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The Advertising Standards Authority will crack down on ads that feature stereotypical gender roles.
Ads that mock people for not conforming to gender types or reinforce gender roles had "costs for individuals, the economy and society", the ASA said.
As a result new rules will be drawn up that will take effect next year.
The ASA said it had decided to conduct a review following the public's reaction to the "beach body ready" advertising campaign in 2015. It prompted a wave of complaints for showing a bikini-clad model in an advertisement for a slimming product, which critics said was socially irresponsible.
In the past the ASA has banned ads on grounds of objectification, inappropriate sexualisation, and for suggesting it is desirable for young women to be unhealthily thin.
But in several instances the regulator had received complaints about ads that featured sexist stereotypes or mocked people who didn't follow traditional roles, which it had not investigated or ruled against, because they were not in breach of the current guidelines.
One example was an advert for Aptamil baby milk formula that showed girls growing up to be ballerinas and boys becoming engineers.
Complaints had also been made about adverts for clothing retailer Gap that showed a boy becoming an academic, and a girl becoming a "social butterfly".
An advertisement for KFC featured one man teasing another, who said he suffered from anxiety, over his lack of masculinity.
The review suggested that new standards should consider whether the stereotypes shown would "reinforce assumptions that adversely limit how people see themselves and how others see them."
"Portrayals which reinforce outdated and stereotypical views on gender roles in society can play their part in driving unfair outcomes for people," said Guy Parker, chief executive of the ASA.
"While advertising is only one of many factors that contribute to unequal gender outcomes, tougher advertising standards can play an important role in tackling inequalities and improving outcomes for individuals, the economy and society as a whole."
Not all stereotypes would be barred, however.
The ASA suggested showing a woman cleaning or a man doing DIY tasks was acceptable.
However it would be unacceptable if a family was shown making a mess and the woman was left with the sole responsibility to clean it up, or a man was shown "trying and failing to undertake simple parental or household tasks".
The ASA also said ads suggesting specific activities were suitable only for boys or girls were problematic. | Advertisements that show men failing at simple household tasks and women left to clean up are set to be banned by the UK advertising watchdog. | 40638343 |
The data showed a "worrying trend" of part-time, female and young workers being most likely to earn below the figure, researchers found.
The living wage, promoted by the Living Wage Foundation, is currently £7.85 an hour and £9.15 in London. It is not compulsory for employers to pay it.
The government said it was "determined to move to a higher wage economy".
The accountancy firm KPMG said its research showed that the proportion of workers earning less than the living wage had risen for three years in a row.
The wage is well above the compulsory national minimum wage, and more than the new national living wage which the government has announced will come into force next April.
Mike Kelly, of KPMG, said: "With the cost of living still high, the squeeze on household finances remains acute, meaning the reality for many is that they are forced to live hand-to-mouth.
"The figures show there is still more to be done if we are to eradicate in-work poverty. For some time it was easy for businesses to hide behind the argument that increased wages hit their bottom line, but there is ample evidence to suggest the opposite, in the shape of higher retention and higher productivity.
"It may not be possible for every business, but it is certainly not impossible to explore the feasibility of paying the living wage."
A government spokeswoman said the new national living wage would give a direct boost in wages for 2.7m people in the UK, "meaning a full-time worker will earn over £4,800 more by 2020".
"Treasury analysis shows women and those based outside London and the South East will be the biggest winners when the new national living wage comes into force," she said.
But Labour's business secretary Angela Eagle said things were getting worse, not better, for many families. "We need to see more better-paid, high-skilled jobs which pay a living wage, but these figures show that progress is slipping," she said.
"At the same time the Tories are making life harder for those on low and middle incomes as they cut tax credits and hit families with a work penalty. People are working harder than ever, but will rightly feel that the government is working against them." | Almost six million workers in the UK are paid less than the living wage, a study suggests. | 34691404 |
Burns sustained a dislocated collarbone after falling awkwardly during the first half of his side's 4-1 victory.
Burns may be out of action for four to five weeks and is set to miss the 7 February County Antrim Shield Final.
Mitchell was helped off in the second half with an ankle injury and faces a two-month spell on the sidelines.
Striker Mitchell, who is the league's leading scorer with 19 goals, will visit a specialist this week to have the injury assessed.
The Dungannon forward last week agreed a pre-contract deal to play for Glenavon next season and will join the Mourneview Park club in the summer.
