.
Mr Thompson was paid $9.5m in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available.
His successor, Steve Easterbrook, grew up in Watford, UK, and previously ran the Pizza Express and Wagamama restaurant chains.
He attended Watford Boys Grammar School and studied Natural Sciences at Durham University, before becoming an accountant at Price Waterhouse.
Mr Easterbrook will become only the second non-US chief executive to run McDonald's. | McDonald's boss Don Thompson is stepping down after two and a half years in the job, as the company continues to struggle with a declining customer base in the US. |
23,342,660 | Chelsea have confirmed making a bid for the 27-year-old but denied they would be willing to include either Juan Mata or David Luiz as a make-weight.
United rejected the offer on Tuesday night but Chelsea are expected to return with an improved bid.
Rooney has reiterated his desire to leave United after manager David Moyes said he was not his number one striker.
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And Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho confirmed his admiration for Rooney in a BBC interview in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Rooney has been left angered and confused by recent messages coming out of Old Trafford, most noticeably the suggestion from new manager Moyes that Robin van Persie is his main striker.
The Scot said last week: "Overall, my thought on Wayne is that if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie we are going to need him."
Rooney has expressed his disappointment with his situation to senior figures at the club and insisted he will not accept a squad role behind the Dutchman.
United have refused to comment on the latest twist in the saga, with their players in Sydney on the second leg of their pre-season tour.
But Chelsea released a statement on Wednesday, expressing their disappointment that news of their bid had leaked out.
They also denied that any player was included in the offer, despite sources close to the talks claiming otherwise.
"Chelsea can confirm that yesterday it made a written offer to Manchester United for the transfer of Wayne Rooney," read the statement.
"Although the terms of that offer are confidential, for the avoidance of doubt and contrary to what is apparently being briefed to the press in Sydney, the proposed purchase does not include the transfer or loan of any players from Chelsea to Manchester United."
United insist they will not be bullied into selling Rooney, despite the England striker's disgruntlement, and are determined to deal with Rooney's future on their terms.
With Manchester City, who are hopeful of completing the signing of Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo this week, unwilling to follow up their historic interest, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid showing no interest and Barcelona having signed the Brazil forward Neymar, Chelsea have emerged as the likeliest destination for Rooney.
Paris St-Germain have also been linked with the former Everton player, but the French champions have just signed Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani from Napoli.
In addition, Rooney is understood to be reluctant to move abroad.
Rooney may now submit a formal transfer request to force the issue, but there is no guarantee that United will grant him a move to a Premier League rival such as Chelsea.
United are comfortable with the situation and in a stronger position than 2010, when Rooney threatened to leave only to be persuaded to stay by former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. | Manchester United have rejected Chelsea's offer for Wayne Rooney and insisted the striker is not for sale. |
40,443,170 | From September three and four-year-olds will be eligible for 30 hours' free nursery education if both parents work.
But the National Day Nurseries Association says the average extra 40p an hour offered to providers falls short of what they need.
The government says the amount it has allocated should be enough.
Currently, three and four-year-olds in England are eligible for 15 hours of free nursery education per week.
This entitlement will double from September under a flagship Conservative pledge in the 2015 election.
But nursery operators say the money allocated has never covered their costs and doubling the hours will make matters worse.
Until now, they have been able to offset the shortfall by charging more to families who pay for extra hours over the 15.
This source of income will dry up once families are eligible for 30 free hours each week.
Meanwhile, higher business rates and the planned rise in the national living wage to £9 in 2020 mean higher costs.
The NDNA sent a funding questionnaire to each of England's 152 education authorities under Freedom of Information law, and received responses from 128.
On average, from September local authorities will increase funding for free nursery care for three and four-year-olds by 40p per hour to £4.37.
London boroughs will pay an average of £4.97 and councils outside London an average of £4.23.
And seven local authorities will pay below £4.00:
NDNA chief executive Purnima Tanuka wants the 30 hours plan delayed to allow a rethink on funding.
"Despite repeated government assurances that enough money would be made available for nurseries and talk of 'record' funding, the reality is that the average nursery will receive just a few pence more per hour, less than the price of a second class stamp," she said.
"It's totally inadequate. More funded hours will mean greater losses.
"The average nursery is short of delivery costs for the current 15 hours by almost £1,000 per child per year."
Roy Perry, chairman of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, said councils would be working closely with providers to deliver the extra free hours, as the scheme "represents a great opportunity to provide support for parents as well as early education for children to help them get ready to start school".
"However, councils remain concerned that the proposed increase in funding will not be enough to secure enough high quality provision for everyone who wants it," said Mr Perry.
The Department for Education says that by 2020 it will be spending a record £6bn on childcare, including an additional £1bn on the free hours.
A spokeswoman said the funding provided to councils should allow them to pass about £4.00 per hour to nurseries for each childcare place.
She argued that that this rate was "far higher than the average hourly cost of providing childcare" which recent independent research had put at only £3.72 per hour.
Robert Goodwill, Minister for Children and Families, said pilots of the scheme had proved "a huge success" and the government was "determined to support as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare". | The funding increase offered to nurseries in England to cover extra free childcare is less than the cost of a second class stamp, say campaigners. |
37,114,284 | The operator of the WeChat messaging app is worth $249bn compared with $246bn for Alibaba.
Tencent shares jumped by over 6% to a record high in Hong Kong after reporting strong quarterly earnings on Wednesday.
The internet giant said profit rose by 47% to 10.9bn yuan ($1.6bn; £1.2bn) in the three months to June.
Revenues surged due to growth in its online gaming business and advertising.
Out of China's three internet giants, the online gaming and social media company Tencent is now the biggest, but still least known in the West.
Tencent has not attracted the same global attention as its rivals: Alibaba, with charismatic entrepreneur Jack Ma at the helm, and Baidu, the local equivalent of Google.
"Revenues jumped, platforms are booming and it runs the Twitter and Facebook of China," an IG analyst said. "Investors are hoping that, like Facebook, they can turn active users into revenues." | Tencent has overtaken its rival Alibaba to become China's most valuable tech firm after strong results. |
33,932,005 | Gwendoline Goring said she was catching her breath when she stopped in a children's play area while walking Mylo off French's Avenue, Dunstable.
Soon afterwards a warden handed her a fine for disobeying signs stating that dogs were not allowed in the park.
The council said there was "clear support" for the dog ban.
Ms Goring said the incident happened on Tuesday lunchtime as she was walking with her friend in the park.
She said: "I can't walk very far and I hadn't been out because I've had an operation on my arm.
"I seemed to be getting out of breath and I didn't feel well, and there are no benches at all in that park, except for the two that are in the play area.
"And I know you're not supposed to take a dog in there, but there was nobody in the whole park except for us, so I just sat down.
Mrs Goring was told the fine would be reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days, but she said she would not pay it as the amount represented half of her weekly pension money.
"Why should I pay it? I know I'm in the wrong but even just giving me a little leeway... I think it's disgraceful," she said.
Central Bedfordshire Council said: "There is signage clearly stating this is not allowed.
"There was clear support for banning dogs from enclosed children's play areas when we consulted the public before introducing the dog control orders last year." | An 83-year-old woman with asthma who was fined £80 for illegally using a park bench while with her pet dog has said she will fight the penalty. |
38,736,409 | All those bereaved during the Troubles should be supported, Michelle O'Neill told BBC News NI.
"No one's hurt is worth more than anyone else's," she said.
Mrs O'Neill took over from Martin McGuinness on Monday and said she was part of a new generation of republican leaders.
She has just five weeks to prepare for an election after Stormont's power-sharing coalition fell apart over a botched energy scheme scandal.
The fallout from the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, which is approximately £490m over budget, led to Mr McGuinness' quitting after DUP leader Arlene Foster refused to stand aside as first minster while an investigation was carried out.
As they hold a joint office, his resignation automatically put Mrs Foster out of her job and prompted the calling of snap elections on 2 March.
In her BBC News NI interview, Mrs O'Neill would not speculate on whether party president Gerry Adams might be replaced before the next Irish election, arguing it should be up to him when he stands down.
Both Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness previously said that the Sinn Féin leadership had planned its transition process.
Questioned about why the party chose its northern leader by appointment, rather than an open election, Mrs O'Neill said Sinn Féin followed its own internal processes.
Asked if former first minister Arlene Foster was someone she could work with, Mrs O'Neill said she would have no choice but to work with whoever the electorate returns.
However, she criticised what she called the DUP's arrogance in its handling of the RHI affair and insisted she would only work with others on the basis of parity of esteem, respect and equality for all citizens. | The new leader of Sinn Féin north of the border says her job is about trying to "heal the hurt of the past". |
38,510,390 | Born Rory Graham in Uckfield, near Brighton, the 31-year-old started his musical career as a jungle MC before his parents encouraged him to sing.
His first big break came in 2012, when he supported Joan Armatrading, after his girlfriend sent promoters his early recordings - including videos of him singing on the toilet.
"I didn't know anything about it," he told his local newspaper The Argus. "I made some of my early recordings while sitting on the toilet... They seemed to like it though."
Through constant gigging, he built a loyal fanbase until the emotive Bitter End, from his 2015 Disfigured EP, won support from Huw Stephens on Radio 1 and Jo Whiley on Radio 2.
With a rasping voice not unlike Joe Cocker, he recently scored a major hit with the gospel-inspired single Human, which has topped the German charts for the last 13 weeks, and challenged Clean Bandit for the UK Christmas number one.
He spoke to the BBC about his pirate radio past, becoming "big in Germany" and his favourite Disney songs.
5.Nadia Rose
4.Jorja Smith
3. Raye
2. Rag 'N' Bone Man
1. Ray BLK
5. Nadia Rose
4. Jorja Smith
3. Raye
2. Rag 'N' Bone Man
1. Ray BLK
Congratulations on making the Sound of 2017's top five! How does it feel?
It's a pretty exciting thing to be part of. It feels like I've put in all the hard work for a reason.
Where did you get the name Rag 'N' Bone Man?
I used to go round to my granddad's house on a Saturday morning, and we'd sit and eat our porridge and watch re-runs of Steptoe and Son on BBC Two. I thought it was hilarious - and Rag 'N' Bone Man sounded like a blues name to me. It reminded me of people like Sonny Boy Williamson and Big Mama Thornton.
Imagine how different it would have been if you'd been watching repeats of Fawlty Towers.
Yeah, I could have been called Basil!
Did anyone ever advise you to go back to being Rory?
I was asked if I wanted to change it a couple of times, but I like it. Whether you think it's stupid or not, it's memorable.
Human has been number one in Germany for more than three months now. Is it strange to be big in Europe first?
It's really crazy. I never expected it at all.
I've been working as a musician for the last five or six years, but I saw myself as an underground artist and I was kind of happy doing that. But then, you know, when it started getting bigger I thought, "Well, why not? Why shouldn't it be spread to a wider audience?"
In the UK, the song only entered the chart after Emily Middlemas performed it on X Factor. How did you feel about that?
I didn't have any choice in the matter! X Factor isn't my thing. I don't watch those shows. But somebody showed me her singing the song on their phone and, actually, she kind of nailed it.
You spent a long time making hip-hop as a teenager. Were you a good MC?
I think I was - but I always had the feeling everyone was better than me, you know? When I started singing, I left it behind.
What prompted you to start singing?
Me and my dad used to go to these jam sessions and open mic nights but I was always scared of singing on stage. It felt different to rapping - more pressured.
But it literally took one time for me to do it, and for people to come up and say, "Dude, do you realise what your voice sounds like?" for me to be like, "OK, maybe I should do this more often!"
Where was that gig?
It was my 21st birthday at a pub in East Grinstead. My dad said, "You should get up and sing" and because it was my birthday and I'd had a few drinks I went, "Alright, yeah, I'll do it!"
What did you sing?
The guys on stage were all double, if not triple, my age, and they were playing old blues tunes and standards. I knew all the words because my dad used to play them on a slide guitar when I was a kid.
The first song you uploaded to YouTube was an old American folk song, Reuben's Train. I was surprised to see you playing guitar on it, because you don't anymore...
I don't much, no, but I've just decided to start doing it again.
What age did you start to learn?
I always knew a little bit because my dad played but I didn't really have that much interest. You know what it's like when your dad tries to get you into something!
But when I started singing, and I wanted to try and write songs, I realised I'd have to teach myself a bit more.
So you had no formal training?
My mum always wanted to send me to a music school but we didn't really have the money. So even now, I'm not a technically good singer. If you asked me to sing a particular harmony, I wouldn't know how.
What else were you into as a kid?
I played a lot of basketball - but I was a little terror as a kid. I caused a lot of problems for my mum. We used to have the old bill round my house a lot.
I grew up in a little town called Uckfield and there's not much to do - so we used to fight a lot. I was never in serious trouble, but we used to have the local bobby round the house saying, "Rory's been up to this again."
Then you got into jungle music?
Yeah, when I was 16 or 17. We used to do little pirate radio stations and put out jungle mixes.
What were those pirate radio shows like?
Well, we have a couple of tapes, which are never allowed to be shown to anyone, ever! They are really bad. I listened back to one the other day and it is terrible. I'm keeping them firmly locked away.
What's the most embarrassing bit?
It's my voice. It's only just broken so I kind of sound like Scooby Doo.
You've been making music as Rag 'N' Bone Man for five or six years, now. Did you have to work to support yourself at the beginning?
Yeah, I was a carer, looking after people with Asperger syndrome and Down's syndrome.
My sister does something similar. It's a very rewarding job but quite a draining one.
Mentally draining, yeah. But most of the time it was pretty fun, to be honest.I looked after a brother and sister who had Down's syndrome, and we used to drive around in the car, stick on Disney songs and sing along. That was my life for about four years.
What was their favourite Disney song?
I used to do impressions of the Jungle Book characters to the kids; and we loved The Aristocats as well. That was one of our favourites - Everybody Wants To Be A Cat.
During that period, you gave away your Wolves EP for free. Why?
Wolves marked a point where I wanted to write songs properly and I wanted a wider audience to hear them. So I thought, "Why don't we just give it away? How can that be a bad thing?"
People love free stuff. And it worked. If definitely widened the audience.
Was there a song that people really responded to?
There's one called Life In Her Yet. I wrote it after I spoke to my granddad about living on his own again, after losing his wife. I can't imagine being with someone for 50 years and then being on your own.
That was the first song where I felt I could write about stuff like that.
Where did Human come from?
A friend asked me a question I didn't really feel qualified to answer, and I was like, "Why are you asking me?" That's what prompted the line, "I'm no prophet or messiah". Like, go and ask someone else. I don't have the answers for you!
It's funny, because I spoke to other people and they think it's about humanity. Maybe it is… but that's what's good about music - people can interpret the song for themselves.
I saw you play in Brixton recently, and you told the audience: "It's hard to write sad songs when I feel so happy." How big a problem is it?
There was a period where I felt a lot of frustration and and I wasn't happy in my relationship - and that definitely did make me write in a certain way. But I'm still learning as a songwriter, so I think I've definitely got it in me to write happier songs. Whether they'll be good or not, I don't know.
You recently tweeted you'd been up at 3am writing rap lyrics about EastEnders, so that can always be the basis of album number two.
Haha! Yeah, I still have that really childish side to me. I have a couple of tracks on the new album that I rap on. I need people to hear that side of my music, as well.
Rag 'N' Bone Man's debut album, Human, will be released on 10 February by Sony Music.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Hip-hop bluesman Rag 'N' Bone Man has been named runner-up in the BBC's Sound of 2017, which aims to predict the year's biggest new acts. |
32,689,167 | Most business lobby groups seem to be broadly in favour of staying in a reformed EU, and their member surveys reflect this view.
But what is the reality of doing business with Europe? Is there too much red tape and bureaucracy? What effect could a Brexit - the inelegant short-hand for Britain leaving Europe - have on UK businesses?
The BBC canvassed a variety of businesses for their views.
"We export about £3m of goods a year to Europe - it's an incredibly important market for us," says Tony Attard, boss of a 30-year-old company making textiles for hotels, hospitals and offices.
"If we pulled out and I lost £2m of business it would cost jobs without a doubt. It's a big threat."
Standard product testing and harmonisation of raw materials tariffs have been beneficial for his business, he says, as have pan-European trade agreements.
"It's a ridiculous thing to say that being out of Europe would make us more competitive and nimble. We shouldn't take if for granted that we would have access to an open market if we pulled out."
Regulatory red tape from Brussels is often cited as a frustration for business, particularly when it comes to employment law and health and safety issues.
But Mr Attard says: "UK business rates are more of an issue to us than the working time directive."
"We really need a referendum to make up our minds once and for all whether we're going to be in Europe and make a go of it, or go our separate ways," says John Mills, founder of global consumer products company JML Group.
The Labour party donor and co-chairman of lobby group, Business for Britain, says: "I don't think it would make much difference economically if we were in or out, but I'm quite open minded on the issue.
"I just think we need to change our terms of membership and repatriate some powers from Brussels to Westminster. I don't think Britain wants to be part of a 'United States of Europe'."
The costs of membership, at £14bn-£15bn a year, are too high, he adds, while some of the regulations coming from Europe "can make business less competitive".
"I want to have my cake and eat it," admits Lesley Moody, boss of a digital media company developing software for local government and the food and beverage industry.
"I favour being involved in Europe, but I don't want to be drawn further in," she says.
With many of her customers based in Europe, she accepts that a single market is beneficial, but says: "I want us to be able to have a say but be able to opt out when they propose something that's not in our interests."
She fears being "drowned in EU red tape", and hopes that the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated between the EU and the US could put some UK businesses at a competitive advantage.
"This referendum could really backfire," says Tim Squires, commercial director of a family firm making machine parts for the automotive industry. "The lack of information has clouded a lot of people's judgement."
"Although we're not a huge exporter, a lot of our parts go into products that are then sold to Europe, so import duties would be a big issue if we left the EU."
But Mr Squires, along with many other smaller businesses, thinks the UK pays a lot into the EU but doesn't seem to get enough back in return. And he thinks there's too much confusion over which legislation comes from Brussels or Westminster.
That said, remaining part of the European club brings more benefits than disadvantages, he believes.
"The EU is our biggest trading partner and if we're not in that we're going to be left out in the cold."
For Geoff Billington, sales director for International Safety Products (ISP), one of the world's largest life jacket manufacturers, the new government's demands to curb EU immigration are a concern.
"Curbing free movement of labour could have a negative impact on our business and possibly make us less competitive," he says.
About a quarter of ISP's staff are immigrants from countries like Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and Romania, he says, and they are prized for their machine skills and work ethic. Not being able to employ such workers could also put the wage bill up, he believes.
ISP sells about 70% of its output to Europe, and the single market presents "no barriers to entry for us. If we left, we could suffer from protectionism."
Mr Billington would even be happy for the UK to join the euro to remove exchange rate risks, he says. But he does want reform - anything that can stabilise the exchange rate - and the UK's contribution to the EU pot to be reduced.
"We would prefer the referendum not to be happening," says Nadeem Raza, boss of Microlise, a medium-sized business making the technology that monitors lorry fleets.
More than half its products are exported to Europe and other markets abroad.
"A lot of our contracts are four-to-seven years long, so we're committing to pricing and servicing levels now when we don't know what's going to happen after 2017. That's a lot of risk we could do without," he says.
"We'd rather things stay as they are until we have a really good reason to change it."
His customers, mostly supermarkets and delivery companies with large lorry fleets operating throughout Europe, would certainly benefit from greater pan-European standardisation, he believes.
Leaving Europe would make this much more difficult. | Prime Minister David Cameron has promised an in-out referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union before the end of 2017. |
38,336,272 | Ben Rhodes, adviser to President Barack Obama, said that Mr Putin maintains tight control on government operations, which suggests that he was aware.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest added that it was "pretty obvious" that Mr Putin was involved.
Officials in Russia have repeatedly denied hacking accusations.
"Everything we know about how Russia operates and how Putin controls that government would suggest that, again, when you're talking about a significant cyber intrusion like this, we're talking about the highest levels of government," Mr Rhodes said.
"And ultimately, Vladimir Putin is the official responsible for the actions of the Russian government."
The Kremlin on Thursday bristled at claims that Mr Putin orchestrated the data breach with the hopes of influencing the US election outcome.
Democrats have struggled to grasp why Hillary Clinton lost. Could it be the spread of "fake news"? A poor Democratic ground game in Midwestern states? FBI Director James Comey's last-minute letter to Congress about new Clinton emails?
Anything but acknowledge that Donald Trump turned out to be the more effective candidate with a more appealing message (at least in the states that mattered).
Russian government hackers are the latest culprit - or scapegoat, depending on one's perspective. They're a tempting target, however, given the latest accounts of intrigue from intelligence community sources. A wily Vladimir Putin overseeing damaging leaks makes for a deliciously villainous plot.
Of course those campaign emails, while certainly an annoyance to Democrats, likely weren't enough to tilt the election. But that doesn't mean these revelations won't be a headache for a president-elect who bristles when challenged.
Now he's feuding with his own intelligence services and lashing out on Twitter, virtually guaranteeing more leaks. A congressional investigation seems likely. There's even talk of a Russian sanctions bill ending up on President Trump's desk.
Mrs Clinton's loss still stings, but for forlorn Democrats seeing Mr Trump squirm would be a salve for open wounds.
NBC reported that the US had evidence that Mr Putin personally directed how information hacked by Russian intelligence was leaked.
Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin's spokesman, told the AP the NBC report was "laughable nonsense".
President-elect Donald Trump also continued to reject claims that Russian intelligence hacked into emails of the Democratic Party and of John Podesta, a key aide to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
The president-elect has dismissed a CIA report concluding that Russian hackers were trying to help Mr Trump win the election.
He tweeted on Thursday: "If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost?"
However, the Obama administration on 7 October directly accused Russia of hacking US political sites and email accounts with the aim of interfering with the upcoming election.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence also released a statement asserting Russia had orchestrated the hack, including breaches on the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
The contents of those hacks, passed to Wikileaks and posted online, were embarrassing to the Democrats and shook up the presidential campaign.
The NBC report, which cited two unnamed senior officials, said the hacking campaign began as a "vendetta" against Mrs Clinton before becoming "an effort to show corruption in American politics and split off key American allies".
Mr Putin is said to have been furious when Mrs Clinton, as secretary of state, questioned the integrity of 2011 parliamentary elections in Russia. He publicly accused her of encouraging street protests.
The BBC has not been able to confirm the NBC report.
There has been no specific evidence shared publicly to confirm Mr Putin's role or knowledge of the hackings. | The White House has suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin was directly involved in a hacking operation aimed at interfering with the US election. |
39,139,692 | Stargazers across Scotland photographed the Aurora Borealis on Wednesday night.