Linfield manager David Healy lamented the loss of Burns for an important period of the season.
"Aaron is a big player for us and has scored important goals. He could be out for at least four to five weeks," said the Blues' boss. | Linfield midfielder Aaron Burns and Dungannon Swifts striker Andy Mitchell suffered injury setbacks in Saturday's Premiership match at Stangmore Park. | 38789851 |
The Olympic gymnast crashed into a barrier after successfully completing her jump.
After just two weeks, several stars have already ended up in hospital after competing on the Channel 4 show.
Some fans have even taken to social media to ask for the show to be cancelled because they say too many people are getting hurt.
The Olympic gymnast suffered an injury to two bones in her neck but has had surgery.
Her parents say early medical indications have been positive and that she's been able to "move her hands and feet."
She is the third competitor to leave the show because of injury.
Olympic swimmer, Rebecca Adlington was the first to leave the show, after dislocating her shoulder.
Actress, Tina Hobley dropped out next after she injured her elbow and fractured her arm.
A Channel 4 spokesperson told Newsround:
"The Jump is now in its third series and since launch 46 celebrities have taken part successfully. Though it is a new course the events have been designed to be no more difficult than in previous years and all contributors have undertaken a rigorous training programme to prepare them for the show. All winter sports carry some element of risk but in light of the number of injuries this year, Channel 4 has asked the producers to review safety procedures again to further reduce the prospect of accident."
Images provided by Channel 4. | Beth Tweddle has pulled out of the reality show The Jump, after crashing during a practice. | 35522565 |
On Wednesday, the DMV published draft regulations which outline how the technology could be used on the roads.
The regulations say truly driverless cars would be "initially excluded" from operation.
Google's director of self-driving cars, Chris Urmson, said the move was "perplexing".
"This maintains the same old status quo and falls short on allowing this technology to reach its full potential, while excluding those who need to get around but cannot drive," he wrote in his blog.
"We've heard countless stories from people who need a fully self-driving car today. People with health conditions ranging from vision problems to multiple sclerosis to autism to epilepsy who are frustrated with their dependence on others for even simple errands."
Google argues that driverless cars are much safer than manually driven cars, because they eliminate the human error that causes a majority of collisions.
The technology has inspired a web game by Made With Monster Love which demonstrates the effectiveness of computer control over human intervention.
Google said its vehicles had been involved in only 16 minor incidents during six years of testing, with humans in other cars to blame.
"We've seen in our own testing that drivers can't be trusted to dip in and out of the task of driving when the car is encouraging them to sit back and relax," said Mr Urmson.
However, the technology is still being improved and in November, one of Google's cars was pulled over for driving too cautiously.
Some of the driverless cars Google has been testing in California do not have any manual controls such as steering wheels or pedals.
The DMV's draft regulations would prevent residents from riding in those vehicles until their safety could be assessed in "subsequent regulatory packages".
"The draft regulations are designed to address complex questions related to vehicle safety, certification, operator responsibilities, licensing and registration, privacy, and cybersecurity," the DMV said.
A public consultation on the draft will take place in the new year.
On Tuesday, car giant Ford announced it had obtained a permit to start testing driverless cars in California.
Its vehicles retain manual controls for humans to take over, as required in the draft regulations. | Google has criticised the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California for insisting driverless cars must have a fully licensed driver behind the wheel. | 35131538 |
A hole was smashed in the front of the Co-op store on Main Street, Great Glen, Leicestershire in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The fork-lift loader was left blocking the road and the cash machine itself was found nearby.
Police said four men were seen trying to load the machine on a truck and have appealed for more information.
Witnesses said glass, bricks and metal were left scattered on the road with shop's alarms sounding continually.
The truck was later recovered in a street nearby.
Officers said they believe the gang failed to make off with any money. | A supermarket was badly damaged when a hydraulic lifter was used to rip a cash machine from a wall. | 39339868 |
So if tracing the cost of your bank account is as complex as strands of spaghetti, are other countries any better at untangling the mess?
Are their banking charges lower - or at least clearer - and are consumers happier?
The Competition and Markets Authority has announced an extension of its inquiry into the current account market.
The competition watchdog said that more time was needed for the industry and consumer groups to consider its new proposals on softening the impact of overdraft charges on bank customers.
Suggestions include a "monthly maximum charge", an upper limit on combined interest, daily charges and unpaid item fees. This would not be a regulated cap but set by individual banks.
There would be expanded use of grace periods, to allow customers time to top up their account and avoid overdraft fees. Imminent overdraft alerts would be provided as a standard service. Warnings would be sent out by text, email and within apps to tell people that they are about to incur overdraft charges.
Under the proposals, banks would not be able to include arranged overdrafts in the amount of "available funds" which they tell customers they can use. A final decision will be made in August.
The plans were immediately criticised by consumer group Which?.
It said prompts were not enough, and that tougher rules should be set.
"The regulator should use this further extension of their inquiry to bring forward stronger solutions to tackle unfair charges and ensure banks are held to account for how they treat their customers," said Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd.
So, do other countries do banking any better than us Brits?
Along with a cafe serving pastis - and a boulangerie, of course - every small town in France has at least one bank.
But unlike the UK's free-if-in-credit model, in France you will pay to use a bank, whether you are in credit or not.
You will pay a monthly fee to have a current account; you will pay to have a debit or credit card; and you will pay to use a cash-point if it is outside your local region, or if you are using another bank.
Credit Agricole, one of France's largest providers of current accounts, publishes no less than twelve pages of its charges, not counting overdraft rates.
While such charges may look pricey to British eyes, they may actually offer much better value - depending on your spending habits.
"When you look at France, the fees for a missed payment, the fee for sending you a letter, and the overdraft fees are far, far, far lower than in the UK," says Gareth Lodge, an analyst with the US consultancy firm Celent.
But whether you get better value in France varies according to what sort of customer you are.
"If you don't use a card particularly, if you've got very few bills, it probably works out more expensive in France than in the UK," says Lodge.
"If you are using an overdraft a lot more, then that might balance out."
But consumer groups in France are just as frustrated about bank charges as their equivalents in the UK.
The fees may look more transparent, but the campaign group CLVC wants greater accountability. For example, it argues that transaction fees should accurately reflect the actual cost of processing, say, an ATM payment.
CLVC has also calculated that the average cost of the most basic account in France, including a debit card, is around £50 a year.
In a 2016 survey, it said that just 57% of those questioned would recommend their bank to someone else - although overall 72% were happy with their provider.
The number of people switching accounts in the UK continues to fall, much to the disappointment of the government and regulators.
So are they any better at switching abroad?
For its long-running study on bank accounts, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) looked at the example of the Netherlands, a market they said was comparable to the UK.
On average, it found that Dutch consumers pay an average of £53 a year for their accounts. Yet, against expectation, that doesn't make them any keener to switch. In a survey local regulators found that 73% of bank customers had never switched at all.
The same could be true in many other countries too.
"I have no proof, but my guess from understanding how the US market works, and how the Dutch and Spanish markets work, is that there's far less switching in other countries," says Gareth Lodge.
"Particularly in the USA and Spain, it's very much your local branch. You stick with it, and you go where your parents went."
However, others suggest that competition is much more lively in France.
"In the French market, there's significantly higher switching," says John Lyons, the retail and commercial banking leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
But that, he says, is because most of the mainstream banks have developed better value internet brands.
"Those digital-only subsidiaries tend not to charge as much as the standard banks. So what you see is a migration from the traditional banks to the internet-only accounts." British banks, take note.
Why consumers get a raw deal from internet banking
If you thought banking sounded expensive in Europe, it can be even pricier in the US.
Most banks charge a monthly fee of up to £10, unless you have a healthy balance sitting in your account.
The Bank of America, for example, charges just under £100 a year, unless you maintain a positive balance of £1,028, or you pay in at least £171 every month.
Some in the US banking industry are therefore amazed by the UK's free-if-in-credit model.
"When Americans hear about the UK market, they think it must be ultra-competitive - which is the opposite of what the CMA thinks," says Lodge.
But most US banks operate at a state level. If you try to cash a cheque "out of state", for example, you're likely to be met with a shake of the head.
And backward though it may seem to Europeans, most Americans are still paid by cheque.
In fact, no less than two-thirds of all the cheques written in the world are written in the USA.
"It's a different model," says John Lyons.
"They have far more regional banks, which are locally-orientated. Generally they are behind."
So which country offers the best value to consumers?
One piece of research into this was done in 2006 by the consultancy Oxera. Not only is it relatively historic, but it was also commissioned by the British Bankers' Association, an organisation always keen to talk up the value provided by UK banks.
But some analysts believe it still provides useful information.