Scotland is one of the best places in the UK to observe the Northern Lights, which are related to activity on the sun.
On Wednesday night, the aurora was visible from the Isle of Skye, as well as Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and North Berwick in East Lothian.
Lancaster University's AuroraWatch UK said that 2017 had started quietly for aurora watchers, but overnight on Wednesday and Thursday the UK received "a whopping 13 total hours of elevated geomagnetic activity".
Five of those hours had activity strong enough to trigger amber-level alerts to the displays. Amber is AuroraWatch UK's second highest alert for chances of seeing the Northern Lights.
The rise in the activity was due to what is known as a negative polarity coronal hole high-speed stream.
BBC Radio Scotland's Brainwaves programme has looked at the science behind the Northern Lights, a phenomenon that some scientists believe could become harder to see from Scotland. | All images are copyrighted. |
34,662,026 | Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said that Senior Deputy Ben Fields "did not follow proper procedure".
He was a school resource officer at the school in South Carolina.
He "should not have thrown a student - he could have done a lot of things he was trained to do, he was not trained to throw a student", Sheriff Lott said.
The incident occurred at the Spring Valley High School in Columbia, witnesses said, when the unnamed African-American student refused to put away her mobile phone and then refused to leave the classroom.
The officer was then summoned and asked her to leave again. She refused, and he told her she was under arrest.
Video then shows the officer violently knocking the student down and pulling her across the floor.
The incident was filmed by a fellow student and was published on the internet, prompting the hashtag #AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh to circulate on Twitter and an outcry from various civil rights and parents' groups.
Mr Lott said he had received expressions of support for the officer, who had been at the school seven years, from some parents and school officials. Officer Fields had received a "Culture of Excellence" award last year by an elementary school where he was also assigned.
But Sheriff Lott said the officer had "lost control" and had not dealt with this incident correctly.
"That is not a proper technique and should not be used in law enforcement. And based on that, that is a violation of our policy and approximately 20 minutes ago Officer Ben Fields was terminated from the Richland County Sheriff's Department."
He said complaints had been made about Officer Fields during his time at the school - some had been upheld and some had not.
Legal action has been taken three times against the officer, according to Associated Press news agency:
The deputy has not been criminally charged but the Federal Bureau of Investigation and justice department have opened a civil rights investigation into the arrest.
Fellow students at the school have tweeted claims that they have seen him behaving in a similar manner in the past, but this was the first time such an incident was caught on camera.
Sheriff Lott has said the girl was unhurt in the incident aside from a carpet burn.
However, the girl's attorney, Todd Rutherford, told ABC's Good Morning America' that she "has a cast on her arm, she has neck and back injuries" as well as a plaster on her forehead because of the carpet burn.
Sheriff Lott said he would "not describe the officer as remorseful, but he was sorry that the whole thing occurred".
Source: Richland County Sheriff's Department | A US police officer has been fired after video showing him throwing a female student across a classroom was shared widely on the internet. |
30,317,325 | Dr Hazel Torrance said it would take a few hours longer for people on average before they would be able to drive the day after a night out.
The current drink-drive limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood will be reduced in Scotland to 50mg.
It comes into force on Friday after midnight.
Dr Torrance, from the University of Glasgow, said alcohol affects every individual in different ways due to a number of factors including body weight, their sex and if they have eaten or not.
The expert also said a single pint of standard beer or a glass of wine "should" leave people under the new drink-drive limit, if they waited a few hours before getting behind the wheel.
Ms Torrance said: "Currently, you can probably drink a pint and a half of beer and maybe a large glass and a half of wine and you should be under the limit.
"With the new limit, that will be reduced to a pint of beer and a glass of wine."
Dr Torrance explained that, on average, it takes a person an hour to clear between 15mg and 18mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Therefore, it would take a drinker an additional two hours of recovery to reach 30mg - the difference between the old limit and the new limit.
The toxicologist also said it is possible to be under the limit and impaired through alcohol, and advised people to not drink at all when driving.
She added: "Alcohol is processed through the liver and is excreted through the urine. There are average rates at which this happens, but that can vary depending on the individual and depending on the individual circumstances as well, such as whether they have eaten.
Why not impose an outright ban on drink-driving?
Asked if two people who drink exactly the same could record different alcohol levels, she added: "Yes. There are differences between individuals depending on their body weight, on their sex, on what concentration of alcohol they achieve and how quickly that is excreted. It is very individual-dependent.
"If they have been eating, then it tends to take longer to reach a maximum alcohol concentration in your blood."
And what message for people who will be out drinking this weekend? "I would think twice about what you are drinking," said Dr Torrance.
"Make sure you leave sufficient time between stopping drinking and driving."
Earlier this week, Scottish justice secretary Michael Matheson visited Dumfries and Galloway and Cumbria to highlight the new drink-driving limit north of the border.
Mr Matheson said the new limit will make Scotland's roads safer and save lives.
He said: "The evidence from the Republic of Ireland which has brought in the same lower limit suggests we will see convictions go down, reductions in drink driving and lower blood alcohol counts."
The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favour of the new law on 18 November. | Drivers should think twice about what they drink as the new lower alcohol limits come into effect, a forensic toxicologist has warned. |
30,933,909 | The Assembly Commission, which runs its day-to-day administration, suggests that moving to 100 AMs would add up to £17m to the current £50m budget.
The commission said it would be "a modest and reasonable price to pay" for effective scrutiny of £15bn of public spending every year.
The Welsh government has said there is "no appetite" for more politicians.
Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler called for an increase to 80 AMs, in response to the additional powers and responsibility being devolved to Wales.
"Assembly Members are thinly spread, especially in their committee work, and these pressures will only intensify as our legislative and fiscal responsibilities increase," she said. | Increasing the number of AMs from 60 to 80 would cost up to £9m in the first year, according to a new report. |
35,244,288 | The supercar manufacturer said it had delivered 1,653 of its cars to 30 different countries in 2015.
A second shift has been created in its Woking factory to cope with demand for its cars, some of which retail for £900,000.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid MP said the announcement showed Britain's auto industry was "thriving".
The new roles will be created in the Surrey company's production, quality and logistics departments.
The company currently employs about 1,500 people, with 500 working in production - where the majority of the new jobs will be created.
McLaren said the second shift is scheduled to start in February and will take production rates from 14 to 20 cars per day.
Chief Executive Mike Flewitt said the increase in sales was partly driven by the introduction of the firm's cheapest model the "Sports Series", which costs from £150,000.
The other two models of car they produce are the more expensive "Super Series" and "Ultimate Series".
He said: "The levels of customer orders tells us that now is the time to invest in the second shift and 250 new production team members to ensure that we are able to reach our assembly objectives once the full model range is available."
Mr Javid, who was due to visit the plant on Thursday, said: "I was particularly impressed to hear that over half of all the components and parts that go into their cars are manufactured here in the UK, and this is creating countless more jobs in the supply chain."
In June 2015 the company announced its annual turnover was £475.5m. | Sports car maker McLaren Automotive has announced it will create 250 new jobs following a "record year". |
36,449,913 | This has led the trade body for major pharmaceutical companies, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), to condemn price rises by some small operators for prescription drugs as "cynical and exploitative".
So what's the problem and could more than £250m a year be saved?
An investigation by the Times newspaper has revealed that a small number of businesses have made big profits after hiking prices for generic prescription drugs, including some anti-depressants and skin medications.
There is a deal between the government and major pharmaceutical companies to cap the annual cost of branded drugs still protected by patent. But no such arrangement exists for generic medicines.
There seems to be a particular problem for some older generic drugs when distribution rights have been bought by smaller companies from the pharmaceutical giants.
These cases usually involve low sales volumes and rival companies deciding it's not worth entering the market. The theory is that when a drug "goes generic" there will be competition which drives down prices. But in these situations there is a monopoly.
Given that NHS tariffs (the prices which pharmacists pay for their supplies before getting reimbursed) are set by average market prices for each drug, the suppliers call the shots and the health service has to accept whatever is charged.
The Times investigation revealed an increase for one drug of 12,500% in five years and, for 32 others, a 1,000% rise.
The newspaper estimated this had added £262m to the annual NHS drugs bill. One industry source described it as market failure and told me it was clear there was a loophole which ought to be closed.
The ABPI condemned the pricing revelations, making clear the companies involved were not members and the examples quoted in the report were rare.
The association's Dr Richard Torbett said official intervention was required.
"The government can step in and question pricing decisions and, through the Competition and Markets Authority, has wide powers to regulate and deal with market abuses.
"The ABPI supports this and is in discussion with government about how best to ensure appropriate pricing throughout the system."
NHS England, while acknowledging that in general the system delivers value for money, is clearly anxious for action to be taken by the government.
A spokesman said: "We are concerned about these type of anomalies at a time when the NHS needs to make significant savings which suggests further regulatory action may be needed."
Ministers are aware of the problem and seem keen that the Competition and Markets Authority takes whatever action is needed.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "These are serious allegations and no pharmaceutical company should be exploiting the NHS.
"The secretary of state has asked the CMA to urgently look at the evidence uncovered by the Times as part of their continuing investigations into excessive drugs pricing."
The intent is there. The government and NHS leaders want any loophole allowing excessive charging to be closed.
But how quickly it can happen, allowing for due process involved with CMA investigations, is another matter.
Any delay will cost the health service millions of pounds more at a time when it needs as much cash as possible for frontline care. | At a time when the NHS is trying to save every penny without undermining patient care, news has emerged that it is being over-charged in one area of its drugs bill. |
34,132,308 | Although those fleeing the Syrian crisis have for several years been crossing into Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey in huge numbers, entering other Arab states - especially in the Gulf - is far less straightforward.
Officially, Syrians can apply for a tourist visa or work permit in order to enter a Gulf state.
But the process is costly, and there is a widespread perception that many Gulf states have unwritten restrictions in place that make it hard for Syrians to be granted a visa in practice.
Most successful cases are Syrians already in Gulf states extending their stays, or those entering because they have family there.
For those with limited means, there is the added matter of the sheer physical distance between Syria and the Gulf.
This comes as part of wider obstacles facing Syrians, who are required to obtain rarely granted visas to enter almost all Arab countries.
Without a visa, Syrians are not currently allowed to enter Arab countries except for Algeria, Mauritania, Sudan and Yemen.
The relative wealth and proximity to Syria of the states has led many - in both social and as well as traditional media - to question whether these states have more of a duty than Europe towards Syrians suffering from over four years of conflict and the emergence of jihadist groups in the country.
The Arabic hashtag #Welcoming_Syria's_refugees_is_a_Gulf_duty has been used more than 33,000 times on Twitter in the past week.
Users have posted powerful images to illustrate the plight of Syrian refugees, with photos of people drowned at sea, children being carried over barbed wire, or families sleeping rough.
A Facebook page called The Syrian Community in Denmark has shared a video showing migrants being allowed to enter Austria from Hungary, prompting one user to ask: "How did we flee from the region of our Muslim brethren, which should take more responsibility for us than a country they describe as infidels?"
Another user replied: "I swear to the Almighty God, it's the Arabs who are the infidels."
The story has also attracted the attention of regional press and political actors.
The Saudi daily Makkah Newspaper published a cartoon - widely shared on social media - that showed a man in traditional Gulf clothing looking out of a door with barbed wire around it and pointing at door with the EU flag on it.
"Why don't you let them in, you discourteous people?!" he says.
The commander of the opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA), Riyad al-Asaad, retweeted an image of refugees posted by a former Kuwaiti MP, Faisal al-Muslim, who had added the comment: "Oh countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, these are innocent people and I swear they are most deserving of billions in aid and donations."
But despite the appeals from social media, Gulf states' position seems unlikely to shift in favour of Syrian refugees.
In terms of employment, the trend in most Gulf states, such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE is towards relying on migrant workers from South-East Asia and the Indian subcontinent, particularly for unskilled labour.
While non-Gulf Arabs do occupy positions in skilled mid-ranking jobs, for example in education and health, they are up against a "nationalisation" drive whereby the Saudi and Kuwaiti governments in particular are seeking to prioritise the employment of locals.
Non-native residents may also struggle to create stable lives in these countries as it is near impossible to gain nationality.
In 2012, Kuwait even announced an official strategy to reduce the number of foreign workers in the emirate by a million over 10 years.
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook. | As the crisis brews over Syrian refugees trying to enter European countries, questions have been raised over why they are not heading to wealthy Gulf states closer to home. |
38,011,001 | On Wednesday, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said Dee Stitt should reconsider his position as chief executive of Charter NI.
However, Mrs Foster said she could not tell the organisation what to do over employability issues.
She said she regretted the fact that Mr Stitt had now become "a distraction".
"My view is he has become a distraction to the work that's ongoing in east Belfast and I regret that," Mrs Foster said.
"This man is an employee of Charter NI and they have to deal with him as they see fit, it would be wrong for me to intervene in all of the different organisations that exist across Northern Ireland."
The calls for Mr Stitt to stand down began after he claimed the government does not care about Northern Ireland in a foul-mouthed rant to The Guardian newspaper. He has since apologised.
The leading loyalist has been given a final written warning as part of an internal disciplinary procedure.
Earlier, an SDLP MLA called for an independent review of the conduct of Mr Stitt.
Nichola Mallon told the BBC's Nolan Show that Charter NI's work has been tarred as a result of the controversy.
"The issue here is what, or who, has anything to fear from an independent review," Ms Mallon said.
"We are at a situation where a serious shadow has been cast over any of the good work that goes on within this organisation," she added.
Charter NI is a publically funded body which lobbies and advocates for community groups.
The author of a report into paramilitary activity, John McBurney, said he believes Mr Stitt should be on a probationary period with the organisation.
He told the Good Morning Ulster programme that the loyalist should not have made the remarks.
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt has also called on the Northern Ireland Executive to take action.
"It is effectively - in the public perception - a stand-off between the Northern Ireland Executive and the UDA, between democracy and paramilitarism."
"I'm am calling on the executive to say that there is a line in the sand after which there will be zero tolerance of paramilitary organisations."
On Wednesday, the Deputy First Minister, Mr McGuinness, said damage was being done to the reputation of worthwhile social investment projects as a result of Mr Stitt's involvement with Charter NI. | First Minister Arlene Foster has refused to back calls for a UDA leader who heads an east Belfast community-based organisation to step down. |
26,802,475 | Commons Treasury committee chairman Andrew Tyrie said the leak may have "damaged consumer confidence".
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Friday it would probe the sale of 30 million policies worth £150bn.
It will examine how the news leaked, hitting shares in insurance firms.
The inquiry will look at pensions, endowments, investment bonds and life assurance policies sold in the UK between the 1970s and 2000.
The FCA had been due to announce the probe in its annual business plan on Monday, but details were revealed ahead of schedule by The Daily Telegraph.
Otto Thoreson, director general of the Association of British Insurers, said the story had caused "absolute confusion in the investment markets".
Mr Tyrie said: "On the face of it, this is an extraordinary blunder.
"It is crucial that we have a full and transparent explanation about how such an apparently serious mistake came to be made by our financial services watchdog - the body appointed by Parliament to enforce high standards of conduct.
"The principle that market sensitive information is released accurately to all participants at the same time appears to have been breached."
Mr Thoreson told the BBC: "What happened was effectively a pre-briefing of a business plan which is going to be published on Monday."
"But because it was to one newspaper, and it was written up as a story without the ability of those of us who are involved in the industry to corroborate issues, what you saw was the uncertainty that was created causing absolute confusion in the investment markets."
Later on Friday the FCA issued a statement in response to concerns about how it had handled the release of the news about its investigation.
"The Board will conduct an investigation into the FCA's handling of the issue involving an external law firm, and will share the outcome of this work in due course," it said.
Legal & General, Aviva and Resolution - which owns Friends Provident - were among the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100, just days after share prices were hit by George Osborne's plans for an overhaul of the UK's pension system and a cap on pension management fees.
Formally announcing the inquiry into old policies on Friday, the FCA said it was concerned that some companies were not giving the same priority to policies sold years ago as they did to new policies.
A large number of policies sold to consumers in the 30 years to 2000 include terms that penalise those attempting to switch to a cheaper provider.
Some savers face losing up to half of their savings if they move to another company.
The FCA also said it feared "zombie" funds, which are closed to new clients, were being used by insurers to pay bills from other parts of their businesses.
Details of the inquiry will be officially published on Monday.
But concerns that will be covered include:
The financial services industry has been scarred by several high-profile scandals during the past few decades involving the mis-selling of policies such as mortgage endowments, personal pensions and payment protection insurance.
Millions of endowment policies were sold in the 1980s and 1990s, typically as a method of repaying mortgages, often with unsubstantiated claims that they were guaranteed to pay off the customers' home loan. Millions of pounds were subsequently paid in compensation. | The City regulator appears to have made an "extraordinary blunder" by allowing details of an insurance industry investigation to be made public early, a senior MP has said. |
33,606,932 | The Blue Bird, which was built in 1919, set a record 90 years ago of more than 150mph (241km/h).
The car, now kept at the National Motor Museum in Hampshire, was driven at low speed by Sir Malcolm's grandson, Don Wales, at Pendine Sands.
It was fired up for the first time in 50 years following a rebuild last year. | The car which set a land speed record for Sir Malcolm Campbell has been brought back to the scene of the triumph in Carmarthenshire. |
36,882,063 | Shares had been in positive territory until publication of the CBI's latest industrial trends survey that showed Brexit hitting business confidence.
By the close, the FTSE 100 was down 20 points, or 0.3%, at 6,710.13.
The pound gained ground, rising 0.12% against the dollar to $1.3127, but was just 0.11% higher against the euro at €1.1963.
The CBI's monthly total order book balance from its monthly industrial trends survey fell to minus 4 in July from minus 2, while a measure of output over the next three months fell to 6 in July from 23 in June.
Quarterly business optimism balance plummeted to minus 47 from minus 5, the lowest since January 2009, during the depths of the financial crisis.
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist, said: "It's clear that a cloud of uncertainty is hovering over industry, post-Brexit. We see this in weak expectations for new orders, a sharp fall in optimism and a scaling back of investment plans." | (Close): London's main share index edged lower on Monday, while other major European markets saw gains. |
39,892,479 | The number of cases dropped 95% between January and April, compared to the same period a year ago, officials said.
The virus has been linked to the birth of babies with abnormally small heads. The threat was at its peak as Brazil prepared to host the 2016 Olympics.
The World Health Organisation lifted its own international emergency in November last year.
The Zika virus has been linked to severe birth defects in almost 30 countries.
Brazil had declared a national emergency in November 2015. The threat led to a campaign to eradicate the mosquitoes which carry the virus.
There were 7,911 cases of Zika from January to April this year, compared to 170,535 cases reported in the same time last year, the health ministry said in a statement (in Portuguese).
No deaths related to the virus have been reported this year, it added, saying that eight people died last year. | Brazil has declared an end to a national emergency over the Zika virus after a sharp decrease in cases. |
17,992,053 | A snake is entwined in the undergrowth. It is about 1m long, mostly dull brown but with a vivid yellow underbelly.
We are face to face with Guam's "nemesis": the brown tree snake. And the forests here are dripping with them.
The US territory, in the western Pacific, is only 50km (30 miles) long and 10km wide, but it is packed with two million snakes.
This reptile arrived here only 60 years ago but has rapidly become one of the most successful invasive species ever.
Unhealthy appetite
Wildlife biologist James Stanford, from the US Geological Survey, says: "Our belief is that they came at the end of World War II.
"We've looked at their genetics and they are all extremely closely related, and it appears they came from the Island of Manus in Papua New Guinea."
He explains that military equipment used by the US in Papua New Guinea while the war raged in the Pacific was eventually sent back to Guam to be processed. A snake probably crept on to a ship or a plane destined for the island.
"And from that handful, or maybe even one already impregnated female, we now have a population that is unbelievable in scale," he says.
The snakes, which are mildly venomous, have caused many problems. They get everywhere, and people have even woken up with them in their beds.
The island's power system is regularly shorted out by snakes crawling on the lines. It is so frequent the locals now call power cuts "brown outs".
But the biggest impact has been on the wildlife - it has been decimated. The forests here are eerily quiet. Now the only place where the Guam's native birds, such as the koko, can be seen on the island are in cages in a captive breeding centre.
"The brown tree snake has had a devastating impact. Ten out of 12 native forest bird species disappeared in 30 years," says Cheryl Calaustro from Guam's Department of Agriculture.
"The birds here evolved without predators. They were quite naive. And when the snake arrived on Guam it ate eggs, juveniles, adults. Whole generations disappeared."
Toxic mouse bombs
But the snakes did not stop there.
Dr Stanford explains: "We thought it would be limited: 'OK, if it wipes out the birds, it will decline.' It wasn't the case. It just switched what it was feeding on - rodents, lizards, small mammals - across the board."
Now the locals are fighting back. And they are unleashing some unusual weapons in their war against the snake.
One effort has involved air-dropping mice that have been laced with poison and fitted with parachutes out of helicopters. It provides a deadly dinner for any unsuspecting snakes below.
"Right now we are using acetaminophen (paracetamol). It commonly used as a pain reliever and fever reducer in humans, but it is 100% lethal to all brown tree snakes," explains Dan Vice of the US Department of Agriculture.
"If they eat that dead mouse containing acetaminophen, they will die."
But this is a battle on two fronts. Not only is the US government trying to clear the snakes, it is also trying to prevent the problem being passed to anyone else.
And to do this, it has enlisted the help of some small dogs.
Snakes on a plane
In a busy cargo depot close to the airport, Elmo the Jack Russell, kitted out in a smart, green uniform, is sniffing box upon box of goods waiting for export.
He is on the hunt for any unwanted stowaways.
As he catches wind of an unusual scent, he begins to scrabble, alerting the government inspector to the presence of a snake - and is rewarded with a treat.
A small army of dogs check every single item of cargo before it leaves Guam.
"It is a monumental project. We're working 24 hours a day, seven days a week," says Mr Vice.
"Cargo doesn't stop, the airport doesn't shut down, so we have to be there to make sure the cargo going on the airplane has indeed been snake inspected."
Letting the snakes on a plane could have devastating consequences.
Mr Vice says: "Economics researchers have tried to apply the impact of snakes to Hawaii. They found it could cost $400m or more if the snake became established.
"The impacts are running across all kinds of parts of the economy. It includes healthcare for humans because the snakes bite people, damage to the power system, lost revenue associated with declines in tourism and ecotourism."
However, with so many snakes on the island, controlling the problem is an uphill battle.
And today, Guam serves as an example to the world of what happens when an invasive species takes hold.
The worry is that it may be too late to clear the infestation, but Mr Vice says this should not stop the islanders from trying.
"Our long-term goal is to eradicate the snake," he says.
"The problems here are so profound we don't want to let them go anywhere else, and the only way to achieve that is to get rid of them completely." | In the dense tropical forest, a slither of movement can just be made out in the glow of our head torches. |
38,037,075 | Jones died on Friday in a New York hospital after a battle with pancreatic cancer, her representative said.
Despite her powerhouse voice, Jones failed to make a breakthrough for decades until a recording session led to a Dap-Kings album in 2002.
The band later won a Grammy nomination and performed at Glastonbury.
British producer Mark Ronson was among those paying tribute.
He used the Dap-Kings as the backing band for another soul revival star, Amy Winehouse, on her breakthrough album Back to Black, released in 2006.
He said: "Sharon Jones had one of the most magnificent, gut-wrenching voices of anyone in recent time."
Members of the band were at her bedside when she died, her representative, Judy Miller Silverman, said.
The cancer was diagnosed in 2013 but failed to stop Jones performing during periods of remission.
"It's therapy,'' she said in July. "I know I need rest and sleep. But I want to work and that is our job.
"`You got to be brave. I want to use the time that I have. I don't want to spend it all laid up, wishing I had done that gig," she told Associated Press.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - BBC artist page
Barbara Kopple, who directed the documentary Miss Sharon Jones! released this year, said the singer even lit up hospital wards when she was undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
She said: "When people are around or there's an audience, that gives her fuel and she forgets her pain."
Jones was born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1956 and sang in gospel choirs and backing bands. However, real success eluded her and she took many jobs, including as a corrections officer at the Rikers Island jail.
But a recording session performance led to the formation of the Dap-Kings and the release of Dap-Dippin' With Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings in 2002, when Jones was 46.
Six more albums followed, including the Grammy-nominated Give the People What They Want. | Sharon Jones, the singer who spearheaded a soul revival movement with her band the Dap-Kings, has died at the age of 60. |
39,303,392 | BP's Forties Pipeline System (FPS) transports about 450,000 barrels of oil per day on average - about 40% of UK production.
The pipeline is one of the oldest in the sector, having started operating in the Forties field in 1975.
BP and Ineos did not give further details about the discussions, citing commercial confidentiality.
In a statement, the oil giant said: "BP can confirm it is in discussions with Ineos regarding a potential sale of the Forties Pipeline System.
"We remain committed to communicating openly with staff and our stakeholders as soon as we are able, and as commercial confidentialities allow, if any deal is confirmed or agreed."
Ineos also released a statement, confirming it was in talks with BP. It added: "At the moment the details of these conversations are confidential and we cannot say any more at this stage."
The FPS system carries oil from the unmanned offshore Forties Unity platform to an onshore terminal at Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire.
From there it transports oil about 130 miles south to facilities adjacent to the Ineos-owned Grangemouth refinery and chemical plant.
Oil is processed and stabilised there before it is sent either for export or on to Grangemouth.
The union Unite, which was involved in a bitter industrial dispute with Ineos at the Grangemouth refinery in 2013, said it would seek an urgent meeting with the chemicals firm to discuss the possible sale.
Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: "Our members at BP will have major concerns about the possibility of becoming employees of Ineos, a company with a clear history of attacking our members' pensions, as well as their terms and conditions, in order to maximise profit.
"If a sale does go ahead, we will fight to protect our members in every way we can, and Ineos should work with us to allay their fears."
About 300 BP staff currently operate and support the FPS system. | Oil giant BP is in talks with chemicals group Ineos over the sale of the North Sea's largest pipeline. |
40,189,916 | The victim, who is in her 30s, was attacked in Hermon Hill, Wanstead, on her way to work at about 09:30 BST.
Nursery manager Karrien Stevens said the woman told her she was slashed by three Asian women dressed in black.
Counter-terrorism police have been informed but are not treating it as a terrorist incident.
Ms Stevens, who runs Little Diamonds nursery in Hermon Hill, said the woman was slashed while on her way to work from Wanstead High Street.
The attackers slashed her arm from the wrist upwards before running off down the street, she said.
The victim's injuries are not life threatening but she was taken to an east London hospital as a precaution, the Metropolitan Police said.
In a statement, the force added: "The suspects fled the scene prior to police arrival in an unknown direction.
"No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.
"The Met's Counter Terrorism Command has been made aware of the incident but is not investigating at this time." | A nursery school worker has been taken to hospital with a "slash wound" after reports of a stabbing in east London, police have said. |
37,810,626 | Samia Shahid, 28, from Bradford, died in Pakistan in July. Her father and first husband have been held in connection with her death.
Her mother, Imtiaz BiBi, and sister, Madiha Shahid have been declared proclaimed offenders in Pakistan.
A judge issued arrest warrants when they did not appear in court earlier.
Declaring the women proclaimed offenders means the police believe they were involved in Ms Shahid's death and wish to question them.
Both her father and first husband appeared at the court hearing in Jhelum, in the northern Punjab province, where the case was adjourned until 11 November.
Chaudhry Muhammad Shakeel is accused of her murder while her father Chaudhry Muhammad Shahid is being held as a suspected accessory.
Neither have been formally charged but their lawyers have previously argued there is no evidence against them.
The men's legal team asked the court to wait for the High Court in Lahore to decide on a petition lodged by Ms Shahid's second husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazim, for the case to be moved from Jhelum.
The High Court is expected to rule on that petition on 24 November but the judge in Jhelum said the court would continue to pursue the matter as no order to stay proceedings had been received.
Ms Shahid, a beautician, married Mr Kazim in Leeds in 2014 and the couple moved to Dubai.
Mr Kazim has claimed his wife, who died while visiting relatives in Pakistan, was killed because her family disapproved of their marriage.
Initially it was claimed she had died of a heart attack but a post-mortem examination confirmed she had been strangled. | Arrest warrants have been issued for the mother and sister of a woman believed to have been the victim of a so-called "honour killing". |
38,981,506 | The figures also found a 22% rise in voided licences in 2016, compared to the year before.
Some people caught had entered the UK illegally, but most obtained a licence while on a legitimate visa and had then illegally overstayed.
However, critics say the "small" number of licences that actually go on to be surrendered "undermines" the system.
The Home Office gave the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) the powers to revoke licences in July 2014.
That month more than 3,500 licences were revoked. In 2015 it was 9,700 and in 2016 that number rose to 11,900, the figures released under the Freedom of Information Act to BBC South East show.
The driving licence is the second most recognised form of ID after the passport, so can be used by illegal immigrants to secure work, open bank accounts or sign tenancy agreements.
To make it harder for them to do any of these things, the UK Immigration Act 2014 created "hostile environment" measures for migrants in the UK.
As well as revoking licences, it introduced:
In 2015, five times more people had their licences revoked in the UK on medical grounds than those suspected of being illegal immigrants.
9,782
licences revoked because of immigration status in 2015
47,000 car and motorcycle licences revoked on medical grounds in 2015
98,000 drivers disqualified by the courts in 2015
Chris Hobbs, a former special branch officer in border controls, said: "How likely is it for that driver to be stopped bearing in mind the number of traffic police has been hugely reduced? There are all sorts of issues around stopping vehicles and asking for details, you have to have a valid reason to do that."
Asked why, on having the person's address, immigration enforcement officers did not doorstep them instead of waiting for police to pick them up during routine checks, the Home Office has yet to respond.
In the most recent report from David Bolt, the chief inspector of borders, he raised concerns over the measures.
He criticised the small number of deportations as a result of the crackdown - of the thousands who had their licences revoked, 583 people left the UK in the 2015-16 tax year.
Mr Bolt also said the small number of people physically surrendering their licences "undermines" the new system.
Since then, the Home Office has announced plans to allow police and immigration officers to search for and seize these documents.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "This will help ensure revoked licences are removed from circulation. We are making it harder for illegal migrants to live in the UK - as these figures show."
Mr Bolt's report also stated the Home Office's database was incomplete and incorrect and its failings meant "some people without leave to be in the country were being missed", while others were "wrongly flagged" as being here illegally. | A crackdown on illegal immigrants in the UK has seen almost 27,000 drivers have their licences revoked since 2014. |
35,523,203 | Bowler Murtagh missed last year's World Cup with a foot injury.
Ireland have named an experienced 15-man squad for the biennial tournament.
John Bracewell's side have been drawn in the same group as the Netherlands, Oman and Bangladesh, with the winners qualifying for the Super 10 stage.
Captain William Porterfield is one of five players ready to embark on a fifth campaign in the competition.
The O'Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall, Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson have also competed in all four previous tournaments.
Porterfield was at the helm when Ireland first took part in the global showpiece in England in 2009 and has participated in all three subsequent events in the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Ireland Head Coach John Bracewell is relishing the opportunity to lead Ireland at a major global event for the first time and is confident his side will acquit themselves well.
"The squad has got a real balance to it, with that blend of youth and experience that every coach likes. Ireland are now regular performers on the world stage so there's no fear or intimidation factors," said Bracewell.
"Everyone has been given a real boost by the return of Boyd Rankin, and Tim Murtagh's rethink on retirement in this format. Porty (Porterfield) has plenty of options with the ball as so many of the squad are genuine all-rounders," said the New Zealander.
"We will be well prepared for the competition, as we're currently playing Papua New Guinea, will take on the UAE later this week, and will be India for a training camp ahead of the competition.
"It's another great chance for the squad to showcase Irish cricket to a global audience, and the guys are determined to prove they belong at the top level of the sport."
The tournament will be played from 8 March to 3 April, with Ireland facing Oman in their opening match on 9 March.
William Porterfield (capt) (Warwickshire), Andrew Balbirnie (Middlesex), George Dockrell (Leinster Lightning), Andy McBrine (Donemana), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire), Andrew Poynter (Clontarf), Stuart Poynter (Durham), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Max Sorensen (The Hills), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Stuart Thompson (Eglinton), Gary Wilson (Surrey), Craig Young (Bready). | Tim Murtagh will be part of the Ireland squad at next month's World Twenty20 in India after reversing his decision to retire from the shortest format of the game at international level. |
36,962,717 | The former Barnsley boss, 35, took over at Ashton Gate in February and steered City to 18th in the Championship table.
The Robins have not played in the top flight since 1980 and were playing in the third tier as recently as 2015.
When asked where he sees the club in five year's time, Johnson said: "I'm going to stick my neck on the line a little bit and say Europa League."
Owned by local businessman Steve Lansdown - reportedly worth 2.3bn US dollars (£1.73bn) - the Robins won promotion to the Championship in 2015 before sacking manager Steve Cotterill in January, with the Robins 22nd in the table.
Lansdown, who also has stakes in local clubs from other sports, including Bristol's recently-promoted Premiership Rugby side, has previously said he wants to turn the city into a sporting force.
Johnson said City aim to "fast-track" efforts to emulate Swansea and Stoke, who have both featured in Europe's second-tier competition in recent years.
"We'll give it a right good go, that's for sure," said Johnson at Tuesday's BBC Radio Bristol & BBC Somerset sports forum.
"I believe it as well. I believe it is putting pressure on everybody at the club and we can deal with that pressure.
"Yes it will be very, very difficult, but why not? We're ready to go. Bristol is a fantastic city.
"I love the city, and the club, to bits. It's an amazing new stadium that will only get better as well."
Johnson's side begin their 2016-17 campaign at home to newly-promoted Wigan Athletic on Saturday, 6 August. | Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson says he wants the club to play Europa League football within five years. |
33,022,137 | Th 16-year-old victim, Brian Phimister, was a passenger in a BMW 3 Series car which left the A966 between Dysart and Coaltown of Wemyss at about 12:50.
He died at the scene while the 18-year-old driver was taken to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for treatment.
A police spokesman said: "Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding this incident are ongoing."
He added: "Anyone who can assist road policing officers with their investigation is asked to contact police immediately." | A teenager has been killed and another seriously injured after their car crashed into a tree in Fife. |
38,191,330 | In 2015, 350 people took their own lives compared to 247 in the previous year.
However, the charity Samaritans said the apparent increase needed to be "treated with caution."
It said the fluctuations from one year to another could be put be down "problems with accuracy".
In many cases, there can be a substantial delay in registering a death by suicide.
Out of the 350 suicides registered last year, just under half happened before 2015.
The ONS said: "Part of the rise in the number of suicides registered in Wales in 2015 can be explained by a higher proportion of suicides occurring in previous years being included in this year's figures."
Last year's recorded suicides involved 274 men and 76 women.
The highest number were in Cardiff (34), followed by Swansea (18), Newport (16) and Ceredigion (8).
The chief executive of Samaritans, Ruth Sutherland said: "Suicide is not inevitable, it's preventable and politicians, employers, health bodies and educators all have a role in identifying and supporting those most at risk.
"With better awareness and education on suicide prevention, as well as better planning, we will save lives". | The number of recorded suicides has risen sharply in Wales, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
37,935,607 | "Nobody could sleep last night," said Sharon Yerkess, who lives metres from the crash site. "Every time I tried, I kept thinking of the huge bang I heard or thinking about the screaming. I just can't stop thinking about those people."
While the world was talking about the surprise of Donald Trump becoming US president, firefighters in south-east London were trying to free people from the wreckage of a derailed tram near the Sandilands stop.
Seven people died and more than 50 people were injured when the tram, filled with people making their way into work, overturned shortly after 06:00 GMT.
"It was an awful shock to wake up to," Sharon said. "My daughter was on her way to the tram stop when it happened.
"But this morning, it is so unnerving and eerie. This road is normally teeming with people, buses, cars, children and trams. Now it is like a ghost town."
The streets were strangely quiet as people made their way through the residential area in the run-up to rush hour. The silence was only broken by a small group of schoolchildren, talking at nervous speed about the terrifying episode.
A huge cordon was in place around the crash, blocking off neighbouring roads and the main route to East Croydon station.
And police officers guarded each entrance, only letting a handful of commuters duck under the barriers as they tried to continue with their lives.
Paul Arneill was on one of the first trams on Thursday morning - for the few stops he could go before services were suspended for police to continue their investigation.
"When I go in early, I always get a tram around that time," he said. "It was eerie going on it this morning, knowing what had happened just yesterday.
"You just don't think it could happen. I have been getting the tram ever since it started and it just part of the day for people who live round here. But people were scared this morning."
But one traveller, who was on the tram immediately before the crash, said he had not been surprised by the derailment.
"The rate you see tram drivers hare around those corners is frightening," said Con O'Sullivan. "They do go really fast when they travel on this route. I am not surprised something like this has eventually happened."
Others were hugging each other maybe just that little bit tighter as they bid farewell to loved ones only 24 hours after the crash.
Katia Muscara, who has lived in Croydon for 12 years, was in tears as she spoke about the incident - which has led to the driver being arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
"It is even more shocking this morning as it starts to sink in," she said, after saying goodbye to her child for the day. "It is heartbreaking.
"My kids use that tram, our friends' kids use that tram. If it had been half an hour later, our children could have been on there.
"It is normally so busy on this street at this time, full of kids running around and all the traffic. To see it like this, so silent, it just hits you."
One bunch of flowers was laid just outside the cordon on Addiscombe Road to show the victims' families were in the thoughts of local people.
The card read: "To the families of all the lives lost, my deepest sympathy. From a Croydon resident and my family. RIP. God bless."
The community was coming together but the shock and sadness that is palpable on the local streets will take time to heal. | As the people of Croydon woke up the day after a fatal tram crash killed seven people on their doorstep, the shock was still setting in. |
39,513,280 | Chancellor Angela Merkel is keen to emphasise that Brexit negotiations are between Britain and the EU but Germany's position will assume a significance above and beyond most - perhaps all - of the other member states.
This is partly because of its economic and political weight in the union but also because, unlike many other countries, it has the resources, the people and the expertise to analyse and work through the administrative complexities of deconstructing Britain's membership.
For a nation that considers itself to be European first, German second, the priority is now the future security of the EU.
Berlin wants to present a united European front in the negotiations, so it's likely to stick to a script agreed with the big EU institutions.
Expect a firm line too from Berlin on the rights of EU citizens living in Britain.
While there is concern in Berlin about the impact of what one German newspaper called "Britain's leap into the dark", and an acknowledgement of, in Mrs Merkel's words, the "enormity and complexity" of the negotiations ahead, but politicians in Berlin worry about the bigger picture too.
Mrs Merkel has made it clear all along that she wants to get on with tackling other challenges facing the union; migration, terrorism, youth unemployment, the impact of digitisation and so on.
And, she said on Thursday that, in a world of global challenges, Europe could not afford to be introspective now.
Berlin didn't want Britain to leave - but, now that the decision's made, it wants "fair and constructive" exit negotiations to be concluded quickly and cleanly.
But it's unlikely to support talks over the shape of the future relationship between the UK and the EU unless Britain first agrees the terms of its exit - ie commits to paying that "Brexit bill".
There is, in reality, little appetite here for a punitive approach.
Berlin wishes to preserve its strong economic relationship with the UK.
But don't expect Germany to be a soft negotiating partner either.
Even business leaders - among them the head of the association of Germany's all-powerful car manufacturers - acknowledge the EU's interests must come first.
Mrs Merkel has warned against the "illusion" the UK can retain or even negotiate better rights than member states.
In Angela Merkel's response to the triggering of Article 50 last month, she chose first to commit to minimising the personal impact of Brexit on EU citizens living in the UK.
And she is expected to seek to protect what she sees as those vital founding freedoms of the EU.
She has repeatedly insisted that there can be no access to the single market without freedom of movement of people - a red line upon which many will seek to compromise but upon which she is likely to stand firm.
France is in the middle of presidential elections, and will have a new head of state in early May.
The two candidates have very different views of the European Union - and of Brexit.
If Marine Le Pen of the Front National is elected, all bets are off.
She is vehemently anti-EU, and thinks the UK's departure is not to be regretted but applauded.
With Ms Le Pen in the Elysee, the chaos created by Brexit would quickly be eclipsed as Brussels struggled to cope with a much greater threat - Frexit.
But realistically, Marine Le Pen's chances are small.
Far more probable is a President Emmanuel Macron.
Mr Macron is fervently pro-European.
In recent months, he has spoken out strongly about how the UK must not be allowed special treatment in its negotiations with Brussels.
Echoing the outgoing President Francois Hollande, he says favours to London would betray the spirit of the EU and encourage populism.
The obvious conclusion is that he would take a tough line in the talks on Brexit.
But another interpretation suggests he might actually make life easier for the UK's negotiators.
This is because on many issues Mr Macron is in agreement with the UK.
He is economically liberal, pro-trade and pro-business.
He understands the City.
Hope for this more favourable view comes from a policy paper co-written by Mr Macron's top adviser, Jean Pisani-Ferry.
In it, he argues for a "continental partnership" with the UK, in which London would have access to the single market (and pay into the EU budget) but win back control over movement of workers.
This is seen as a very soft version of Brexit.
Optimists say that a Macron victory would be seen as the start of a rollback against populism in Europe.
A more confident Brussels establishment would then be more likely to reach a generous deal with London.
Poles make up the largest non-British nationality living in the UK, so the first priority for the Polish government is to secure the rights of those 850,000 Polish citizens.
It's thought that many of those Poles have not been living in Britain long enough to claim permanent residency, so there's a great deal of uncertainty among them about their future rights post-Brexit.
Warsaw wants to be seen to be protecting its citizens' current status, including their access to UK social benefits.
Essentially, it wants the current rules to remain in force.
Those workers' earnings are important for the Polish economy.
Each year, they send home an estimated $1bn (£780m).
Another pressing concern is securing the UK's contribution to the EU budget.
Poland is the biggest recipient of funds - 106bn euro (£90bn) under the 2014-20 EU budget, to which the UK is a significant contributor.
Those funds have transformed the infrastructure landscape of Poland, and helped drive the country's economic growth.
Warsaw hopes Brexit will not mean less money in the pot.
Before the referendum, Poland named Britain as its number one partner in the EU.
It insists the UK will remain a strong ally, especially in areas such as defence and Nato cooperation.
Russia's annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine have increased concerns in Poland and the Baltic states about security.
British soldiers have been deployed to the region and are taking part in the defence of Nato's eastern flank, a contribution that Warsaw values.
So often the rock of contention, Gibraltar looms large over the impending Brexit negotiations.
Spain lobbied hard to ensure that the British overseas territory was specifically mentioned in the European Council's draft guidance document, which states that Madrid can veto the application of an agreement between the EU and the UK to Gibraltar.
Since Spain joined the EU, Gibraltar has been able to call on Brussels to intervene when it felt Spain was squeezing traffic unreasonably at the land border, charges Madrid has consistently denied, citing security concerns.
Now, there will have to be an agreement between Britain and Spain to apply the eventual Brexit terms of trade and movement of people to and from the British overseas territory.
Spain has proposed joint sovereignty, something Gibraltarians - and UK governments - have traditionally rejected out of hand.
But aside from grandstanding on the Rock, Spain has many reasons to make Brexit as soft as possible.
The Spanish consulate in London says 130,000 Spaniards live in Britain.
On the other side, 309,000 British citizens are registered as residents in Spain.
Here, the two countries will seek reciprocity on a deal making migrants' lives comfortable.
Tourism is Spain's leading economic driver.
According to the Spanish government, 23% of the 75 million foreign tourists who visited the country in 2016 came from Britain.
There are strong financial links between the two countries too.
Spanish company Ferrovial operates Heathrow and several other UK airports.
Santander says 20% of its profits in 2016 came from its UK banking operations.
Spain consistently runs a healthy trade surplus with the UK.
Madrid has said it will work for an amicable deal with Britain, but the shadow of an impending row over applying it to Gibraltar threatens to be a major political stumbling block.
Expats, exports, security - these will be Italy's three immediate Brexit negotiation priorities.
Italy's embassy in the UK estimates there could be up to 600,000 Italians living in the UK, while it is thought that only 30,000 Britons live in Italy.
Many of the Italians living in Britain are young graduates who cannot find work at home.
Italy will want to safeguard their rights - and find a way to ensure future graduates can continue to look for work in the UK.
Then, Italy will want to make sure that it is able to carry on selling its goods to the UK.
Britain is currently Italy's fourth biggest export market.
In 2015, Italy exported 22.5bn euro (£19bn) worth of goods to the UK including cars, machinery, clothes, and the sparkling wine prosecco.
Italy will also seek to maintain a security alliance with Britain, particularly in the Mediterranean.
As an EU member, Britain has taken part in anti-smuggling operations off the Italian coast.
Italy and the UK have also worked together in efforts to stabilise Libya.
Brexit also presents a number of opportunities for Italy.
The EU must decide the fate of its agencies currently based in the UK.
Milan is taking part in the unofficial competition to take over as the host of the European Banking Agency and the European Medicines Agency.
It's never fun watching your best friend go through a break-up, and it gets a lot more complicated when you've got a bunch of friends in common.