In all five categories - students, young professionals, low-income families, median-income families and pensioners - the UK came in the top three for value as far as current accounts are concerned.
Australia, Canada and Italy provided the worst value.
But experts agree that the UK model is only a good deal in comparison to other countries if you stay in credit.
"If you get free banking, and you utilise it mainly for free transactions, I think you get exceptional value," says John Lyons.
"If you're part of the segment that relies on other products that banks use to cross-subsidise those costs, you could argue you're not getting good value."
As long as you don't think "free" banking is actually free, the deal for prudent consumers in the UK may not be quite so bad, after all. | In this series, we have heard how free banking in the UK has been labelled "a misleading con-trick", how customers bewildered by the range of accounts on offer refuse to switch, and how UK consumers get a raw deal should they choose to bank on the internet. | 35482233 |
Officers were called to Shepperton Road in Islington, north London, shortly after 23:00 BST on 5 September.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating the incident, said two shots were fired.
Both the police officer who pulled the trigger and the woman said the 40-year-old man had a knife.
A post-mortem examination found the man died as a result of shock and haemorrhage caused by a gunshot wound to the the left chest.
He also suffered a bullet wound to his upper left arm.
It is the first fatal shooting by a Metropolitan Police marksman since the death of Mark Duggan in Tottenham, north London, in 2011.
During the incident, a police negotiator and firearms officers were called and shortly before 01:00 BST a number of shots were fired at the man by police.
He was pronounced dead en route to hospital.
The man has not been named as police are awaiting formal identification.
IPCC commissioner Cindy Butts said: "I have today met with members of the bereaved family, who are very distressed, to extend my condolences and to update them on the progress of our investigation.
"I would like to assure all those concerned that the circumstances surrounding this tragedy will be investigated thoroughly."
The IPCC is currently conducting door-to-door enquiries and has requested interviews with the officer who fired the shots and other officers who were present at the scene.
The police watchdog is also analysing CCTV and witness statements provided by the police officers. | A man who was killed by police had pinned his ex-partner against a wall at knifepoint when the shots were fired, witness statements have said. | 29151026 |
It was his drama about three gay men and - explicitly - their sex lives. It was seen as radical, rude, different, honest and was loved and loathed.
Since then, gay characters have evolved and feature widely across the British TV spectrum.
Davies has now returned to writing about gay culture with the triple bill of Cucumber, Banana and Tofu.
Cucumber is a series revolving around a gay man in his mid 40s. Banana features a younger cast, telling eight standalone stories. Tofu is a documentary series looking at sex.
Three shows over three channels: it's a risk.
Newsbeat got the chance to sit down with Russell T Davies to discuss the new shows, his past shows... and his love of Eastenders.
Newsbeat: When you were casting Cucumber did you do what you've done previously? You seem to take risks on people, like Charlie Hunnam (in Queer As Folk) and Billie Piper (in Doctor Who)…
Russell T Davies: Real talent burns like a beacon and you're blind if you don't see it.
When I went to cast Billie Piper in Doctor Who, the whole world knew that Billie Piper was gorgeous and brilliant.
But predominantly a pop singer...
Davies: Well, she had done one drama and within the industry it was well known that she could act. Maybe not to the public.
I beat my way to the front of the queue and was lucky to this day. You just keep your eyes and ears out. We've got a lad in this called Fisayo Akinade in Banana and Cucumber who is 26 years old and never done TV before and he's an absolute star. Compared to that we've got Freddie Fox, who's very well known within the industry.
He's done Pride and he's known as an up-and-coming talent so with him it's like grabbing a comet's tail and clinging on to it. You're grateful they'll come and work with you.
What makes star talent?
Davies: They walk in a room, you see them and there's something different about them.
I will never forget the day Charlie Hunnam walked into the room for Queer As Folk because it was like something bigger than the man himself. He was only 19 then.
I can picture the room and what he was wearing and an aura walked in. It's an emotional intelligence and truth about them.
With Cucumber, Banana and Tofu going across different channels, would you ever consider doing something only for online? For Netflix or on YouTube?
Davies: I think I have no choice. I think that's the way we're heading no matter what.
Funnily enough I haven't got Netflix simply because I watch too much television as it is. If I opened up my whole world to Netflix as well you'd never hear from me again.
I'd never write. I would sit there growing a beard, in my vest, watching television so I can't have it in the house.