That's the position Sweden finds itself in, as its closest ally prepares to divorce itself from the EU.
The two countries have shared the same perspective on 90% of votes in the European Council, and the UK is the Nordic nation's fifth biggest export partner.
Ever-efficient Sweden has made no secret of its desire for negotiations on a new trade agreement with the UK to start as soon as possible.
But its first priority is clarity on the future rights of EU citizens to live, work and study in a post-Brexit Britain.
According to the Swedish government, more than 100,000 Swedes, from a population of just 10 million, are based in the UK, and about 1,000 Swedish businesses operate there.
Sweden's Minister for European Affairs and Trade, Ann Linde, has been openly critical of the challenges facing Europeans seeking permanent residency in the UK under current rules, which include filling out an 85-page document and providing evidence of steady work.
While Sweden's centre-left government has said it wants to make sure its old friend gets a "fair deal" in the negotiations, it has made clear that keeping the rest of the 27-member bloc intact is its core goal, a message shared by the country's centre-right opposition parties.
But public support for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats - who are pushing for a "Swexit"- has crept up to about 19%, with just over a year to go before the country's next general election.
Meanwhile, Sweden has seen a huge spike in citizenship applications from British expats anxious to guarantee their future in Scandinavia, with 1,616 forms submitted in 2016, three times the total of the previous year, 511.
A "self-inflicted wound" is how one bewildered Dutch columnist described Brexit.
The UK has historically been one of the Netherlands' closest allies.
Exports between the two run into the tens of billions of euros.
A comprehensive free trade agreement will be a priority - the Dutch government's biggest fear is having to fall back on the World Trade Organization tariffs.
But bear in mind, the Netherlands was one of the first recruits to the EU club of nations and about 80% of the country's GDP comes from exports, most of which (79%) are within Europe.
The strength of Britain's relationship with this small but influential ally could prove critical in determining the nature of the final deal.
In fact, the pragmatic Dutch could emerge as mediators.
They are the masters of compromise, proud of their ability to put differences aside to work together in the common interest, to literally dig the land out of the sea.
They have their people to think about too.
The Dutch foreign minister told the BBC that securing the rights of the approximately 100,000 Dutch citizens who lived in the UK was a top priority in the negotiations.
And the Britons based in the Netherlands are anxious to be afforded the same protections.
The domestic political landscape could also influence the Dutch stance.
Eurosceptic parties performed well in the recent election.
They were emboldened by Brexit, despite the fact support for a "Nexit" fell after Britain demonstrated the complications involved in extricating oneself from the EU.
The Dutch dilemma will be how to maintain the valuable economic, cultural and political links with the UK without bolstering the eurosceptics at home and across the continent who want to destroy their lucrative club. | As the leaders of the EU's remaining 27 member states prepare for the first Brexit summit in Brussels, which issues will shape the agendas of the individual countries taking part? |
39,200,785 | The game was stopped shortly after kick-off as stewards cleared the playing surface at Emirates Stadium.
Under Uefa rules, clubs are liable for the conduct of their fans and may be subject to disciplinary measures for acts including the throwing of objects.
Bayern beat Arsenal 10-2 on aggregate.
A group of visiting fans also held up a banner which read "without fans football is not worth a penny", having made a similar protest in a Champions League group match at Arsenal last season. | Bayern Munich could face a fine after their supporters delayed Tuesday's Champions League tie at Arsenal by throwing rolls of paper onto the pitch in protest over ticket prices. |
39,765,984 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The Italian celebrated on the pitch with his players at full-time at Goodison Park, after goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill and Willian.
Chelsea need three more wins from their last four games to secure the title in Conte's first season in charge.
"There are two Antonios. Two different people," said the 47-year-old.
"During the game, I know I am an animal.
"After the game, I must be relaxed when we win but I think it's very good to celebrate this win with the players, staff and fans. I live for this."
Conte, who won three consecutive Serie A titles as Juventus boss between 2012 and 2014, is renowned for being an energetic, loud presence on the touchline.
He celebrated all three of his side's goals at Everton by punching the air and running down the touchline.
The Italian is calm and thoughtful during post-match interviews and news conferences, a trait he says he likes to see in his players.
"We must be pleased because we played a game with the head and, at this part of this season, it is important to use our head, then your heart and then your legs," he said.
Conte believes in the mantra so much, he wrote a book called Testa, cuore e gambe (Head, heart and legs) in 2014.
Chelsea's lead over second-placed Tottenham remains at four points after Spurs' 2-0 win over Arsenal later on Sunday.
And Blues captain Cahill said it could prove to be a crucial day in the title race.
"We have made a massive stride, there's no getting away from that," he said.
"We knew how big the three points would be. There's still time to go but it's a huge step." | Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said he is an "animal" during games, after watching his Premier League leaders beat Everton 3-0 on Sunday. |
34,574,758 | The case of British nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital in London, is a timely reminder of how little is known about the lingering after effects of the killer virus.
The World Health Organization says there's only one other well-documented Ebola survivor who has suffered severe complications after recovering from the virus, American infectious disease expert Dr Ian Crozier.
He was originally infected in September 2014 while treating patients in Sierra Leone. He was sent back to the US to receive treatment in a special Ebola unit in Atlanta. He left the hospital in October, after being given the all clear.
"I walked out of the isolation unit in Atlanta a very different person," Dr Ian Crozier tells me from his family's home in Arizona.
"I returned to Pheonix, where my family was, and began the long process of reattaching to life.
"I was very fortunate to be alive."
But a new, unexpected challenge awaited Dr Crozier, as it did the thousands of Ebola survivors in affected West African countries.
"I quickly realised it wasn't over," he says.
"I began to struggle with severe joint pains, muscle pain and stiffness. I suffered profound fatigue, and I lost the hearing in my left ear."
There was worse to come.
A couple of months after his initial recovery, Dr Crozier's left eye became extremely painful and inflamed.
He returned to the Emory University hospital, where medics used a tiny needle to withdraw fluid.
To their astonishment, the inside of Dr Crozier's eye was "teeming" with the virus.
Dr Crozier says: "We found hundreds of millions of copies [of the virus]. It was active, multiplying Ebola virus."
His eyeball became soft, and he temporarily went blind in his left eye.
At one point, his eye temporarily changed colour, from blue to green.
"It was quite shocking," he says.
"I was terrified of potentially spreading the virus to my family through my tears."
But tests quickly revealed fluids on his eye, and his tears did not contain the virus, so he posed no danger to others.
Ebola can persist in "immune privileged sites" - parts of the body immune cells cannot reach - after a patient recovers from their illness.
Recent research published in the New England Medical Journal found Ebola lingered in semen for nine months after men recovered.
But it is unclear whether those men are contagious.
The WHO says the risk of sexual transmission is "probably low", otherwise there would be far more new infections.
As well as the inner eyeball and semen, other immune privileged sites include the central nervous system, breast milk and the placenta.
Dr Crozier says: "You take it very personally.
"In a sense, this virus was hitching a free ride for months and months. That was difficult to come to terms with.
"Many of us [survivors] are angry and indignant that the virus is persisting."
There have been a number of reports of people experiencing eye problems in affected West African countries.
However, unlike in Dr Crozier's case in the US, and Pauline Cafferkey's case in the UK, most of those experiencing these sorts of problems are not investigated rigorously, so data and evidence about what is going on is scarce.
Dr Crozier describes life after Ebola as a kind of balancing act of being grateful to be alive, but acutely aware of the uncertainty.
"That tension is much more pronounced for the West African survivors." he says.
"This virus is the chief of home-wreckers.
"Many lost their entire families and are now facing these problems, as well as stigma in their communities, when they thought the worst of it was over."
Dr Crozier says his health and eyesight is improving, but he is not entirely better. "I've continued to struggle with joint pains, hearing loss and fatigue."
As Pauline Cafferkey continues her second fight for life because of Ebola, Dr Crozier says he and many other survivors stand alongside the British nurse and her family.
"We're all learning. This virus is teaching us as we go along," he says.
"I've learned to take nothing off the table in terms of what we know or what we think we know about Ebola.
"You become resilient and prepared for the unexpected." | There are at least 17,000 Ebola survivors currently facing a very uncertain future. |
39,966,145 | Former factory worker Dave Dawes, 53, from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, and his wife Angela, 49, won the money in 2011.
Central London County Court heard Mr Dawes' son Michael, 32, was given £1.6m, but funds stopped after a row.
He was seeking a ruling that his father and stepmother must financially support him for the rest of their lives.
For more on this story and others in Cambridgeshire visit BBC Local Live
Judge Nigel Gerald said Michael "was provided with the funds to have a comfortable life" but instead behaved like a "profligate son" who expected his father to bail him out.
The court heard the former naval officer and his civil partner James Beedle, 34, gave up their jobs and spent nearly £1.6m over two years.
This included £500,000 on a house in Portsmouth and nearly £250,000 on Mr Beedle's family and their friends.
At one point the pair were spending between £20,000 and £30,000 a month, which the judge said was "astonishing" and "way outside their means".
The court heard his father regularly topped up his funds when he ran out of money.
The judge said Mr Dawes was "baffled" when Michael asked for more funds in April 2012 after being given £1m shortly after the win in October 2011.
"Michael took this as a demonstration that his father would cough up whenever asked, and this therefore buttressed his strange conclusion that his dad would financially support him for the rest of his life," the judge said.
Michael was serving in Afghanistan when his father rang him to tell him of the win.
He told the court the factory shift supervisor promised he "would always be looked after".
By March 2013, Michael and Mr Beedle were told some of their debts would be paid off "but there would be nothing more".
This came after Mrs Dawes' 49th birthday party in November 2013, when a drunken row broke out between the father and son.
The judge ruled that Mr Dawes' previous "largesse" did not give rise to an expectation of further bail-outs.
Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning | A man who won a £101m Euromillions jackpot does not have to "cough up" financial support for his son "whenever asked", a court has ruled. |
30,283,203 | It has been named in the National Infrastructure Plan published ahead of the chancellor's Autumn Statement.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey said it showed the UK government was "serious" about the potential for tidal power.
The go-ahead could be given before the general election in May.
"Tidal energy is a huge opportunity for Britain," said Mr Davey.
"Tidal lagoons alone could provide up to 8% of our power needs, replacing foreign fossil fuels with clean, reliable home-grown electricity.
"That's why we're showing investors and developers that we're serious about tidal lagoon potential and have started in-depth discussions for what could become the world's first tidal lagoon."
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb welcomed progress on the scheme, saying it could give a "massive boost" to the Welsh economy, creating thousands of jobs.
"Wales is already home to some of the most cutting edge companies in the world and the country is uniquely placed to pioneer tidal power," he said.
"I am a strong supporter of this project and I have long been making the case to my Cabinet colleagues that Welsh innovation should be supporting the next generation of low-carbon technology."
HOW THE LAGOON WOULD WORK:
Source: Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd
Six months of public consultation closes on Tuesday with the Planning Inspectorate due to report its recommendations in three months' time.
It will also depend on ministers agreeing a guaranteed price for the power generated by the lagoon.
TLP has said the turbines could power 155,000 homes and offer coastal flood protection for the Swansea Bay area.
Construction would create or support 1,900 jobs with 180 people employed once the lagoon is operational.
However, some organisations have expressed concern for its impact on wildlife but TLP chief executive Mark Shorrock said the project will work with the "rhythm of nature".
He said the project has attracted interest from India and France and could be worth billions to the Welsh economy if a supply chain for parts could be created for other projects.
"This is massive - this is Wales leading the world," he said.
Tidal Lagoon Power Limited hopes to build the world's first tidal lagoon project in Swansea Bay.
The company says it could power more than 150,000 homes.
After public hearings in the Swansea area, the company is hoping the planning authorities will recommend that Energy Secretary Ed Davey gives the green light.
The crucial part of negotiations though will be for the UK government to agree paying a subsidy, or guaranteed price, for the electricity generated.
That could be between £155 and £162 per megawatt hour.
Ministers will have to assess if the project is affordable and offers value for money. | A £1bn plan to build the world's first power-generating tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay has been given a boost as the UK government revealed further discussions with the developers. |
32,531,107 | At least eight islanders died in prisons or detention camps or as a result of ill-treatment after being jailed for resistance.
Bailiff Sir Richard Collas unveiled the plaque near the Liberation Monument, at North Beach, St Peter Port.
It reads "dedicated to the memory of all Islanders who committed acts of protest, defiance and resistance".
It also lists the names of seven individuals: Charles Machon, Percy Miller, Marie Ozanne, Joseph Gillingham, Sidney Ashcroft, Louis Symes, and John Ingrouille. An eighth person died, but their family has asked for their details to be kept private.
Members of the wartime generation and families of some of those who died laid wreaths at the ceremony.
Among them was Jean Harris, whose father Joseph Gillingham was one of a number of islanders involved in the Guernsey Underground News Service (Guns).
It was a loose collection of people who secretly listened to BBC News, on home-built or radios they had not handed in, wrote the news down and shared it with other islanders.
Mrs Harris and her husband Alan have been integral in organising the plaque, which has been funded entirely by public donations.
The project has the backing of the Guernsey Deportees Association and was installed by the Culture and Leisure Department. | People who resisted the Nazi occupation of Guernsey in World War Two have been remembered by a memorial plaque. |
33,999,148 | Strong growth in household goods sales helped to offset falls in sales of petrol and clothes.
Compared with a year ago, sales rose by 4.2%. Both the monthly and annual figures were lower than expected.
Average store prices fell by 3% year on year, largely due to an 11% fall in petrol prices.
The price of petrol has fallen sharply on the back of a 50% slump in the oil price over the past 12 months.
The ONS said that the biggest growth in sales were in electrical goods and furniture, both of which were up almost 20% on the month.
Internet sales were up 13%, and accounted for 12.6% of all retail sales.
The figures were a little lower than expected, partly because wage rises are rising faster than inflation, so in theory people should have more money to spend.
"With wages increasing, falling fuel prices and with a low interest rate environment, discretionary spending has been boosted by rising real incomes," said Ian Geddes at Deloitte.
"With more money in their pockets, consumers are choosing to spend their money on big ticket items. This is particularly the case for the furniture and household goods subsectors, with consumers making home improvements during the summer months."
David Kern at the British Chambers of Commerce described annual sales growth as "very strong", but said the monthly figure was "a reminder that the recovery is still fragile.
"Given that falling store prices show deflation in the retail sector, we believe that the clamour in some quarters for early interest rate increases is premature".
The consensus for a rise in interest rates is early next year, but some economists have called for a rise this year to give rates time to have an impact on the real economy. | UK retail sales volumes rose by 0.1% in July, after falling the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. |
34,241,256 | It does not feel like the capital of a regime that is about to crumble.
The government-held areas that I have visited seem calm and functional. The ministry of defence, behind heavy layers of security, moves at a stately pace.
The regime has deployed some of its strongest units in Damascus because keeping the capital is so important to it.
The troops I met seemed to have good morale, in cohesive units. Their kit and weapons were well looked after; so were their positions.
One of the most strategic front lines in Damascus is in the inner city suburb of Jobar.
It is critical for the rebels because if the Syrian army could break through, the stronghold of eastern Ghouta would be threatened.
The regime needs Jobar because it protects the heart of Damascus; the presidential palace is only a couple of miles behind the army's positions.
In recent days Jaish al-Islam, one of the best organised rebel groups, has made significant breakthroughs after an attack out of eastern Ghouta.
If Jaish al-Islam can hold on to its gains, the strategic position around Damascus would change. But with the army counter-attacking, it might be just another episode in the ebb and flow of war.
Syrians in Damascus complain that the city has shrunk because four years or more of fighting in many suburbs has made them into no-go areas.
The economy has been ravaged by the war, and prices are much higher.
But the economy still functions. Farmers bring food to market. The wholesale vegetable market, which is a couple of minutes drive from front line positions in Jobar, is open.
President Bashar al-Assad and his generals have had defeats this year. Idlib, a provincial capital, fell in March. The jihadists of Islamic State captured the ancient city of Palmyra in May.
But President Assad has his vital trio of supporters: Russia, Iran and Hezbollah from Lebanon. Russia seems to be increasing its military support for the regime.
Hezbollah men are fighting along the border with Lebanon. Iran provides vital financial and military assistance.
Rich western countries are discovering, belatedly, what Syria's neighbours have known ever since demonstrations became an uprising and then a war in 2011.
The war exports trouble, violence and refugees. Half of Syria's pre-war population has fled from the fighting. Eight million are still in Syria, displaced, refugees in their own country. Four million have left Syria.
Britain and others hoped that helping with a relief effort for refugees would encourage them to stay put.
But hopes among refugees that the war would end relatively quickly disappeared as the killing went on.
It became clear that they would not be going home anytime soon.
Conditions in camps and temporary, overcrowded accommodation had never been easy.
It was even worse when it sunk in that they might face years more in camps in Jordan and Turkey, or even worse, in informal shanty towns and the slums of Lebanon.
What made matters worse was that the rich countries that funded the relief effort led by the UN agencies have made big cuts to their contributions.
The World Food Programme has cut the monthly budget to feed one person in the region from $30 to $13 (£19 to £8). In Syria, the figure is $12.50.
That is roughly the cost of three Big Macs, to feed one person for a month; it is a plain and sparse diet.
Because of cuts in contributions from donors they are struggling to do that. Hundreds of thousands of people have been told they will get no more food aid.
One senior UN source called the lack of funding "crazy and bizarre". The source said they had been warning donors for six months that conflict and desperation would take refugees from the Middle East to Europe.
That will continue as long as the war lasts.
The war has not been contained, and continues to get worse, and more complicated. Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, has the toughest diplomatic job in the world.
The most powerful rebel groups taking on the Assad regime have ideologies that range from a kind of religious nationalism, to the jihadists of Islamic State who are hacking off parts of Syria and Iraq to make a new kind of political entity.
The rebel groups often fight each other. They reconstitute coalitions and organisations frequently. The rebels approved and funded by the West are not big players.
What makes things really complicated is that big regional and world powers have also intervened on either side in the war.
They include Russia, the United States, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanese Hezbollah, Jordan and Britain.
No wonder all the negotiations so far have failed. Each party to the conflict has its own agenda.
Some are opposed to each other; Iran and Saudi Arabia are effectively fighting a proxy war in Syria.
Russia and the US have other wars to disagree about as well, which has made it impossible for them to put their weight behind a serious effort to end the war, or at least to stop it getting worse.
Viewed from the battlefields I have visited in the last two weeks or so, calls from politicians a very long way from Syria for some sort of deal between the warring parties seem less likely than ever to succeed.
The dynamic of war matters now in Syria. Not politics or diplomacy. | Predictions of the imminent, or even medium-term fall of Damascus are wrong. |
33,079,776 | Leon Edwards sold sodium chlorite and hydrochloric acid to a reporter posing as the relation of an autistic child. Combined, the chemicals form bleach.
The BBC has also learned the secret location of a conference to begin in Surrey on Friday to promote the 'cure'.
When confronted with the evidence, Mr Edwards made no comment.
Mr Edwards has been linked to the Genesis II Church, an American organisation which describes itself as a "non-religious church of health and healing".
This is purportedly achieved through the used of so-called "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS), a bleach which is produced by mixing the two chemicals.
Experts said it is untrue any such mixture could cure autism and warned its use could lead to serious harm or death.
Some of the leading figures in the 'church' have travelled from the US to attend the conference, due to take place in a manor house in Farnham.
Emails obtained by the BBC show delegates have been told to meet at a certain location before being driven to the venue, where they will be instructed in preparing doses of MMS to be consumed orally and taken via enemas.
Through his website, Mr Edwards, who says he is not attending the conference, sold the researcher the one bottle of liquid labelled as 22.4% sodium chlorite and a second labelled as 4% hydrochloric acid.
When the BBC sent the chemicals to Kent Scientific Services, an independent laboratory, they were found to be 57% and 45% stronger than the advertised concentration respectively.
The researcher then met Mr Edwards at King's Cross Station for a paid-for demonstration as to how they should be mixed and imbibed.
Mr Edwards told him: "It's helping people get well from all sorts of diseases - cancer, HIV, malaria. It's cleaning the body out. And nearly all the illnesses are getting removed with this.
"I'm not gonna say cure... because I can get in trouble. I'd say purge. It can purge autism. Alzheimer's too.
"170 children have had their diagnosis removed of autism in four years."
Mr Edwards advised 27 drops of MMS per day for a baby - administered with a baby's bottle.
Of his own use, he said: "I put it in my eyes, my nose, my ears, bathe in it, drunk it, breathed it in my lungs. I got injected in my butt with it.
"They're never gonna shut me down. All they can do is put me in a prison cell."
Last month a jury in the US state of Washington convicted Genesis II member Louis Daniel Smith for selling MMS as a "miracle cure". He faces a maximum of 34 years in prison.
Carol Povey, of the National Autistic Society, said: "No evidence of any kind exists to support the preposterous claims made for MMS as an intervention for autism.
"It is shocking that dubious companies continue to promote potentially very harmful products like these.
"Autism is a complex neurological condition, without a cure."
Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP, said ingesting bleach could cause scarring to the oesophagus, damage to the stomach and even death.
She explained: "A very small amount of concentrated bleach has the possibility of doing great harm.
"This is particularly true of a child's gut lining, which is thinner than an adults.
"It is an extra danger that people are self-administering this as the dose could easily be got wrong."
Prof Richard Goldberg, expert in pharmaceutical law at Durham Law School, warned selling sodium chlorite for consumption breached the Food Supplements England Regulations.
"This is a potential criminal offence," he said. "The Food Standards Agency has to inform the relevant local authority and the authority has to take action.
"There is a very strong argument that he is selling an unauthorised food supplement. There is a potential argument for him selling an unauthorised medicine."
An organiser of the Genesis II Church conference described MMS as a "sacrament" that was "no different than the bread and wine given during a church service".
The spokeswoman continued: "The so-called side effects are far less than [in] drugs sold by pharmaceutical companies.
"We are not selling any products during the church services. We simply conduct our services and share our news and protocols.
"Table salt is dangerous if taken too much [sic]."
Surrey County Council says it will try to disrupt the conference and warned the public against trying MMS.
Fiona O'Leary, a mother of two autistic children, is a leading campaigner against MMS. She warned: "This has been offered as a cure for autism in 60 countries.
"What worries me is people normalising this treatment - it does not even warrant the word treatment, autism is not a 'disease' that you can 'cure' with bleach.
"We need legislation so that people offering it are always prosecuted, but we don't see the authorities addressing this issue."
She added: "The suffering children are going through is shocking - it's child abuse." | A self-styled "reverend" who claims autism can be "purged" by swallowing bleach has been exposed by a BBC London undercover investigation. |
14,590,605 | "News programmes at the moment can't be sponsored and I would like to find a way of getting around that if I can," he told a summit on plans for local TV.
Mr Hunt wants around 50 new local TV stations to open by 2015.
But there must be a mechanism to make sure that the news remains independent and impartial, he added.
Speaking in Birmingham, he said the sponsorship of bulletins could provide crucial funds for the fledgling stations.
He said he would "look at the law in this respect", but added that regulations meant it would be difficult to achieve.
"We are looking to find ways to enable them to get revenue in any way they can, and if we can find a way that allows them to get sponsorship of certain programmes in a way that doesn't breach the current broadcasting code, then that's what we'd like to do."
However, allowing companies to sponsor news programmes is currently prohibited by media regulator Ofcom's code and by EU regulations.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the government was "keen to maximise the revenue sources available to local TV stations".
"One way of doing this would be to increase sponsorship opportunities," she said.
"The law prohibits the sponsorship of news but, as we are drawing up the licences for the new TV stations, we are looking at what we may be able to do within the existing rules.
"Whatever we do though we would insist on robust impartiality, accuracy and fairness rules remaining in place."
'Great concern'
Debra Davis of City TV, which is bidding to run the Birmingham channel, said she would support the move.
"You want to make sure local TV is commercially viable," she said. "Most people watch the news and you'd be able to sell the [advertising] time in and around the news quite well, for good rates.
"How it's done creatively and editorially needs some consideration. Commercial and editorial will always be separated."
Broadcasters would not compromise their integrity by giving sponsors special treatment, she added. "You would ruin your reputation. You couldn't do that, you wouldn't do that."
Jocelyn Hay from the Voice of the Listener and Viewer said the notion of local news sponsorship was a matter of "great concern".
"At the very least, programme makers minimise the danger of offending sponsors by avoiding active criticism and controversial subjects. The result is bland programming and a lack of investigative journalism, which contributes little to local democracy or holding local politicians to account," she added.
Mr Hunt added that rules on political impartiality and taste and decency would not be relaxed for the local stations.
The government has just published a list of 65 locations where local TV services could potentially broadcast. Around 20 initial licences will be awarded next year, with the first stations going on air in 2013.
They are likely to be broadcast on Freeview on channel eight in England and Northern Ireland, with another channel to be found in Scotland and Wales. | Dozens of new local TV stations could be the first broadcasters in the UK to have sponsored news bulletins, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. |
35,550,680 | Leo Cullen's side secured the bonus point before half-time with rookies Hayden Triggs and Adam Byrne scoring their first tries at senior level.
Captain Isa Nacewa and Luke McGrath had Leinster 26-0 ahead at the interval.
Leinster emptied their bench with Jordi Murphy, Sean Cronin, Garry Ringrose and Cian Kelleher all crossing as the home side moved up to third in the table.
Leinster were aiming to return to winning ways following their recent defeat at Newport Gwent Dragons and Cullen recalled Ireland internationals Cian Healy and Mike Ross to his front row following their recent injury lay-offs.
Kiwi second row Triggs broke the deadlock with a ninth-minute try, which Nacewa converted, before the skipper scored Leinster's second.
Replacement scrum-half McGrath and Byrne left the Italians facing a daunting 26-0 deficit at the break.
They managed to hold Leinster out in the third quarter but the home side finished with a flourish with four more tries.
Number eight Jordi Murphy got the scoreboard moving again with replacement hooker Cronin and youngsters Ringrose and Kelleher rounding off a comfortable victory.
Leinster: Z Kirchner, A Byrne, G Ringrose, B Te'o, I Nacewa (capt), C Marsh, I Boss; C Healy, J Tracy, M Ross, R Molony, H Triggs, D Ryan, J van der Flier, J Murphy.
Replacements: I Boss for L McGrath (10), S Cronin for Tracy (42), M Bent for Ross (42), C Kelleher for Nacewa (44), N Reid for Te'o (47), D Leavy for Ryan (53), T Denton for Triggs (58), P Dooley for Healy (59).
Zebre: U Beyers, D Berryman, T Boni, M Pratichetti, K Van Zyl, M Azzolini, L Burgess; J Cook, J Meyer, E Caffini, M Bortolami (capt), G Koegelenberg, G Roan, O Fabiani, B Postiglioni.
Replacements: F Ruzza for Caffini (43), A de Marchi for Postiglioni (46), P Ceccarelli for Roan (46), M Muliaini for Azzolini (54), G Toniolatti for Van Zyl (73).
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales). | Leinster ran in eight tries against Zebre at the RDS to cement their push for a top-four finish in the Pro12. |
40,658,000 | Ken Marsh, Chair of the Met Police Federation, said officers are not protected against repercussions if they put anyone in danger.
But the Met Police said officers "can and will" carry out pursuits if they assess that it is safe to do so.
A former policeman said current rules are leading to the return of "highwaymen" in the capital.
Mark Wilsmore, who now owns a bikers cafe in north London, said: "We're going back to the 18th Century.
"We've got roving bands of thieving nasty people who have no concern about any enforcement."
Mr Marsh said currently officers could be held responsible if an alleged criminal dies or is injured during a pursuit.
"We want to do everything we can to catch the perpetrators on mopeds" he said.
"But we want to do that in a safe manner and knowing that when we do it, should something happen, we have the full support and protection from the government and public."
On Monday, a 16-year-old died after the moped he was on collided with a police car.
The teenager was travelling with two others on the vehicle as he was pursued by police in a car and helicopter in Wimbledon.
The police watchdog is investigating.
A 15-year-old he was travelling with has been arrested. He remains in custody at a south London police station.
In a statement, the force said it would "undertake pursuits in any situation where it is necessary to do so".
"However, we must first ensure the safety of our officers, the public and the suspect when bringing offenders to justice." | Police in London are too afraid to pursue suspected criminals on mopeds without helmets, according to a union. |
36,237,654 | Staff walked out of the jail in Hammersmith and Fulham, west London, on Friday after recent incidents of alleged assaults by inmates.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "All officers at HMP Wormwood Scrubs have now returned to work and the prison is running a normal regime."
A recent inspection report sparked claims of "Dickensian squalor".
On Friday Mike Rolfe, of the Prison Officers' Association, said there had been a number of assaults on staff and the jail was "flooded with drugs, mobile phones and weapons". | Wormwood Scrubs prison staff have returned to work after walking out citing health and safety concerns. |
35,430,593 | The unidentified man was discovered lying on the moor in the north of England last December.
Greater Manchester Police believe he could be Hugh Toner, from Newry, who disappeared from Craigavon Area Hospital in 1994.
His family has provided a DNA sample to try to establish if it is him.
Police in Greater Manchester have spent six weeks investigating the death of the pensioner-aged man who travelled more than 200 miles from London to Saddleworth Moor and died during treacherous conditions.
He was not carrying any identification on him, just cash and train tickets.
Police said they were keeping an "open mind" on the identity of the deceased man.
Det Sgt John Coleman said police were investigating "many possible avenues, one of which is missing persons".
"With that in mind we have requested DNA samples from the family of Mr Hugh Toner," he said.
"There is a resemblance between him and the man whose death we are currently investigating and that sample will allow us to either eliminate him from our enquiries or identify him."
A grandson of Hugh Toner, Cathal Toner, said a family member had seen the appeal and contacted Greater Manchester Police.
"No-one has come forward about this man and with the case of my grandfather, no-one knows what happened to him," he said.
"We would like to appeal to anyone who knows what happened to come forward.
"If someone helped him leave, it's 22 years later, there's no room for bitterness or resentment, we just want to find out what happened.
"My grandfather lived in England for a while and has links with Swindon and Bath." | Police in Manchester are investigating if a body found on Saddleworth Moor is that of a missing Northern Ireland man. |
38,168,135 | First offender Hidayet Ozden, 53, repeatedly punched Shahzad Shah at the Mirchi Indian takeaway in Mintlaw over a tandoori chicken query.
Ozden, of Falkirk, admitted culpable homicide after Mr Shah, 56, died in April.
Sentence was deferred at the High Court in Edinburgh and bail was continued.
The court heard the attack happened amid what was described as "simmering tension".
Ozden attacked father-of-three Mr Shah as the cook queried whether the spiced meat was to be on the bone or not, and told him they needed to call the customer.
Other workers managed to restrain Ozden before realising Mr Shah had started to go limp.
Ozden was originally charged with murder, but admitted culpable homicide.
The court heard Mr Shah was suffering from a serious undiagnosed heart condition at the time of the attack.
Advocate depute David Taylor said the men had worked together at various takeaways before moving to take up posts at the Mintlaw restaurant.
"They have been described by witnesses as being very friendly towards each other and great friends," said the prosecutor.
"However, there does also appear to have been a background of tension between the two in the time leading up to the events."
Mr Taylor said of the order dispute: "The accused said that it made no difference. The deceased, however, told the accused that they needed to contact the customer to check what the correct order was. The accused then stated 'what's your problem' and an argument began between the two men."
After the attack, efforts were made to summon help for the victim and Ozden also went to his aid, assisting with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Defence counsel Ian Duguid QC said Ozden was "very remorseful about what took place and very sorry for the death of his friend".
He told the court that Mr Shah's heart simply could not cope with what had occurred.
"It is a very sad situation," he added.
Mr Duguid said: "They had been friends for a number of years and the accused was instrumental in getting the deceased his job."
He said the argument had arisen between the friends "over something as insignificant as a food order". | A restaurant manager killed a chef in their Aberdeenshire workplace after an "insignificant" row over a takeaway order, a court has heard. |
38,985,435 | Red Nose Day Actually will be written by Richard Curtis and star Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley and Colin Firth.
Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy and Rowan Atkinson will also appear in the film, which sets out to discover what the original characters are doing in 2017.
The 10-minute sequel will be shown on 24 March on BBC One as part of the Red Nose Day appeal.
It comes 14 years after Love Actually was released.
Love Actually scriptwriter Emma Freud, Curtis's partner, has asked for ideas for the plot, saying the follow-up is still being written.
Many have suggested a tribute to the late Alan Rickman, who starred in the original.
Another suggestion tweeted to Freud involved Atkinson's character, who was seen in the original as a shop assistant.
But Freud's reply? "Not gonna happen...".
And one fan wanted a happy ending for Emma Thompson's character, after the hard time she had in the first film.
Curtis said: "I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to Love Actually, but I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to.
"We hope to make something that'll be fun - very much in the spirit of the original film and of Red Nose Day."
The writer said he was "delighted" that so many of the original cast could take part, adding: "It'll certainly be a nostalgic moment getting back together."
Martine McCutcheon, Andrew Lincoln, Lucia Moniz, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Olivia Olson will also reprise their original roles.
The original film, set at Christmas time, followed an extensive cast of characters, whose lives intertwined in various ways.
Among them was Hugh Grant's character, David - the prime minister at the time - who was seen getting together with Natalie, played by McCutcheon, at the end of the original film.
Sam (played by Game of Thrones star Brodie-Sangster, who was 13 at the time), was seen chasing Joanna, played by Olivia Olson, through the airport at the end of the last film to declare his love.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]. | Romantics rejoice - the cast of Love Actually is reuniting for a short sequel to raise money for Comic Relief. |
36,401,864 | Six smaller providers fear that only gas and electricity deals from the "Big Six" will show up in searches under proposed new Competition and Markets Authority rules.
They fear that such a move would discourage competition.
The CMA proposals follow the watchdog's energy market review earlier this year.
Consumers can provide basic details to price comparison websites, which then provide what they believe to be the best options.
Sometimes these websites allow consumers to switch immediately, but it was often not clear that they only showed options for firms that have paid the site a commission or fee.
Following the CMA's investigation into the energy market, the watchdog published its initial recommendations for ways to encourage consumers to switch energy suppliers more often.
It concluded that price comparison websites such as Uswitch, Energyhelpline or Go Compare should no longer have to show all available energy offers.
However, it did find that such sites should make it clear whether they received a commission from the energy firms whose offers were being recommended.
The CMA believed the ability to switch energy suppliers online without delay might lead to a rise in instant switching, helping to drive down prices.
Smaller independent suppliers have rejected this analysis, which is out for consultation.
"We are deeply worried about the lack of transparency in the proposed system," according to a letter to the Energy Secretary, Amber Rudd, signed by the chief executives of GB Energy Supply, COOP Energy, Go Effortless Energy, Bulb, So Energy & Zog Energy.
"Millions of people go to price comparison websites believing them to be transparent shop windows for the cheapest prices rather than 'brokers' in an increasingly skewed market."
The independent suppliers said that removing the obligation to show all tariffs would mean price comparison sites would end up only showing offers from the Big Six suppliers who had paid a fee.
The six smaller suppliers called on the Government to think again about the "serious ramifications".
However, the UK's third-largest price comparison website, uSwitch, disagreed.
"Price comparison websites offer a cost-effective way for energy suppliers to advertise their products and acquire customers," a spokesperson said. The site claimed to have saved consumers £112m on their energy bills in 2014.
"The CMA's package of proposals will incentivise sites to compete for exclusive deals with suppliers, boost competition and lower energy prices for consumers."
The CMA is set to publish its final recommendations on remedies for the energy sector before the end of June.
The Government said that before it came to power in 2010, there were just 13 energy suppliers, with independents accounting for only 1% of the market.
The Department for Energy said there were now more than 40 providers, with smaller firms making up 15% of the dual fuel market.
A spokesperson said the government wanted a "competitive and effective energy market" that worked for consumers: "We are taking action to ensure bill payers get a fair deal, by making switching quicker and easier, ensuring the swift roll-out of smart meters and increasing competition in the energy market." | Independent energy companies want consumers to be able to see all available tariffs when using price comparison websites. |
39,935,546 | Rhun ap Iorwerth told listeners to a BBC Radio Wales election phone-in that his party would fight for access to the EU single market after Brexit.
"This election isn't about independence," he said.
"For the time being ... let's defend Wales from the threats coming our way."
Mr ap Iorwerth was taking calls on the Jason Mohammad programme on Tuesday, while Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood launched the party's manifesto in Rhondda.
He said the party accepted the referendum vote for the UK to leave the European Union, but added: "We can leave in different ways."
The AM said Plaid wanted the "best possible Brexit" for Welsh business and industry, including single market access, and continued opportunities of links with Europe for the nation's children.
On the question of devolution, Mr ap Iorwerth claimed more powers for Wales could help hold the UK together.
"I think Britain could be stronger as a collection of countries that make their own decisions but chip in together with a common project because there's so much that joins us together in these islands," he said.
"This election isn't about independence, this election it about us putting ideas on the table about making Wales more prosperous and standing up to the threats that we have in front of us," he added.
Labour was "weak and divided", Mr ap Iorwerth claimed, in the face of "potentially a Tory government with a huge majority in Westminster for the next few years".
Asked about the success of the SNP in Scotland, he rejected the idea that Plaid Cymru had failed by comparison.
The SNP had shown they could govern "really, really well" when they first took power as a minority administration in 2007, the AM said.
"When you have that opportunity to show people what you're made of, and to show that it's not all talk, that you can walk the walk as well, then you can win people's trust.
"That's what I and Plaid Cymru are waiting for - that opportunity to show people that we can be trusted." | Wales could survive as an independent state, a Plaid Cymru assembly member has claimed, while working closely with the other UK nations. |
34,900,369 | The Scottish Enterprise grant will be used to take on up to 100 new staff and help safeguard 150 existing jobs.
The refurbishment will also allow the shipbuilder to invest in new equipment.
Last month, Ferguson was awarded a £97m Scottish government contract to build two new ferries. The firm was saved from administration last year by Jim McColl's Clyde Blowers Capital.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced Ferguson Marine had received a regional selective assistance grant from Scottish Enterprise while touring the Port Glasgow facility.
Mr Swinney said: "Commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde has a long history and it is important that we continue to support this vital industry.
"This £1m grant will enable the company to further invest in the site on the Clyde, which will create jobs and help ensure our shipbuilding industry continues to have a sustainable future."
Mr Swinney added: "Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited has also recently won a contract worth almost £100 million from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited for the construction of two new ferries, the largest commercial vessels to be built on the Clyde since 2001.
"Since Clyde Blowers took over the company, they have done a fantastic job of turning the company around and I am delighted to visit their premises today to see just how much progress has been made."
Ferguson Marine now has an order book worth some £110m, including the £97m order to build two new dual-fuel CalMac ferries.
The firm's managing director, Liam Campbell, said: "We greatly appreciate this contribution by Scottish Enterprise to support us in rebuilding our yard and in doing so creating new jobs and skills for the local area."
Paul Lewis, managing director of Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise international operations, said: "Since last September we've been working with Ferguson Marine to help drive forward its plans of developing a successful, growing business with international ambition.
"Today's announcement marks a significant milestone for the company and we will continue to work with them as they realise their full growth potential." | Ferguson shipyard has been awarded a £1m grant to refurbish its Port Glasgow premises and help fund new jobs. |
33,994,672 | Jennifer Worbey from north Belfast discovered the plant growing at the rear of her home a number of weeks ago.
Initially no-one would accept responsibility for the piece of ground behind her house, but eventually the Housing Executive accepted it was their problem.
It has agreed to pay for treatment to remove the Japanese knotweed.
"I contacted my local MP to find out who owned the land because I knew it wasn't just my property that was affected," Mrs Worbey said.
"In a sense, it's a lot of people in Premier Drive and on the other side of the waste ground that are affected by it.
"Currently we can't use the back gate, there's no access up and down the back entry at all which means that all of our bins are kept in the front gardens which is a bit of an eyesore.
"We did have plans to do something with the second back garden which are now currently on hold until the problem gets resolved."
Mark Johnston from Knotweed Northern Ireland said it was an "annual plant".
"It dies back completely in the winter and then in the spring you'll start to notice small shoots coming through," he said.
"They'll look a bit like asparagus spears, often with a red tip.
"Don't stand looking directly down on them because they grow about two inches a day and they take on very quickly and they spread.
"If you try and pull it out, it will just spread underground and you will find you have an even wider stand of Japanese knotweed."
Mr Johnston said it was not a surprise that the Japanese Knotweed could come through concrete.
"It basically started off life on the side of Japanese volcanoes so it was well used to coming up through lava that had solidified over the top of it," he said.
Householders who have the plant growing on their property have found it difficult to sell their homes or to get a mortgage to buy a property in close proximity to where it is found.
Mrs Worbey, who lives in her home with her husband and children, said: "We've put a lot of money into it to make it a family home.
"To be told my property could be devalued due to, in a sense, a weed which is growing on a piece of land that doesn't belong to me, that has now impacted on my property.
"I'm sure there's probably a lot of people like myself who actually even don't know what it is, you just think it's overgrown weeds."
The plant, which can grow through concrete and affects drains, walls and driveways is becoming more of a problem for property owners across Northern Ireland.
The issues around Japanese Knotweed are due to brought before a Stormont committee. | A north Belfast woman who feared her house would be unsellable because of an invasion of Japanese knotweed, has been thrown a lifeline by the Housing Executive. |
35,177,394 | Mr Boinnet said al-Shabab, the Somalia-based Islamist group, had split in two - one faction remaining loyal to al-Qaeda and the other to IS.
On Monday, Muslims protected fellow Christian passengers when their bus was ambushed near the Somali border.
In April 148 people died in a single al-Shabab attack in Kenya.
The actions of the passengers on the bus on its way from the capital, Nairobi, to Mandera, were widely hailed, with one local politician saying it showed "a sense of patriotism and belonging to each other".
The police chief, giving his new year message, urged Kenyans to remain vigilant as he said that there were about 100 al-Shabab fighters operating in the north-east of the country, Kenya's Standard newspaper reports.
"Shopping malls, entertainment spots, restaurants and places of worship... are potential soft targets," he is quoted as saying.
Al-Shabab is currently battling to keep the loyalty of its fighters as IS tries to gain a foothold in East Africa, the BBC's Africa security correspondent Tomi Oladipo reports.
It has historically been connected to al-Qaeda but in October Sheikh Abdulqadir Mumi, a prominent former "spiritual leader" and recruiter for al-Shabab, declared allegiance to IS. It is not clear how many followers he has taken with him.
Mr Boinnet is the first Kenyan official to talk about the split in al-Shabab.
IS currently controls parts of Syria and Iraq but also has a foothold in Libya.
The Nigeria Islamist group Boko Haram pledged allegiance to IS earlier this year.
Al-Shabab attacks in Kenya
September 2013 - Al-Shabab militants seize the Westgate shopping mall in the capital Nairobi, killing 67 people.
June 2014 - At least 48 people die after Islamist militants attack hotels and a police station in Mpeketoni, near the island resort of Lamu.
November 2014 - The group targets a bus full of teachers in Mandera County, executing 28 non-Muslims at point-blank range.
December 2014- Al-Shabab kills 36 non-Muslim quarry workers near the north Kenyan town of Mandera.
April 2015 - Militants carry out a massacre at Garissa University College in north-east Kenya, killing 148 people.
December 2015 - Bus attack in Mandera thwarted. | Kenya's police chief, Joseph Boinnet, has said al-Shabab militants behind this week's thwarted bus attack were linked to the Islamic State (IS) group. |
34,618,487 | Almost every cycle which has been part of the Bike2Go project has been removed for "maintenance and overhaul".
Dumfries and Galloway Council said the bikes will be returned when the scheme is relaunched in conjunction with a similar project run by ScotRail.
The £155,000 scheme began in 2010, to encourage people get out of their cars, but it has suffered from low uptake.
It has provided bikes free of charge to subscribers at 11 locations across the town.
However three years after it launched, it emerged that the town's 42 bikes had been hired 2,270 times - a daily average of about two rentals.
It worked out at more than £60 per rental.
Stances at locations including Dumfries Railway Station, the Crichton campus and Heathhall are now standing empty.
A survey by BBC Scotland found just one cycle - at the King George V playing fields.
Sally Hinchcliffe, of Cycling Dumfries, called on the local authority to consult with local groups before relaunching the scheme.
The cycling campaigner said: "It's a shame that the bikes weren't more successful, but the few times we have used them in the past we found the rental system very clunky to use and sometimes it just wouldn't work at all, although most people who actually managed to rent one of the bikes enjoyed riding them.
"We hope that the relaunch will include discussions with local groups about how to make the most of the bikes - perhaps an on-street rental scheme isn't the best use for them.
"For instance, they could be integrated into Abellio's Scotland-wide bike hire scheme based at the station, or be made available to community groups for bike rides or loan bikes."
One subscriber to the scheme, Chris Henry, told the BBC he had hoped to use a cycle to travel from the Crichton to the railway station.
When he contacted the operator, Hourbike, he was told he could pick up a bike from Cargen Towers - a council building on the opposite side of Dumfries.