But broadcast television will remain as well. I think there's always a rush to say everything's changing but I think when television came along it didn't destroy the cinema and now internet's come along it won't destroy television.
All these things co-exist at the same time and they all enrich each other.
Are you proud of the doors you opened with Queer As Folk?
Davies: Enormously. I literally sleep better at night.
I'm very proud of what I've done and I know not everyone has to like it but I know I've done it honestly, with diligence and I've worked hard and that's all I can ask of myself.
What are you a fan of TV-wise?
Davies: Well I don't tend to watch box sets. I can't wait for the Good Wife to come back. I'm dying to get that back on. It never lets you down. It's brilliant.
I'm enjoying Broadchurch and I think EastEnders is going through a very golden time at the moment. I can't wait for this 30th anniversary of Eastenders. I won't be moving that week I'm completely hooked.
Who killed Lucy Beale?
Davies: I did!
Cucumber starts on Channel 4 on 22 January at 9pm. Banana is on E4 at 10pm. Tofu is on 4OD from 10.30pm.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | In 1999, Russell T Davies courted controversy and critical acclaim with Queer As Folk. | 30922105 |
Army bomb officers were called to examine suspicious objects in the Waterside on Thursday.
At about 10:25 GMT, police discovered what turned out to be a pipe bomb in the front garden of a home in Trafalgar Court.
A second bomb was discovered at Jeffrey Avenue, also in the Waterside area of Derry.
Army bomb experts were at the scene of both alerts.
Area Commander for Derry, Chf Insp Tony Callaghan, said: "Two viable devices have now been recovered for forensic examination and all cordons have been lifted.
"Residents who were evacuated earlier are now returning home. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their co-operation and understanding."
DUP councillor Drew Thompson said up to 20 homes had been evacuated at Trafalgar Court.
Community centres were opened for those who had to leave their homes. | Two pipe bombs have been found in separate security alerts in Londonderry. | 31530653 |
Noah Serra-Morrison was 13-months-old when he died at his mother's home in Crawley Road, Luton, last November.
Prosecutors at Luton Crown Court claim the boy suffered a catalogue of injuries in the weeks before the massive head injury that killed him.
His mother Ronnie-Tayler Morrison and her partner Hardeep Hunjan deny murder.
The jury heard Ms Morrison, 21, had an iPhone with a photograph of Noah with a cannabis joint behind his ear.
And in a video clip on the same phone, the mother and Mr Hunjan were shown to the court smoking three cannabis joints at the same time through a home-made tube.
The baby died from a massive head injury inflicted on him at the flat in Crawley Road on the night of November 20/21 last year.
He was taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, where he was pronounced dead in the early hours.
When he died it was found the child had suffered a series of fractures to his arms and legs, some new and some going back weeks.
The couple, said the prosecution, were to claim to that little Noah had injured himself by falling out of his crib.
That, said the crown, is impossible and the injuries found on the baby could not have been caused by an accident.
The case continues. | A mother accused of murdering her baby boy had a photograph of him with a cannabis joint behind his ear, a jury heard. | 36662563 |
Bury St Edmunds councillor Paul Hopfensberger made the suggestion as nearly £20,000 is being spent erecting fences on two football pitches.
Local teams playing at the grounds are forced to remove the mess before their matches.
Mr Hopfensberger said of DNA testing: "I'm not saying we're going to do it, we have to look at it."
Two pitches at Oakes Road and Tollgate Recreation Ground, which are in the councillor's ward, will be fenced in later this month to the tune of £19,855.
He described the move as "democracy in action" but when asked later about DNA testing the dog mess, told the BBC: "At the moment we haven't got all the information on the DNA testing.
"But we have asked a national company, they are successfully implementing it in other counties around the UK, so I think it's something we have to look at.
"I'm not saying we're going to do it. We have to look at it, get the facts, get the details, to see if it will work in Suffolk."
CFC Bury coach Mark Stiff said often they have to clear up before they kick off their games.
"It's not all the dog owners, we have dog owners come up to us and chat to us while the game is going on, before and after, they're fantastic," he said.
"But it's just got to a big problem now where its the irresponsible ones, I would love all soccer pitches to be fenced off, especially youth pitches."
Money for the project came from the Premier League, the FA Facilities Fund, St Edmundsbury Borough Council and some individual councillors' locality grants. | DNA testing of dog mess has not been ruled out in a bid to rid a Suffolk town of irresponsible dog owners. | 34208000 |
Sixteen Category One academies were invited to play against League One and League Two clubs as part of a one-season, 64-team competition trial.