Mr Henry said: "I hadn't realised the significance of the name 'hourbike' is that you must walk for an hour, passing at least five empty bike stations, to locate a bike."
A spokeswoman for Dumfries and Galloway Council said there is usually very low usage of the bikes over the winter months.
She added: "We are looking to relaunch the Bike 2 Go scheme in the spring, in conjunction with ScotRail's launch of their national 'Bike and Go' hire scheme at Dumfries Station.
"We are working with ScotRail to source local maintenance and support for both schemes for the future, and it is therefore appropriate to postpone return of the bikes to their stances until the spring of 2016." | A troubled bike hire scheme in Dumfries has been suspended until next spring, BBC Scotland has learned. |
37,531,294 | David Cushley won it in injury-time as the champions stay five points clear.
Linfield's Jimmy Callacher struck late in a 2-1 win over Glentoran while Ballymena squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Coleraine.
Glenavon beat Portadown 1-0, Ards secured a 3-1 victory over Carrick and Ballinamallard defeated Dungannon 2-0.
Relive a thrilling day of Premiership action
It was going so well for Cliftonville - an impressive exhibition of passing, movement and finishing put them firmly in control.
Daniel Hughes poked home the opener and Jay Donnelly rifled into the top corner before Ruairi Harkin volleyed in his first goal for the Reds.
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Crusaders were on course for a first league defeat of the season but they showed the stuff of champions with a remarkable fightback.
Two Jordan Owens headers set up a tense finale and Michael Carvill equalised in the final minute before Cushley fired home deep in added time.
There was also derby drama at the Oval as Gary Haveron started his reign as Glentoran manager against old rivals Linfield.
Marcus Kane's own goal gave the Blues an early lead but a close-range Curtis Allen finish made it 1-1 after 55 minutes.
Linfield clinched victory thanks to Jimmy Callacher's bullet header with four minutes remaining and there was still time for Birney to be shown a straight red card after a bad challenge on Niall Quinn.
Third-placed Ballymena slipped up after Cathair Friel's double left them 2-0 ahead going into the 89th minute at Coleraine.
Jordan Allen bagged two goals in two minutes in late derby drama to earn the Bannsiders a point.
United remain third but Glenavon are just a point behind with Kevin Braniff's second-half goal ensuring a Mid-Ulster derby win over the Ports at Moureview Park.
Portadown played the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of defender Brendan Shannon for a tackle on Joel Cooper just before the break.
Martin Murray's penalty gave Carrick an early lead against Ards but the hosts levelled with Michael Ruddy's spot-kick before goals from Emmett Friars and Carl McComb.
Ards, who are up to fifth, claimed the points despite having Gareth Tommons sent off after 53 minutes.
Ballinamallard are moving towards mid-table territory after James McKenna's strike and Adam Lecky penalty saw off the Swifts challenge at Ferney Park. | Premiership leaders Crusaders produced an amazing comeback to beat derby rivals Cliftonville 4-3 after trailing by three goals with 25 minutes left. |
16,832,368 | Thegov.ukproject, which is expected to launch in full later this year, has a budget of £1.7m.
Currently, online government services are spread across multiple domains and managed by different teams.
The government claimed that bringing services together in this way could save up to £50m per year.
This saving is said to come from making operational savings by "removing the costs associated with software licences and infrastructure investment".
However, when contacted by the BBC, the Cabinet Office could not give specific details over where those savings would be made.
The site uses a simple search engine-like interface to tie the government's vast portfolio of websites together.
Users have beeninvited to test the new website and report any bugs or usability issues.
The website advises that while gov.uk is fully-functional, some aspects may be "inaccurate or misleading" while still in the beta stage.
The Cabinet Office told the BBC that the full public release of gov.uk was planned for some time later this year once extensive user testing and feedback had been gathered.
A decision over what will happen to the government's existing portal -directgov- has not yet been made.
"Digital public services should be easy to find and simple to use," said Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, in a press release.
"The beta release of a single domain takes us one step closer to this goal.
"Our approach is changing. IT needs to be commissioned or rented, rather than procured in huge, expensive contracts of long duration.
"We are embracing new, cloud-based start-ups and enterprise companies - this will bring benefits for small- and medium-sized enterprises here in the UK and so contribute to growth."
The UK's "digital champion", Martha Lane Fox - who has been asked to find ways to get more people online - welcomed the revamp.
"The beta release of gov.uk is a fantastic milestone in this government's ambition to become a digital world leader and dramatically change the focus of public service delivery onto the end user," she said.
However, Geoff McCormick, director of the UK-based design company TheAlloy, said the revamp did little to solve existing problems.
"The new gov.uk site is an improvement on the direct.gov site, but the bar wasn't set too high in the first place," he told the BBC.
"Once you have navigated away from the front page, it is back to business as usual - the same information architecture, but with a 'pretty looking icon' next to it.
"They do not make it easier to navigate in any way." | A website which aims to bring government services together under a single web address has been launched as a public trial. |
39,090,633 | Media playback is not supported on this device
Blues came from 11 points down to win 18-17 at Myreside, with Lloyd Williams' late try sealing a dramatic win.
"I'm thrilled with the way the boys adapted with the conditions in the second half," Wilson said.
"They carried on trying to play and created two really good tries to get us back in the game."
Blues had received two yellow cards during the first half and were trailing 17-6 early in the second half before Sion Bennett's try set up a tense finale,
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Scrum-half Williams collected his own speculative chip-kick to snatch a vital victory to maintain Blues' challenge for a top six finish.
"We solved a few problems at half time in terms of stopping some of the things they wanted to do and held on for dear life," Wilson told BBC Wales' Scrum V.
"And there was a great defensive set to finish. Defensively I thought we were excellent.
"We knew when to go and when to get out, keep getting width and coming forward and we did that really well.
"Credit to the boys, that was a huge set not to give a penalty away and hold on for what will be another good away win for us." | Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson hailed his side's character in securing a precious victory away from home against Edinburgh in the Pro12. |
19,265,045 | Elizabeth Taylor was already a Hollywood star. And when she and Richard Burton met, their love both on and off camera became a global sensation.
The passion and the turbulence between Burton and Taylor is laid bare in his diaries, to be published in the autumn.
He wrote more than 400,000 words in pocketbooks, desk diaries and loose paper until just before his death at the age of 58 in 1984.
Unsurprisingly, they include much about his volatile relationship with Taylor, which included marrying her twice. He is also frank about his drinking, his ambivalent feelings toward his own talent and the career that brought him such success.
The Burton-Taylor story began in 1963 when they met on the set of Cleopatra, at the time the most expensive film ever made.
Just like the parts the played in the film, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, they became the most famous couple on the planet.
They were the pinnacle of the 60s jet set - Burton even bought Taylor a private jet - yet their temperaments and talents were in constant conflict with the passion they aroused in each other.
He was gifted son of a Welsh miner whose escape to Oxford helped him become a man of erudition, insight and self-knowledge, as well as a hell-raiser.
In Taylor, he met his match, and someone who could bring him to heel.
In November 1968, he wrote: "I have been inordinately lucky all my life but the greatest luck of all has been Elizabeth. She has turned me into a model man but not a prig, she is a wildly exciting lover-mistress, she is shy and witty, she is nobody's fool.
"She is a brilliant actress, she is beautiful beyond the dreams of pornography, she can be arrogant and wilful, she is clement and loving. She is Sunday's child, she can tolerate my impossibilities and my drunkenness, she is an ache in the stomach when I am away from her and she loves me."
The following year, he wrote: "I awoke this morning at about 7 o'clock. I stared at Elizabeth for a long time. I held her hand and kissed her very gently. Probably no woman sleeps with such childish beauty as my adorable difficult fractious intolerant wife."
Burton's generosity extended to more than just buying his wife expensive treats. It also included helping her towards the Oscar he was never able to win, according to one of his biographers, Melvyn Bragg.
In his hour-long BBC programme on the man and his writings, Inner Voices - The Burton Diaries, Bragg notes that it is obvious to those who look carefully how Burton coaxed an Oscar-winning performance from his wife when they played opposite each other in the 1966 drama Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Burton and Taylor were married first from 1964 to 1974 and then again from 1975 to 1976. He married five times in all.
His diaries were left to Sally Hay, who Burton married in 1983, the year before he died in Switzerland in 1984. She gave them to Swansea University in 2005.
They contain references to a claim that dogged him throughout his life - that he had somehow squandered his talent by working for the big bucks of Hollywood when others would have preferred him to continue on the stage, in London and not on Broadway.
In August 1971, he wrote: "My lack of interest in my own career, past present or future is almost total. All my life I think I have been secretly ashamed of being an actor and the older I get the more ashamed I get.
"And I think it resolves itself into a firm belief that the person who's doing the acting is somebody else."
Like his father, Burton died from a cerebral haemorrhage. He died at his home in August 1984.
The Richard Burton Diaries, edited by Professor Chris Willliams, of Swansea University, will be published by Yale University Press in October. | He was the boy from the Welsh valleys whose rugged looks and voice of gold made him a star of stage and screen. |
32,087,640 | Media playback is unsupported on your device
27 March 2015 Last updated at 13:44 GMT
She asked voters to give Plaid the chance to "rebalance power and wealth throughout the UK", as she launched her party's election campaign at Ffos Las racecourse, near Llanelli.
Ms Wood argued that sending more Plaid MPs to Westminster would ensure Wales was no longer "over-looked and marginalised". | Wales should "seize the opportunity" of the general election to ensure Wales is no longer "over-looked and marginalised", Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has said. |
38,859,105 | The Italian was given the suspension in December for breaching the Football Association's agent rules over the sale of Ross McCormack to Fulham in 2014.
Despite the reduction, the 60-year-old has confirmed he will appeal against the decision at the High Court.
Cellino's ban is due to come into force on 18 February.
He and the club were also fined £250,000, but his fine has now been reduced to £100,000 and the club's to £200,000.
Leeds released a statement to say they were "disappointed by the outcome" of their appeal against the ruling.
The statement continued: "It is important to note, that no other club official, director, chairman or owner have ever been joined in as a party to any other alleged FA agents regulations breaches. Also, no fines have ever been issued over and above £100,000.
"The original decision and now the appeal decision are so excessive and disproportionate, that Mr Cellino feels, like he always has, duty bound to continue the fight against such injustice for the good of the club and its supporters.
"Additionally, Mr Cellino has been concerned throughout this process not just about the true independence of the FA but also about the consistent and numerous leaks of information connected to this matter leaking to the media."
The ban is the third imposed on the former Cagliari owner by the FA since taking over the Elland Road club in April 2014.
In January, he sold 50% of the club to fellow Italian businessman Andrea Radrizzani.
Leeds are fourth in the Championship, five points behind second-placed Newcastle. | Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino's 18-month ban from football has been reduced to a year after a successful appeal against the decision. |
35,870,456 | New standards for school food became mandatory in council maintained schools and some academies in January 2015.
But for schools that became academies between 2010 and 2014, the food standards are voluntary.
Schools teaching about a million pupils have failed to adopt the code, says the Local Government Association, (LGA).
The standards restrict the amount of sugary, fried and fatty foods in school meals and require pupils to be offered at least one portion of vegetables or salad as part of their lunch each day
They are mandatory in all council schools, new academies and schools that became academies between 2008 and 2010.
But having to follow them was optional for the 3,896 academies and free schools that opened between 2010 and 2014, as their funding contracts allow them greater autonomy.
Rather than change their contracts, the government wrote to these academies to make a voluntary agreement to comply with the new food standards.
But, according to the LGA, 2,476 schools have still not formally committed to the standards.
The LGA argues it is essential the government uses a new childhood obesity strategy, expected this summer, to close the loophole and oblige all academies to commit to the same food standards as other state schools.
It says its analysis of official figures suggests 3.5 million children in England are overweight or obese, putting them at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Izzi Seccombe, the LGA's spokeswoman for community wellbeing, called the lack of commitment to healthy meals from some academies "deeply worrying".
"It's not right that we have rules for some but not all," she said.
"The forthcoming childhood obesity strategy is a great opportunity for the government to close this loophole in legislation, which will make all academies follow standards that demonstrate a nutritional safety net to parents, who can be assured that their children are eating healthy food at school, rather than meals that could be laden in high amounts of fat, salt or sugar."
A Department for Education spokeswoman did not directly respond to the LGA's call for the loophole to be closed but said: "The new school food standards are ensuring more pupils eat good food that encourages healthy eating for life.
"They also make it easier for school cooks to devise nutritious, tasty and varied menus.
"Parents rightly expect every school to serve children a healthy lunch.
"All new academies are expected to meet the food standards, and we are pleased that more and more academies are signing up voluntarily." | A loophole exempting thousands of England's schools from healthy eating standards must be closed to combat child obesity, say council leaders. |
39,817,859 | However, Brain Injury Matters said there was uncertainty around the figures due to the lack of a dedicated children's brain injury unit.
It said early detection of the injury was vital as difficulties may not be initially evident.
Instead, they gradually develop into problems as the brain matures.
One mother whose son was eight when he became ill said he recovered as a completely different boy.
Janet McCullough's son, Eric, had a kidney infection that developed into encephalitis - swelling of the brain.
"He had been on antibiotics but his body turned on itself and targeted the brain," said Janet.
"His head was sore and he was sensitive to light and was sick.
"He was hospitalised in the Causeway Hospital, then the Royal Victoria Hospital, but when he emerged he was a different wee boy due to the infection."
One year on, the family is keen to raise awareness alongside Brain Injury Matters.
Janet said her son becomes tired, both physically and mentally, much quicker than before - and has no concept of time.
"From being a bright wee boy he is now dyslexic and needs a lot of help - he finds it hard to concentrate," she said.
"But he's still my boy - he's great."
Acquired brain injury has become more prevalent as medical advances in care have led to decreased mortality.
It can occur as a result of a road traffic accident, a fall, an infection, a lack of oxygen or, perhaps, a stroke.
While it can affect all ages it tends to peak in early childhood years up to the age of four, from the ages of 15 to 29, and in males more than females.
Fiona McCabe, the chief executive of Brain Injury Matters, said the charity was helping an increasing number of families.
"From evidence elsewhere in the UK and what we know anecdotally, we suspect that there could be as many as 1,000 new cases of brain injury in children per year in Northern Ireland," she said.
"If we don't know just how many children collectively have a brain injury in Northern Ireland we are on the back foot as it is difficult to allocate resources.
"An increase year on year makes this an even tougher task."
Eric's mother said her family was receiving help from both Brain Injury Matters and the Child Brain Injury Trust.
"We are getting a lot of help at home, especially with the other children," she said.
"It is hard for them, too, to adjust to a new Eric because that is what he is - the other Eric we had before has gone." | One thousand potential new cases of acquired brain injury are recorded in children in Northern Ireland each year, according to a rehabilitation charity. |
29,189,017 | The IBF welterweight champion was stabbed in the leg with a machete while on holiday in Tenerife on 4 September.
Brook told the Daily Mail he was the "victim of an unprovoked attack".
Despite his injuries, the 28-year-old from Sheffield said nothing will stop him from returning to the ring to defend his title.
Unbeaten Brook claimed the IBF title following a majority points win over Shawn Porter in California last month.
But after losing significant amounts of blood in the attack in a Tenerife apartment and an emergency operation in hospital, Brook admitted fearing for his life.
Revealing the extent of his injuries, he said: "Around the (wound) area there is no feeling.
"The doctor said it might never come back.
"It is numb, like when you go to the dentist, but I believe in thinking positive and think I will make a full recovery.
"The knife went through two muscles, but the operation was a success and blood is getting to those muscles."
Settling a score with Khan is top of the agenda for Brook once he does return to boxing.
But he admits he would relish a bout with pound-for-pound superstar Floyd Mayweather, who will face Argentine Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
"I'm thinking positive because I have to, but believe me, I will get better and then I'll smash Amir Khan," he added.
"Nothing will stop me from coming back and defending (my belt). Nothing.
"The dream scenario would then be to fight Floyd Mayweather.
"I'm a young lion and I believe I can be one of the greats." | Stabbed Kell Brook wants a contest with British rival Amir Khan in early 2015 and potentially Floyd Mayweather as he continues his recovery. |
12,093,316 | She died in a hospice in the Baltimore suburb of Towson after suffering congestive heart failure in November, a long-time friend told reporters.
In the hit musical she was portrayed as Liesl, singing the duet Sixteen Going on Seventeen with Rolf.
While liking the film version, she felt her father came over as too strict.
"She cried when she first saw it because of the way they portrayed him," said Mary Louise Kane, the friend who lived with Agathe von Trapp for half a century.
"She said that if it had been about another family she would have loved it."
The 1959 Rodgers-Hammerstein musical, made into a film in 1965 with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, tells the story of a singing family who flee the Nazis across the Austrian Alps.
The original Trapp Family Singers performed in Europe and North America in the 1930s-40s with their father, Austrian naval Capt Georg Ritter von Trapp, and stepmother Maria.
Four of the Singers are still alive: Maria von Trapp, 96; Rosmarie von Trapp, 81; Eleonore "Lorli" von Trapp Campbell, 79; and Johannes, 71.
Johannes said his sister had been a private person who was also a talented sketch artist, the Associated Press news agency reported.
She will be buried in the spring at a cemetery at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, he added. | Agathe von Trapp, eldest daughter of the Austrian family who inspired The Sound of Music, has died at the age of 97 in the US state of Maryland. |
30,580,082 | On Sunday a driver screaming "God is great" in Arabic ran down pedestrians in Dijon, injuring 11, two seriously.
It came a day after police shot dead a man in Tours after he attacked them with a knife, also shouting "God is great".
Mr Hollande urged the French on Monday not to panic.
The man who carried out Sunday's attack was arrested after targeting pedestrians in five different parts of the city in the space of half an hour.
He is said to be "apparently imbalanced" and to have spent time in a psychiatric hospital.
The lives of the two people seriously injured in Dijon are not said to be in danger.
Witnesses told police the driver, aged around 40, had also said he was "acting for the children of Palestine", an unnamed source close to the investigation told AFP news agency.
A spokesman for the interior ministry told French TV he believed the attacker had been acting alone.
The driver has been known to police for minor incidents dating back 20 years, he added.
The prosecutor in Dijon said the attacker had a long history of mental illness and the incident was not linked to terrorism.
Manuel Valls, the French Prime Minister, tweeted (in French) to express his "solidarity" with the victims.
In Saturday's incident, a man stabbed three police officers in the city of Tours before being shot dead.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told French TV the man had been "very unstable".
Anti-terrorism investigators have opened an inquiry into the attack.
France has the largest number of Muslims in western Europe - estimated at between five and six million.
There have been a number of "lone wolf" attacks by Islamists in recent years. | President Francois Hollande has called for vigilance after a weekend of attacks in France by men heard shouting Islamic slogans. |
37,748,667 | The Industrial Trends Survey showed that export volumes grew that their fastest pace for two and a half years in the three months to October.
The pound has fallen by nearly a fifth against the dollar since the EU referendum at the end of June.
Export orders are expected to rise further over the next three months.
However, manufacturers are worried about a potential shortage of skills. Nearly a quarter of the 459 firms which responded to the CBI survey said that "skilled labour availability" could limit output over the next few months.
"Manufacturers are optimistic about export prospects and export orders are growing, following the fall in sterling," said Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist.
"However, the weaker pound is also feeding through to costs, which are rising briskly and may well spill over into higher consumer prices in the months ahead.
"Access to skills clearly remains a high priority, so manufacturers will be looking to the government to implement a new migration system that meets the needs of business while responding to clearly-stated public concerns.
"Maintaining a preferential route between the UK and the EU, our largest trading partner, will be important," she added.
Both manufacturing output and orders grew over the quarter.
However, the sharp depreciation in sterling has had its downside. Unit costs, pushed up by an increase in import prices, rose at the fastest pace in three years and are expected to carry on increasing in the next three months.
There has also been some "modest" domestic price inflation, as firms tried to pass on some of the cost increases to their customers.
So despite increased export demand and competitiveness not all companies felt that the fall in sterling had been good for them.
Of the 231 manufacturers who submitted an answer, 47% said the fall in sterling since June had had a negative impact on their businesses, while 32% said it had a positive impact and 19% said the effect was neutral.
Looking to the three months to the end of December orders, both domestic and export, are predicted to increase.
However, more respondents expect employment to decline than expect it to rise before the end of the year.
The CBI says companies will be looking to next month's Autumn Statement by the chancellor of the exchequer for further details on long-term industrial strategy.
"Ultimately, all businesses need greater clarity from the Government on the fundamental issues of skills and barrier-free access to EU markets as soon as possible," said Ms Newton-Smith. | Manufacturing exports have received a significant boost from the weakness of sterling, according to the the latest report from the CBI. |
40,591,989 | The deal marks F1's first commercial tie-up with a major digital service that appears on mobile devices first.
The partnership will kick-off this weekend, with coverage of the British Grand Prix on Sunday via Snapchat's Our Stories format.
F1 is currently looking to develop the sport on several digital platforms.
The new arrangement will see footage from the racing season hosted on Snap's editorially-curated Our Stories platform.
It will feature compilations of videos and pictures submitted from users at F1 events and locations around the world.
The material is intended to give a different type of coverage from that seen via more traditional broadcasters.
Material from the British Grand Prix that features on the Our Story stream will be made available to users in the UK and US.
Snap will then go on to cover other F1 races in Singapore, Japan, the US, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.
"Our Stories allow Snapchatters at the same event to contribute their unique perspectives through video and photo Snaps to one collective Story, capturing the atmosphere and excitement," Snapchat said.
Frank Arthofer, head of digital at F1, said: "This is the first step towards expanding our social media strategy.
"We need to continue to bring new fans to the sport - by reaching out to them on social media platforms with behind the scenes, fun and engaging content. Snap's platform is one of the most popular among 'millennials,' a sector we are particularly keen on attracting, as it represents the future of our sport." | Formula 1 motor racing has signed a global deal with mobile app Snapchat to create exclusive content from its upcoming grand prix races. |
39,279,618 | Cafwyd hyd i Matthew Williams, 34, yn ymosod ar Cerys Yemm, 22, yng ngwesty'r Sirhowy Arms yn Argoed, Sir Caerffili ar 6 Tachwedd 2014.
Cafodd Mr Williams ei saethu gyda gwn Taser gan swyddogion ddaeth i'w arestio, a bu farw'n ddiweddarach.
Dywedodd Mandy Miles, perchennog y Sirhowy Arms, wrth y gwrandawiad fod "gwaed ym mhobman" a bod yr olygfa "fel rhywbeth o ffilm arswyd".
Ar y pryd, dywedodd Ms Miles mewn galwad 999 ei bod yn credu fod Williams yn bwyta Miss Yemm, ond dywedodd wrth y cwest ei bod hi'n gwybod bellach nad oedd hynny'n wir.