Premier League champions Leicester and Chelsea have accepted the invitation.
"If it's a success it will continue. If not we'll review and see where we go," said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey.
REACTION: 'EFL Trophy won't capture imagination'
Leicester and Chelsea are joined by Southampton, West Ham United, Stoke City, Everton, Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in accepting the initial invitation to join the competition.
Six Championship academy teams will take the places of the rejected teams.
Norwich City, Brighton, Derby, Wolves, Blackburn and Reading have all put teams forward to play in the competition in 2016-17, which has undergone a revamp from the knockout stages of previous years.
Sixteen groups of four teams will each contain an academy side, with the top two from each qualifying for the first knockout round of 32 teams.
The final will be held at Wembley and Harvey said two academy teams making the final is "probably one of the biggest concerns we have".
He continued: "If two Premier League clubs get to the final I suspect the reinvention of the competition might have to take another move in a further year.
"We're a long way from that position yet. Clubs have got a lot of distance to travel to get to that final at Wembley, and it'll be very interesting to see how those games work out over that period."
Category One academy teams will have to start six under-21 players in the competition, but the others can be of any age.
"The challenges we faced were due to scheduling issues that football faces throughout the full season - we are in a position where the EFL Trophy fixtures are played in international weeks," said Harvey.
"Some of the bigger clubs who supply the bulk of players for the international sides - the younger players in particular in that under-21 age group, under-17, under-18, under-19, under-20 age groups as well - their players were on international duty so the type of players this competition could have suited may be missing.
"From a competitive perspective I think those clubs who provide the majority of those players took the option that it was probably a step too far at this stage, particularly when the better younger players in those age groups have already been committed to go out on loan to other clubs."
Barnsley beat Oxford United 3-2 at Wembley in front of a crowd of more than 59,000 in last season's final.
Harvey said that the primary reason for changing the format of the competition was for it to "survive".
He continued: "We've used that opportunity to try to ensure we get ourselves in a position where there's some good from a player development prospective.
"The advent of additional prize money and the change in structure will also mean it should be financially beneficial to our clubs as well."
However, Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony - one of those to vote in favour of the proposals - has now said he would have reversed his decision had he known the line-up of under-21 teams.
He said on Twitter: "If I had know such large amount of them (Championship under-21 sides), then no chance (of voting in favour). You live and learn. Now we have to get on with it."
Northern Group A: Everton, Bolton, Cheltenham, Blackpool.
Northern Group B: Wolves, Chesterfield, Crewe, Accrington.
Northern Group C: Stoke, Bradford, Morecambe, Bury.
Northern Group D: Blackburn, Fleetwood, Carlisle, Oldham.
Northern Group E: Derby, Port Vale, Doncaster, Mansfield.
Northern Group F: Sunderland, Rochdale, Hartlepool, Notts County.
Northern Group G: Middlesbrough, Scunthorpe, Cambridge, Shrewsbury.
Northern Group H: Leicester, Sheffield United, Grimsby, Walsall.
Southern Group A: Reading, Bristol Rovers, Portsmouth, Yeovil.
Southern Group B: Swansea, AFC Wimbledon, Newport, Plymouth.
Southern Group C: Chelsea, Swindon, Exeter, Oxford.
Southern Group D: West Ham, Coventry, Wycombe, Northampton.
Southern Group E: Southampton, Charlton, Colchester, Crawley.
Southern Group F: Norwich, Peterborough, Barnet, MK Dons.
Southern Group G: Brighton, Southend, Stevenage, Leyton Orient.
Southern Group H: West Bromwich Albion, Millwall, Luton, Gillingham.
Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox. | Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle have rejected the chance to play Under-21 teams in the EFL Trophy. | 36902612 |
The annual congressional baseball game in Washington was hailed as a rare and welcome moment of unity among lawmakers of both major parties.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise remains in a critical condition, but improving, after the shooting.
There were huge cheers when his name was heard around the stadium.
"Not here, but in our thoughts and prayers, Steve Scalise," said the announcer before the game, which was won by the Democrats by 11 runs to 2, moving them ahead with 40 wins to 39 in the historic series.
However, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said that his team gave the trophy to the Republicans to put in Mr Scalise's office.