Dywedodd: "Roedd ei ben i lawr wrth ei phen hi. Wnaeth e ddim ymateb i'n llais i. Dywedais 'Matthew beth wyt ti'n wneud?'.
"Dywedodd fy mab, 'Wyt ti'n ei bwyta hi?'. Er bod gwyddoniaeth yn dangos nad oedd e'n gwneud hynny - yn fy meddwl i, dyna roedd e'n wneud."
Ychwanegodd: "Roedd yna weiddi o'r ystafell wedi i swyddogion yr heddlu fynd i mewn yno. Roedden nhw'n gweiddi 'cer i lawr'.
"Rwy'n credu fod Matthew wedi ceisio dianc. Petai e wedi dianc, fe allai fod wedi lladd pawb."
Yn gynharach clywodd y cwest dystiolaeth gan fam Mr Williams, a ddywedodd nad oedd ei mab wedi cael unrhyw gymorth i'w broblemau iechyd meddwl.
Dywedodd Sally Ann Williams mewn datganiad fod ei mab wedi dioddef o broblemau iechyd meddwl ers ei fod yn ei arddegau, a'i fod yn cymryd cyffuriau ac mewn trafferth â'r heddlu yn aml.
"Doedd e ddim y math o berson fyddech chi am ei groesi," meddai.
Dywedodd nad oedd hi'n credu mai carchar oedd y lle gorau i'w mab, a bod angen iddo fod yn rhywle lle y byddai'n cael gofal i'w broblemau.
Ychwanegodd Mrs Williams nad oedd ei mab wedi cael "unrhyw gefnogaeth o gwbl" wedi iddo gael ei ryddhau o'r carchar bythfenos cyn y marwolaethau, a bod y ddau wedi methu yn eu hymgeision i sicrhau apwyntiadau i weld meddyg a thîm iechyd meddwl.
Clywodd y cwest hefyd gan Rhodri Moore, ffrind i Matthew Williams, oedd wedi bod yn yfed a smocio canabis gyda Williams a Cerys Yemm yn yr oriau cyn ei marwolaeth, a ddywedodd ei fod yn gallu gweld nad oedd Williams yn ei iawn bwyll.
"Roedd e'n dweud wrth ei fam, 'dwi angen help', roeddwn i'n gallu dweud nad oedd pethau'n iawn gyda fe," meddai.
Roedd Mr Williams hefyd wedi bod yn gweld wynebau mewn caniau diodydd meddal, meddai, ac yn gweld drychiolaethau.
Ychwanegodd Mr Moore bod Matthew Williams a Cerys Yemm wedi bod yn treulio amser gyda'i gilydd yn y dyddiau cyn eu marwolaethau a bod nhw'n "fflyrtio", ond nad oedd unrhyw arwydd o drais tuag at Ms Yemm. | Mae'r cwest i farwolaethau dyn a dynes mewn llety yn Argoed yn 2014 wedi clywed disgrifiad perchennog y gwesty o'r olygfa oedd yn ei hwynebu pan aeth i'r ystafell yr oedden nhw ynddi. |
28,503,401 | Cossham Hospital in Kingswood, near Bristol, reopened last January after a £19m refit but without the facility.
South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group said it was listening to local concerns but had to balance its books.
More than 7,000 people have also signed a petition calling for the unit.
Cossham hospital is run by North Bristol NHS Trust.
Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate, Jo McCarron has been supporting the campaign.
She took part in the meeting on Saturday afternoon which more than 100 people attended.
Ms McMarron said: "People were promised that when the facilities were moved from Frenchay to Southmead that Frenchay would be protected as a community hospital but that promise was broken.
"They were also promised a minor injuries unit at Cossham but the longer people are forced to wait, the more suspicious they're going to become. This is about trust in the delivery of local healthcare."
Ben Bennett from South Gloucestershire and Bristol Clinical Commissioning Groups listened to people's experiences of not being able to get treatment locally.
He said: "In terms of the numbers of patients we plan to treat at Cossham, the minor injuries unit was going to be about 10% of the whole so in a sense 90% of what Cossham is there for is happening.
"Sometimes those plans do get modified and changed but what we don't want to do is to create a service that doesn't do the job it's meant to do." | Dozens of campaigners have aired their concerns over the lack of a minor injuries unit at Cossham Hospital in a public meeting. |
37,142,929 | Huddersfield Town went to the top of the Championship table after scoring a late winner over Barnsley while early strugglers Blackburn and League One side AFC Wimbledon both registered their first point of the season.
Here, BBC Sport rounds up five other stories you may have missed from Saturday's EFL games.
Teenager Ryan Sessegnon is making waves at Fulham.
Having started on his league debut against Leeds on Tuesday, aged 16 years and 88 days, the left-back was named on the bench against Cardiff on Saturday but made his mark after coming on as a first-half substitute.
After replacing injured Floyd Ayite in the 41st minute, it took Sessegnon less than three minutes to give Fulham a 1-0 lead against the Bluebirds, in a game which eventually finished 2-2.
In doing so, the Londoner became the first player born in the year 2000 to score in the Championship.
Those of us old enough to remember the first year of the new millennium will be thrilled to find out that 'Oops! I Did It Again' by Britney Spears was top of the charts when Sessegnon was born in May 2000.
Garry Monk must be breathing a sigh of relief after recording his first league win as Leeds United head coach.
The 37-year-old former Swansea boss was reportedly already coming under pressure from owner Massimo Cellino after taking just one point from their opening three Championship games.
Cellino has gone through six managers since taking over the Elland Road club in April 2014, having already gained the nickname 'the manager eater' from his time in charge of Italian side Cagliari.
Defeat in a Yorkshire derby at Sheffield Wednesday could well have spelled the end for Monk, but his side capitalised on the counter-attack and second-half goals from Marcus Antonsson and Chris Wood gave the Whites a 2-0 victory over the Owls.
Monk will need to keep the results coming if he wants to avoid the fate of his six predecessors - Brian McDermott, Dave Hockaday, Darko Milanic, Neil Redfern, Uwe Rosler and Steve Evans.
A few eyebrows were raised when, following a takeover by a Chinese conglomerate, Wolves sacked Kenny Jackett on the eve of the season and replaced him with Walter Zenga.
However, the much-travelled former Italy goalkeeper, who has managed teams in Romania, Turkey and the Middle East as well as in his homeland, is yet to taste defeat since taking charge at Molineux.
Zenga's side pulled off what fans may regard as their best result so far on Saturday when they beat local rivals Birmingham 3-1 at St Andrew's to move them up to third in the Championship.
The third goal was scored by summer signing Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, and the side celebrated with the 'thunderclap' - made famous by Bodvarsson's Iceland at Euro 2016 - in front of the travelling supporters.
If you want entertainment this season, then maybe it is worth ditching your side and following Scunthorpe United instead.
The Iron are the top scorers in the whole of the EFL with 12, having bagged five unanswered goals against Gillingham on Saturday.
That win, the biggest margin of victory by any side this season, lifted Scunthorpe up to second in the fledgling League One table.
Only Bolton Wanderers, the only EFL side with a 100% league record this season, are above Graham Alexander's side.
There is a surprise name at the top of League Two after four games of the new campaign.
Morecambe finished 21st in the fourth tier last season, 12 points above the relegation zone, having lost 14 of their final 21 games.
But the Shrimps are the early pacesetters in 2016-17, having secured a third successive win with a 1-0 triumph at Yeovil Town courtesy of Kevin Ellison's second-half goal.
They host Premier League side Bournemouth in the EFL Cup this week and boss Jim Bentley must be hoping to continue their impressive start against the Cherries.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | It has been another busy day in the English Football League, with 70 of the 72 clubs across the three divisions in action. |
13,918,649 | At its height, eight fire engines, two aerial appliances and two water bowsers tackled the blaze at M&P Motorcycles in Gorseinon.
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service left the scene at 2200 BST Sunday after being called out just before midnight on Saturday.
Two officers are visiting the scene on Monday to begin their investigation.
Alan Davies, a witness who lives nearby, said three-quarters of the building was already well alight shortly after midnight.
Steve Bryant, the fire officer in charge, said it developed very quickly and crews worked hard to safely bring it under control and protect nearby properties.
"We have spent all night dealing with this incident and the investigation into the cause of the fire will commence later today," he said.
Mr Davies said: "I came home at about 12.15 (on Sunday morning) and I could see the blaze.
"By the time I got there three-quarters of the building was well alight - all except for the office block.
"The office block was the last thing to go.
"They were trying to prevent the fire from going to the furniture place next door, and managed to."
The fire is only a couple of miles from the serious tyre blaze in the old Mettoys factory in Fforestfach, which has been going since 16 June and is not expected to be put out until next month.
That earlier fire produced a lot of smoke, and Mr Davies said the latest one had also done so.
M&P's website describes itself as "Europe's largest motorcycle parts and accessories company".
Mr Davies said the building was normally "like a pilgrimage" for motorcyclists, and some were turning up on Sunday morning, unaware of the fire. | An investigation is being launched into the cause of a fire at a motorcycle parts and accessories firm in Swansea. |
36,161,240 | Anthony McIntyre was one of the main researchers in the project.
A subpoena was served on the college at the weekend demanding access to interviews about his IRA activities.
The college says it will file a motion to quash the subpoena.
McIntyre's legal team in Belfast also plan to lodge papers in the High Court challenging the legality of a decision by the PPS to use an international treaty to seek assistance from the US authorities.
The subpoena was served on the college by a lawyer acting on behalf of the British government.
It compels a representative of the college to appear in court in Massachussets next Friday to provide the material requested.
Anthony McIntyre's lawyers team say that request was unlawful.
What are the 'Boston tapes'?
Dozens of former paramilitaries were interviewed in Belfast and other cities and towns from 2001-2006 as part of an oral history project known as the Belfast Project.
Details about internal politics and activities of the IRA were revealed on tape, including accounts of a hunger strike in prison in the 1980s.
Overall, the project cost about $200,000 (£118,520), mostly provided by an Irish-American businessman.
Each interview was transcribed, sent by encrypted email to New York and then the material was sent to Boston College, where it was placed under lock and key at Burns Library.
Following a lengthy legal battle with the college, the Police Service of Northern Ireland gained access to a small number of the interviews in 2013.
A legal firm acting for Boston College, Locke Lord, has confirmed in a letter that it will also oppose the subpoena.
"I can confirm that Boston College will file a motion to quash the subpoena that seeks Anthony McIntyre's Belfast Project interview recordings, transcripts, and related materials," the letter states.
"No such materials will be produced pending a ruling on that motion."
Anthony McIntyre recorded a number of interviews detailing his own activities during the Troubles, as well as interviewing others.
He served 18 years in prison for IRA offences, and insists the police have already questioned him about all of the issues listed in a subpoena served on Boston College. | A legal bid by the public prosecution service (PPS) and PSNI to gain access to interviews recorded by a former IRA member as part of the Boston College project is to be challenged by the American university. |
38,252,818 | The 62,000 sq ft grade A office at Ebrington "could cater for up to 500 people". It will be built on top of an existing underground car park.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was "part of a drive to attract investment to the north west".
The Department of Finance has approved the project's business case.
A developer will now be sought for the building.
Ebrington is the largest regeneration site in the city, having been formerly owned by the Ministry of Defence.
The Executive Office said the office development "is an incentive for potential investors". | The Executive Office is to spend up to £5m on a new, high quality office block in Londonderry. |
38,049,777 | The 19-year-old played for Sale CC as well as the Red Rose second team last summer and has now signed a first deal.
Guest moved to Australia aged six after being born in Manchester but has now committed his future to representing England in the future.
"I'm looking forward to continuing my development with the club next summer," he told the club website. | Lancashire have signed Australia Under-19 wicketkeeper Brooke Guest on a summer contract for the 2017 season. |
35,899,483 | They also point to the lack of any reference to the scale of this change in the Conservative manifesto.
In local authorities where most of the schools are good, including some core Conservative heartlands, councillors are outraged at the prospect of no longer having a role in the quality of local education.
They're bridling at the implied criticism of their stewardship.
There is, says Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, opposition that is "both very wide and very deep".
So what form might opposition take? Trade unions can consider industrial action but only on a legitimate trade dispute, not government policy.
If all schools become academies that would mean an end effectively to national pay scales, so that is where union opposition is likely to be located.
Conservative councillors will lobby MPs and the party leadership. Their influence lies in the ability to embarrass.
A very slender government majority among MPs, no majority in the Lords and a party fractious over the European Union aren't a recipe for making passing any legislation easy.
There is bound to be significant wrangling over amendments to any law to force schools down the road to becoming academies.
But there is no sign of any wavering from ministers. When I asked Schools Minister Nick Gibb this morning how he felt about opposition from within his party, he told me they were pressing ahead because in every area there are some schools that fall behind and that's not acceptable.
They want to break what they see as a monopoly of local authorities, to offer parents a choice between different brands of education from different chains of academy schools.
On Saturday, Nicky Morgan is likely to tell audience of teachers at the NASUWT teacher union conference that she, and the government, are not for turning on this issue.
And there is a thought provoking precedent. In the last Parliament, under a coalition government, the largest reorganisation of the National Health Service in living memory was carried out despite sustained and noisy opposition. The details had not been spelt out in the manifesto.
The difference maybe is that the issues in this case are easier for the public to grasp, particularly as for the moment thousands of parents are involved in sitting on the governing bodies of their local schools.
It takes something to unite union stalwarts with Tory leaders from the county shires.
But that's exactly what the plans to compel all state schools to become academies have done. | The teachers' unions say there's no hard evidence that making a school an academy is any guarantee of a better education for its pupils. |
35,597,413 | The Daily Mirror shows some England stars, including the Spurs duo, modelling the new suits which the side will wear when out in France in June and July.
Brad Friedel has told the The Sun that Hugo Lloris can be the reason that Spurs win the Premier League this season. The 44-year-old former Spurs number one says that his hard-working ethic and calm nature mean that "people can look to him even at the most nervous of times".
And manager Mauricio Pochettino looks set to stay in North London - according the London Evening Standard.
The Argentine has been subject to rumours of a move to Manchester United and Chelsea but says he is impressed with the youth set-up and that "there are all the conditions needed to carry on working here and to enjoy the culture that there is". | An England photo shoot may have given a hint that both Dele Alli and Harry Kane could be in Roy Hodgson's squad for the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament. |
34,743,833 | Around 200 fires have been reported, which started behind the glove-box in the heating and ventilation system.
Vauxhall's recall followed an investigation by the BBC's Watchdog programme.
The model affected is the Zafira B, built between 2005 and 2014. The cars are all right-hand drive, and have manual, or no air conditioning.
The company said faulty repairs to the heating and ventilation system were probably to blame.
In a statement from chairman and managing director Rory Harvey, Vauxhall said its initial investigations had shown "improper repair of the blower motor resistor and its thermal fuse".
Among those whose Zafiras have burst into flames is Lisa Taperek, from Wiltshire.
She was outside her mother's house in Wooton Bassett on Tuesday this week when she noticed smoke coming from the engine of her Vauxhall Zafira.
Within 30 seconds of getting 10-month-old son Kinsley to safety the car became engulfed in flames, she said.
"When I play it back in my mind and think 'if I had run into a shop, or left him in the car', it makes me quite sick.
I am very lucky - he's very lucky," she said.
A Facebook group set up by Zafira owners to alert other drivers has attracted more than 12,000 members.
Vauxhall will now send out letters to 220,000 owners, advising them to get in touch with their local dealer.
They will be offered a free inspection and repairs.
Vauxhall said it had taken engineers some time to investigate the issue, as many of the vehicles they examined had been damaged "beyond investigation".
It also did not want to speculate too soon about the cause of the problem.
However, Mr Harvey said the company was investigating "very thoroughly and with the utmost urgency".
Letters will begin to go out to owners from 12 November.
In the meantime drivers were advised not to use the heating or air conditioning system.
"If you have any concerns about it, don't use the heater on the vehicle," mechanic Brian Miller told the BBC. | Vauxhall has announced a recall of 220,000 Zafira B cars, following a series of fires. |
38,992,263 | A previous vote at the privately-owned links course fell short of the majority required to change membership policy.
Muirfield, which last hosted the Open Championship in 2013, was later told by golf's ruling body the R&A that it would no longer be considered as a host venue.
A result on the second vote is expected by the middle of March.
Motions require two-thirds of its eligible voters to back the move. Only 64% previously voted in favour.
A press release issued on behalf of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns and runs Muirfield, said: "The postal ballot will be independently scrutinised and the outcome is expected to be announced in mid-March 2017.
"Voting in favour of the resolution to admit women as Members is recommended, unanimously, by the captain, captain nominate and the club committee of the Honourable Company."
Martin Slumbers, R&A chief executive, said: "If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue for The Open in future."
Muirfield has staged the Open 16 times and produced a who's who of champions, including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo (twice), Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.
Speaking after the first vote, former Open champion Rory McIlroy said: "They (Muirfield) can do what they want, but in this day and age it's not right to host the world's biggest tournament at a place that does not allow women to become members.
"Hopefully they can see some sense and we can get it back there one day." | A second ballot is being held at Muirfield golf club on whether to admit female members. |
35,213,669 | The Gannel sewage station in Newquay failed on Thursday night.
SWW engineers tweeted the station was "back up and running" by 02:45 GMT on Saturday.
It warned surfers and New Year's Day bathers that sewage was affecting the seawater at beaches around Towan Head as well as Crantock and Fistral. | A faulty sewage pumping station which led to warnings about contaminated sea water in Cornwall has been fixed, South West Water (SWW) has said. |
30,948,582 | He was the world's longest reigning monarch, but ruled one of the most oppressive countries.
Just days ago, blogger Raif Badawi was lashed 50 times for "cybercrime" and "insulting Islam". He faces 1000 lashes in total.
Here's what else you need to know about Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest oil producers, which is why it is such a wealthy nation.
It sits on more than 25% of the world's known oil reserves. It is currently able to produce more than 10 million barrels per day.
King Abdullah's death caused a spike in oil prices because uncertainty makes markets volatile.
King Abdullah had very close ties with the US, largely driven by Saudi Arabia's oil power and America's security strength.
The two nations also had a common enemy in al-Qaeda, the terror group behind the 9/11 attacks on the US back in 2001.
Of the 19 hijackers, 15 were Saudis, including Osama bin Laden. Abdullah eventually beat back al-Qaeda, forcing them to flee to Yemen.
In a statement, George H W Bush called Abdullah a "wise and reliable ally." Tony Blair also released a statement saying the king was "loved".
Westminster Abbey and the Foreign Office are two of the British institutions flying their flags at half mast.
David Cameron and Barack Obama have paid tribute to Abdullah.
Away from politics, Kim Kardashian is reportedly being paid $1m (£667,347) to spend an evening with a Saudi prince.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia might have been listed at number 26 with $20bn (£15bn) on the Forbes rich list, but that was not good enough for the Saudi businessman.
He claimed he was worth $9bn (£6m) more and threatened to sever all links with the magazine.
In one letter, his chief financial officer wrote: "Forbes is putting down the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that is a slap in the face of modernity and progress."
Forbes refused to make the changes.
The Saudi royal family own the sixth largest super yacht in the world, the Prince Abdulaziz.
The 5,200-tonne yacht has a deck that is said to resemble the Titanic. It also has a mosque, a cinema and a hospital on board.
Falconry is a popular hobby in the Middle East, so fashionable that a hawk seat (yes, a seat for a hawk) has been developed for private jets.
Lufthansa Technik has come up with a gadget for those who want to keep their bird of prey by their side when travelling.
Called the Falcon Master, the platform and stand for transporting falcons or other birds can slot above a folded-down seat in a range of Airbus or Boeing aircraft.
Citizens of Saudi Arabia are some of the biggest users of Twitter. There are 2.4 million active users, the most in the Arab world, according to the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai.
One of the reasons ordinary Saudis say they like using Twitter is because it allows them to discuss what they really feel.
The hashtag #WhydidTwittersucceedinSaudiArabia began trending a year ago, with users sharing their reasons they liked the site.
One user tweeted: "People need an outlet to express themselves, to start to disclose what's hidden and drop the masks, without fear or commands, or censorship from anyone."
Another posted: "The reason is that none of the newspapers are concerned with your worries nor do any officials care about you."
The new King Salman wasted no time in changing his Twitter handle, suspending his old account @HRHPSalman to @KingSalman. He has 1.27m followers and follows no one.
Google Maps was rapid too. Within 24 hours of the news Prince Salman road was changed to King Salman road.
Some of the tributes to King Abdullah have described him as a "great reformer".
Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF (International Monetary Fund), an organisation which controls the world's money, said: "In a very discreet way, he was a strong advocate of women.
"It was very gradual, appropriately so probably for the country. I discussed that issue with him several times and he was a strong believer."
While King Abdullah did appoint 30 women to a council which could make recommendations to the government, they were still unable to drive themselves to work.
However in 2013 Saudi Arabia's religious police lifted a ban on women riding bicycles and motorbikes, but only in recreational areas and while dressed in full Islamic veil and accompanied by a male relative, it's claimed.
Saudi Arabia has a male guardianship system, which means that women cannot apply for a passport, marry, travel, or access higher education without male approval.
Some hospitals also require male consent for women to receive treatment.
Human Rights Watch released a statement on King Abdullah's death saying: "King Abdullah came to power promising reforms, but his agenda fell far short of achieving lasting institutional gains on basic rights for Saudi citizens."
It's probably advisable to read this advice on the UK government's website before you travel.
Bringing porn magazines with you is forbidden, as is bacon (or any pork products, should you have a stick of pepperoni in your hand luggage).
If you get off the plane drunk you could be imprisoned too.
A Filipino man was sentenced to jail and 75 lashings for bringing two chocolate bars containing alcohol into the country.
He claimed he had bought the chocolates on a flight stopover and hadn't realised they were alcoholic.
Men should not wear shorts in public and women should wear loose fitting clothing. Saudi Arabia carries the death penalty for importing drugs.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince Charles are heading to Saudi Arabia to join world leaders paying respects to the country's King Abdullah - who died on Thursday. |
34,810,086 | Failure to agree on the status of the territory by diplomatic means has brought India and Pakistan to war on a number of occasions, and ignited an insurgency that continued unabated for decades.
When India and Pakistan gained independence from British rule in 1947, the various princely rulers were able to choose which state to join.
The Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, was the Hindu head of a majority Muslim state sandwiched between the two countries, and could not decide. He signed an interim "standstill" agreement to maintain transport and other services with Pakistan.
In October 1947 tribesmen from Pakistan invaded Kashmir, spurred by reports of attacks on Muslims and frustrated by Hari Singh's delaying tactics.The Maharaja asked for Indian military assistance.
India's governor-general, Lord Mountbatten, believed peace would best be served by Kashmir's joining India on a temporary basis, pending a vote on its ultimate status. Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession that month, ceding control over foreign and defence policy to India.
Indian troops took two-thirds of the territory, and Pakistan seized the northern remainder. China occupied eastern parts of the state in the 1950s.
Whether the Instrument of Accession or the entry of Indian troops came first remains a major source of dispute between India and Pakistan. India insists that Hari Singh signed first, thereby legitimising the presence of their troops. Pakistan is adamant that the Maharaja could not have signed before the troops arrived, and that he and India had therefore ignored the "standstill" agreement with Pakistan.
Pakistan demands a referendum to decide the status of Kashmir, while Delhi argues that, by voting in successive Indian state and national elections, Kashmiris have confirmed their accesson to India. Pakistan cites numerous UN resolutions in favour of a UN-run referendum, while India says the Simla Agreement of 1972 binds the two countries to solve the problem on a state-to-state basis.
There has been no significant movement from these positions in decades. In addition, some Kashmiris seek a third option - independence - which neither India nor Pakistan is prepared to contemplate.
The two countries fought wars over Kashmir in 1947-48 and 1965. They formalised the original ceasefire line as the Line of Control in the Simla Agreement, but this did not prevent further clashes in 1999 on the Siachen Glacier, which is beyond the Line of Control. India and Pakistan came close to war again in 2002.
The situation was further complicated by an Islamist-led insurgency that broke out in 1989. India gave the army additional authority to end the insurgency under the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Despite occasional reviews of the AFSPA, it still remains in force in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
In the summer of 2010, 20 years after the AFSPA was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, pro-Pakistan and pro-independence public protests erupted, and clashes with Indian security forces left more than 100 people dead.
Given that India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons, the stakes in the dispute are high.
A thaw in relations after 2002, which saw some road and rail communications into Pakistan reopened, ended abruptly with the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. India blamed Pakistani and Kashmiri Islamists, in particular the Lashkar-e-Toiba group, for the attacks.
Talks between the two countries on improving ties across the Kashmiri Line of Control resumed in 2010, and relations slowly started to improve again.
By 2012, with India promising an amnesty to those who took part in the violent protests of 2010 and Pakistan gradually withdrawing financial support from insurgents fighting Indian rule in the Kashmir Valley, many former militants had become convinced of the futility of the armed struggle against the Indian authorities.But official figures show a steady increase in young men joining armed groups from 2014, with the local Hizbul Mujahideen outfit making a comeback. Kashmir analysts attribute this to anger over the hanging in 2013 of Indian Parliament terror attacker Afzal Guru, and disillusion with the governing People's Democratic Party.
The population of historic Kashmir is divided into about 10 million people in Indian-administrated Jammu and Kashmir and 4.5 million in Pakistani-run Azad Kashmir. There are a further 1.8 million people in the Gilgit-Baltistan autonomous territory, which Pakistan created from northern Kashmir and the two small princely states of Hunza and Nagar in 1970.
The government of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has often been led by the National Conference, a pro-Indian party led by the Abdullah political dynasty. Pakistan runs Azad Jammu and Kashmir as a self-governing state, in which the Muslim Conference has played a prominent role for decades.
The National Conference moved from an almost pro-independence stance in the 1950s to accepting the status of a union state within India, albeit with more autonomy than other states.
Jammu and Kashmir is diverse in religion and culture. It consists of the heavily-populated and overwhelmingly Muslim Kashmir Valley, the mainly Hindu Jammu district, and Ladakh, which has a roughly even number of Buddhists and Shia Muslims.
The Hindus of Jammu and the Ladakhis back India in the dispute, although there is a campaign in the Leh District of Ladakh to be upgraded into a separate union territory in order to reflect its predominantly Buddhist identity. India gave the two districts of Ladakh some additional autonomy within Jammu and Kashmir in 1995.
Kashmir's economy is predominantly agrarian. The important tourism sector in Indian-administered Kashmir was hard hit by the post-1989 insurgency, but has recently bounced back and in 2011 a record 1.1m tourists visited, mainly from India itself. | The former princely state of Kashmir has been partitioned between India and Pakistan since 1947, to the satisfaction of neither country nor the Kashmiris themselves. |
32,395,047 | Jeffrey Okafor, 24, is accused of murdering Carl Beatson Asiedu outside a nightclub in Vauxhall in 2009.
The prosecution said three people were targeted in the attack and Mr Beatson Asiedu, who appeared in the CBBC series M.I. High, "wasn't so fortunate".
Mr Okafor of East Dulwich, south east London, denies murder.
Sarah Whitehouse QC, prosecuting, told Woolwich Crown Court the stabbing took place after a crowd of people left Club Life near Vauxhall station.
The prosecution said Mr Okafor was part of a larger group who attacked a smaller group on 1 August 2009.
Two of the three people attacked survived, but Ms Whitehouse said: "Carl Beatson wasn't so fortunate."
As well as appearing in the CBBC show, Mr Beatson Asiedu also helped to form a music group called Kidnplay and was known as Charmz.
He was often booked to play at nightclubs in London and Leicester and had performed with his friend at the club on the night of his murder.
A post-mortem examination concluded the cause of Mr Beatson Asiedu's death was a single stab wound to the front of the chest.
"After the attack, Jeffrey Okafor actually confessed to a girlfriend that he had stabbed Carl Beatson," Ms Whitehouse said.
Mr Okafor confessed in a phone call within an hour of the attack and days later he told the same woman that he had stabbed Charmz in the stomach and gave her a pair of black gloves to look after, the prosecution said.
Ms Whitehouse said those gloves were passed to police and DNA which may have come from the victim was found on one of the gloves.
At the time Mr Okafor also seemed agitated saying: "The Feds are going to be on to me", the jury heard.
Police arrived at the defendant's address on 13 August to arrest Mr Okafor, but he had fled, the court heard.
The prosecution said four days later he boarded a flight from Heathrow Airport to Lagos using his brother's passport.
He was extradited from Nigeria in November 2014.
The trial continues. | A man accused of stabbing a CBBC actor to death confessed to his girlfriend before fleeing to Nigeria using his brother's passport, a court has heard. |
31,314,913 | Chancellor George Osborne changed the system in December to ensure taxes rose more gradually rather than jumping at each higher property price band.
Stamp duty will be the first tax to be entirely devolved in 2018 and could raise £230m in the first year.
It is levied on property sold for more than £125,000 but the Welsh Tories have pledged to double the limit.
Launching the consultation, Finance Minister Jane Hutt told AMs on Tuesday the Labour Welsh government wanted to make a land transaction tax "more effective, more efficient, and better suited to the priorities and needs of Wales".
In Scotland - where a property tax replaces stamp duty in April - the threshold will be raised to £145,000.
Consultation begins on Tuesday and is open for 12 weeks.
Another consultation - on landfill tax - will follow at the end of February.
The taxes are among the powers being devolved under the Wales Act, in response to the findings of the Silk Commission.
The problem Welsh government ministers have is that George Osborne took the wind out of their sails a few months ago when he smoothed out the steep rises in a major overhaul of stamp duty.
This was something they had always intended on doing themselves when it's devolved in 2018.
The question now is whether they introduce any further changes.
Small alterations risk the accusation that it's tinkering and change for change's sake.
The temptation for the parties in Wales ahead of the next assembly elections will be to go down the same route as Scotland and try to take many first time buyers out of paying it altogether. | Tax on property sales could be changed again as a consultation is launched on the future for stamp duty in Wales. |
22,335,916 | Media playback is not supported on this device
The New Zealander has been the favourite to succeed Declan Kidney whose five-year tenure ended after a disappointing Six Nations campaign.
Schmidt was backs coach at Clermont Auvergne before guiding Leinster to Heineken Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2012.
The 48-year-old said he welcomed the "super but intimidating" prospect of leading Ireland.
He added: "When I came to Leinster in 2010 I didn't really want to be a head coach, but I've really enjoyed the experience since.
"I'm really motivated by challenge - if you're going to find out what you can bring to a group, what better way than to take on one of the big jobs in world rugby.
Media playback is not supported on this device
"I've had a good look at a lot of Ireland's players and when we get our collective together, we'll try to improve performance and make us as competitive as possible."
Schmidt has revealed that he will attempt to convince Brian O'Driscoll to play on for another season.
Speaking at his unveiling at a press conference at Aviva Stadium, Schmidt stated that he wants O'Driscoll to play on in the green of Ireland, but that the decision ultimately lies with the former Ireland captain.
"He's put some pressure on me, so I'd certainly like to put some pressure on him. The one thing with Brian is he's very much his own man, he'll make his own decision.
"But at the same time it doesn't stop you trying to push him toward one, and so I'd like to see him continue."
Schmidt's three-year deal with the Irish RFU runs until the end of the 2015-16 season.
Leinster are just one game away from clinching a third European title in three seasons following Saturday's Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final win over holders Biarritz.
They have also qualified for the Pro12 play-offs and can make sure of a home semi-final by beating the Ospreys at the RDS Arena on Friday night.
Last October, Schmidt signed a one-year contract extension at Leinster, taking him to the end of the 2013/14 season.
But he will now be leaving the province to take on what he says is one of the biggest jobs in world rugby.
My family were part of the decision, they're very settled here
Current Ireland defence coach Les Kiss, a former North Sydney Bears winger, is to take charge of the Irish team for the summer tour matches against the United States and Canada.
Ireland then host Samoa, Australia and New Zealand in the 2013 autumn internationals.
Former headmaster Schmidt was in charge of the New Zealand Schools side before coaching Bay of Plenty in 2003, guiding them to the Ranfurly Shield.
He was assistant at the Auckland Blues before his move to French side Clermont.
While admitting the change from day to day rugby management to clearly defined periods of the calendar will be difficult, he insists it will have its benefits.
"The windows are suffocating, but there is also more scope to get back and forth to New Zealand," said Schmidt.
"I have a daughter who is studying there so it would be nice to get backwards and forwards to see family.
"My family were part of the decision, they're very settled here.
"I've spoken out lately about our smaller son and he's looked after superbly at his school. That was a big part of our decision making."
Leinster, meanwhile, appear to be already lining up a successor to Schmidt, with Leicester coach Matt O'Connor emerging as the favourite.
O'Connor was backs coach with Canberra club the Brumbies for four years before taking over at Leicester. | Leinster's Joe Schmidt is to take over as head coach of Ireland until 2016, the Irish RFU announced on Monday. |
40,249,602 | Jackman will start his role next week when he takes over from Kingsley Jones, who has been appointed to lead the Welsh Rugby Union's exiles programme.
"It is a huge honour to join at such an exciting time," said Jackman.
The WRU will take over control of the Dragons on 1 July after Newport RFC shareholders voted through plans for them to do so earlier in June.
A review of the coaching set up at the Dragons was undertaken by WRU and Dragons chief executives Martyn Phillips and Stuart Davies - and involved Lions and Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
Dragons finished second bottom of the Pro12 last season, which included an 12-game losing streak in all competitions.
Jackman played in the Connacht side coached by Gatland and was previously head coach of Top 14 side Grenoble. Gatland recommended his former player for the Dragons role.
"Bernard is an ideal fit for the Dragons and I know he will be work diligently and exhaustively to ensure that the set-up both on and off the pitch at Rodney Parade is of the very highest quality," said Gatland.
"He will be a huge asset to the region, he will create the right environment to allow a talented group to become even better players at the Dragons and he is someone in whom the supporters will find they can put their trust as he will work tirelessly in his pursuit of success."
Jackman says he is relishing the opportunity.
"The region is a hot-bed of Welsh rugby and to join at such a significant moment in time is a challenge I relish. I can't wait to get started and look forward to meeting the playing squad and the backroom team," said the 41-year-old.
"We are obviously at the beginning of a major period of transition off the pitch, but on it we will need to quickly get down to work and reward the faith and obvious passion of our supporters throughout the region."
Jones is the WRU's new performance exiles manager where he will work with another ex-Dragons coach in Paul Turner.
"It has been both a privilege and an honour to lead the region that I grew up in over the last four years," said Jones.
"On a personal level I look forward with a great deal of enthusiasm to a new challenge in a pivotal role within the WRU performance department.
"This is an exhilarating new chapter in my coaching career and I can't wait to start." | Former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman has been appointed as the new head coach of the Newport Gwent Dragons. |
39,906,074 | At a public health summit in Washington, she hit back after the Trump administration loosened nutritional standards aimed at making US school lunches healthier.
"Think about why someone is OK with your kids eating crap," she said.
One in five American children is obese, government figures show.
In thinly-veiled criticism of the policies of the new administration, Mrs Obama told the audience: "This is where you really have to look at motives, you know.
"You have to stop and think, why don't you want our kids to have good food at school? What is wrong with you? And why is that a partisan issue? Why would that be political? What is going on?"
She added: "Take me out of the equation - like me or don't like me. But think about why someone is OK with your kids eating crap.
"Why would you celebrate that? Why would you sit idly and be okay with that? Because here's the secret: If someone is doing that, they don't care about your kid."
While in the White House, Mrs Obama championed the "Let's Move" campaign, which encourages exercise and healthy eating among young people.
The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act made federal grants for school meals conditional on reductions in calories, sodium and trans fat content and increases in fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
However, earlier this month, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue postponed reductions in sodium, relaxed requirements for whole grains and allowed sweetened flavoured milk back.
He said some aspects of the standards had "gone too far".
The agriculture department said the change would give schools "greater flexibility". | Michelle Obama has launched a fierce defence of the healthy eating initiatives she championed as first lady. |
35,302,251 | Chris Jones, 61, died of multiple injuries after hitting the ground on a jump from 6,000ft (1,800m).
He packed the parachute himself and died at Dunkeswell Aerodrome near Honiton, Devon, in July.
The Coroner Dr Elizabeth Erland passed a narrative verdict.
Updates on this story and more from Devon
She said "the fast hard opening of the parachute was due to the manner of its packing" and concluded Mr Jones's "death was instantaneous".
She also said she hoped this case would highlight the dangers of the sport and encourage those taking part to be aware of the proper packing of parachutes.
Mr Jones had made 1,021 parachute jumps since 1987, the inquest in Exeter heard.
A report by the British Parachute Association (BPA) found no fault with the equipment.
Jeffrey Montgomery, BPA safety and technical officer, said: "If he had been conscious he could have released the right toggle which was causing the problem".
He said Mr Jones experienced "an almost instantaneous opening of his parachute", which could have caused him to fall unconscious. He said parachutes should normally take between four and five seconds to fully open.
Joseph Graves, who was the drop zone controller at the airfield, told the hearing he saw Mr Jones freefall for 19 seconds before his parachute opened.
He said it soon began to spiral and "it continued to spiral but Chris did not seem to make any move".
Mr Montgomery said such "hard" openings could be caused by untidy packing of a parachute and could "take your breath away".
Another witness Andrew Shaw told the court that Mr Jones' parachute had been repaired after a previous hard opening in April last year.
He had also been advised to look at the way he packed his parachute but it had been marked as serviceable less than a week before his death, the inquest heard.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Jones suffered with moderately severe coronary problems but the pathologist could not be sure they had caused him to lose consciousness during the descent.
Mr Jones, from Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taff in South Wales, was head of Chemistry at Wellington School, in Somerset. | A parachutist who died after spiralling out of control was knocked unconscious when the parachute opened too quickly, an inquest heard. |
14,636,306 | Jordan's significance results partly from its strategic location at the crossroads of what Christians, Jews and Muslims call the Holy Land. It is a key ally of the US and, together with Egypt, one of only two Arab nations to have made peace with Israel.
The desert kingdom emerged out of the post-World War I division of the Middle East by Britain and France.
The population at that time was largely made up of tribes which had taken part in the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
Today, those original inhabitants - known as East Bank Jordanians - are outnumbered by the descendants of Palestinian refugees from Israel and the West Bank.
Country profiles by BBC Monitoring
The first ruler of Jordan, the Hashemite Abdullah I, was born in Mecca and played a leading role in the Great Arab Revolt.
The death in February 1999 of King Hussein, who ruled for 46 years, left Jordan still struggling for economic and social survival, as well as regional peace.
His son, Abdullah II faces the task of maintaining stability while accommodating calls for reform. A blueprint for long-term political, economic and social change - known as the National Agenda - has yet to be implemented, and the Arab Spring popular revolts across the region found some resonance in street protests.
Jordan's reputation as one of the region's safest countries was dealt a blow in late 2005 when dozens of people were killed in suicide bomb attacks on hotels in the capital. Iraq-based Islamic militants claimed responsibility. The king said Jordan had been targeted because of its location and its stances.
The civil war in neighbouring Syria has seen Jordan play host to some 600,000 Syrian refugees, while the resurgence of Islamic militancy in Iraq also presents security challenges for Amman.
Unlike Arab states to the south and east, Jordan has no oil of its own. Its resources are limited to phosphates and agricultural produce. The economy depends largely on services, tourism and foreign aid, of which the US is the main provider. Jordan prides itself on its health service, one of the best in the region.
Jordan engaged in two conflicts abroad in 2014 and 2015, taking part in air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Houthi rebels in Yemen. | The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small country with few natural resources, but it has played a pivotal role in the struggle for power in the Middle East. |
23,165,992 | Mr Snowden, who spent weeks stranded at Moscow airport, is facing espionage charges in the United States after leaking details of internet and phone surveillance by American intelligence.
Some of the countries to which applications have made "will not be named at this time due to attempted US interference," said the whistleblowing website Wikileaks, which is assisting Mr Snowden.
However even if a country accepts his request for asylum, getting there could prove difficult. European airspace could be closed to any aircraft suspected of carrying the fugitive.
Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro said he had decided to offer Edward Snowden "humanitarian asylum" so that he could "live away from the imperial North American persecution".
Nicaragua: President Daniel Ortega said his country would grant Mr Snowden's request "if circumstances permit it".
Bolivia: President Evo Morales described Mr Snowden as "persecuted" by the US government, and said he was willing to grant the former analyst asylum if he sought it.
Cuba, Iceland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Switzerland (Iceland, Netherlands, Switzerland - applications must be in country to seek asylum)
Brazil, Finland, Norway, Ireland, Spain, Poland, Austria, India, China, Russia (Austria, Finland, Ireland, Spain - applications must be in country to seek asylum)
Brazil: A Foreign Ministry spokesman said it would leave the asylum request unanswered.
Ecuador: It was thought this was where Edward Snowden was headed, but President Rafael Correa has since said offering assistance to Mr Snowden was "a mistake".
India: The Washington Post reported that a foreign ministry spokesman for India saw "no reason to accede to the request".
Poland: Foreign minister said grants of asylum were contingent on being in Poland's interests and this pre-requisite had not been met.
Russia: A presidential spokesman said Mr Snowden had withdrawn his asylum request because he was unwilling to comply with President Vladimir Putin's condition to stop any activity damaging to the US. | Former CIA contractor, Edward Snowden, has reportedly applied for asylum in 27 countries - but only three so far have indicated they might be prepared to take him in. |
32,733,029 | Dido Harding said: "We are looking to various competition authorities reviewing the BT/ EE merger, the Three/O2 merger and the whole industry.
"I do think there need to be more players on the market."
TalkTalk reported a 3.2% rise in pre-tax profit to £32m for the year to the end of March.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Harding added: "I've been very public in saying that Openreach should be separated out of BT Group.
"I think that would drive better investment, a more level playing field... I do think there need to be more players on the market and the regulators need to make sure that's the case."
TalkTalk's annual revenue rose 3.9% to nearly £1.8bn, leading the company to raise its revenue growth target for 2017 to 5%.
Tax credits associated with losses from the previous year pushed its post-tax profit to £72m.
However, the company also said data downloading on its network had doubled in the last year, raising its costs.
Ms Harding said: "People are downloading 40% to 50% more data on our network than they were a year ago, so from time to time we do need to put our prices up."
The company is testing new high-speed internet cables in York, said Ms Harding.
"I want to live in a country where in a decade's time, we all have unlimited broadband coming into our homes - where broadband becomes like electricity."
Responding to the company's bad reputation in customer services, Ms Harding said: "Ofcom published nine months worth of customer services results where for the first time ever, TalkTalk was not the most complained about in any of the products we sell.
"It's not the end of the journey and there's lots more we can do, but we're getting there." | Broadband provider TalkTalk wants more competition and a "level playing field" in the UK's internet services industry, says its chief executive. |
38,284,956 | England's final autumn international was on 3 December, a week later than those of the other European nations.
And Eddie Jones' men immediately returned to their clubs to prepare for this weekend's Champions Cup action.
"You're asking players to play in the Champions Cup the weekend after they've played Australia. It's not fair on the Premiership clubs," said McCall.
"For me it's ludicrous that the fourth international shouldn't be at the start of the window rather than the end. I don't think it's right that you continuously have to ask them to back up.
"Ireland, Scotland and Wales were able to rest players and you've maybe seen that in some of the other results this weekend - the wins by Munster and Leinster."
Munster thumped Leicester 38-0, while Leinster came away from Northampton with a 37-10 victory.
Saracens beat Sale 50-3, with England internationals George Kruis, Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Owen Farrell all involved. | Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall has described the timing of England's Test against Australia as "ludicrous". |
29,387,409 | This is because of the violence perpetrated by fans before their 5-1 Group E defeat at Roma on 17 September.
CSKA were already due to play Bayern behind closed doors as punishment for racist chanting by fans last season.
"It is likely we will have to play all our home games behind closed doors," said CSKA general manager Roman Babaev.
"They [Uefa] could exclude us from the Champions League.
"We are going to do everything in our power to make sure this does not happen. At the moment, the whole club is going through a difficult time."
The club has been charged for the behaviour of their fans in Rome, where violent clashes with police, from which four officers and 13 stewards were left injured, forced the match to be halted.
Last season, CSKA were fined after their fans were found guilty of racist chanting during Champions League games with City and Viktoria Plzen.
City are due to play CSKA in Moscow on 21 October. | CSKA Moscow's Champions League home game with Manchester City is one of three fixtures the Russian club expect to play behind closed doors. |
14,447,409 | The week-old mammal was found on Surfers Paradise beach early on Monday, not moving freely.
It had been separated from its mother. Lifeguards and staff from the nearby SeaWorld searched by air and sea but couldn't find the whale's mum.
It took around 50 rescuers to haul the whale back into the water, with the help of two jetskis.
A digger was used to clear a path in the sand, while rescuers poured water over the whale to keep it cool and wet.
Once back in the sea, the calf swam into deeper water, where it's hoped it will be able to find its mum. | A baby humpback whale that beached in Australia has been returned to the sea. |
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