One of the Capitol Police officers, David Bailey, who was hailed as a hero for the way he helped to subdue the gunman, appeared on crutches.
To loud applause he threw the first pitch, which is a longstanding baseball ritual that usually falls to a dignitary or celebrity.
President Donald Trump did not attend but sent a video message of support.
The game, held at Nationals Park, has been a congressional tradition for more than a century.
Both Republicans and Democrats have pointed to the attack as a reason to ease heated political rhetoric.
This isn't just a baseball game. It is a rare and genuine opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to put their divisions aside and show those gathered in the stadium and watching across the US, that they are not just politicians - they are people and players.
One woman who bought her ticket after yesterday's shooting told me she wanted just one feel-good moment after everything that has happened. Another group of Republican interns described the game as the only thing in Washington that really works.
The crowds are holding banners and team colours. Many are tributes and prayers for Congressman Steve Scalise.
There may be fierce rivalry out on the pitch, but there are also a number of players who have become fierce friends.
The suspected gunman, James T Hodgkinson, died from his injuries hours after Wednesday's shooting.
The 66-year-old suspect from Belleville, Illinois, was a volunteer for Senator Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign but whether he was politically motivated is still unclear, investigators said. | US politicians have played a charity baseball game a day after a shooting - as they practised in Virginia - wounded a top Republican and three others. | 40297394 |
This entitles her to access to health care, education and other welfare services which she had been denied.
As her parents have been out of Cuba for some time, the girl had been unable to claim Cuban citizenship and she had been effectively left "stateless".
This test case will affect other children in such legal limbo.
The case has been going through the South African courts for several years, and the Supreme Court of Appeal's decision came after the government challenged a ruling brought by a lower court.
The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the home affairs ministry had argued that granting the girl a South African birth certificate would open the floodgates to new applications.
The court's judgement is a reaffirmation of existing laws in South Africa which give citizenship to stateless children.
The Supreme Court of Appeal gave the government 18 months to get its house in order and put in place a mechanism for processing similar claims.
Lawyers say the implementation of this ruling would bring South Africa into line with many other countries.
It could also help many of the thousands of stateless youngsters born in South Africa, who are now being put up for adoption and whose birth parents were foreign migrants or refugees, our reporter says.
A spokesman for South Africa's Department of Home affairs said it welcomed the chance to re-evaluate its position.
South Africa is home to many African migrants who have moved to the country for better economic fortunes in one of the continent's largest economies or to seek political refuge. | A top South African court has cleared the way for an eight-year-old girl, born to Cuban parents, to be granted South African citizenship. | 37286815 |
The Cochrane Collaboration carried out a systematic review of eight exercise trials involving more than 300 patients living at home or in care.
Exercise did little for patients' moods, the research concluded.
But it did help them carry out daily activities such as rising from a chair, and boosted their cognitive skills.
Whether these benefits improve quality of life is still unclear, but the study authors say the findings are reason for optimism.
Dementia affects some 800,000 people in the UK. And the number of people with the condition is steadily increasing because people are living longer.
It is estimated that by 2021, the number of people with dementia in the UK will have increased to around one million.
With no cure, ways to improve the lives of those living with the condition are vital.
Researcher Dorothy Forbes, of the University of Alberta, and colleagues who carried out the Cochrane review, said: "Clearly, further research is needed to be able to develop best practice guidelines to enable healthcare providers to advise people with dementia living at home or in institutions.
"We also need to understand what level and intensity of exercise is beneficial for someone with dementia."
Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer's Research UK said: "We do know that exercise is an important part of keeping healthy, and though we can't say that exercise will prevent dementia, evidence does suggest it can help reduce the risk of the condition as part of a healthy lifestyle." | People with dementia who exercise improve their thinking abilities and everyday life, a body of medical research concludes. | 25202903 |
Practicing will take place on Tuesday 9 May and Thursday 11 May, with racing on Thursday evening and Saturday 13 May.
In May, Alastair Seeley broke Robert Dunlop's record for the most wins at the event when he made it 17 wins over the Triangle circuit.
The meeting was overshadowed by the death of Malachi Mitchell-Thomas. | The North West 200 international road races will retain their mid-May slot for 2017, with the week-long festival taking place from 7-13 May. | 37297325 |
Since 2012 at least 170 rapists and 157 child abusers were told they no longer had to register with the police.
They include people convicted of raping boys and girls, incest, and taking indecent images of children.
More than 50% of applications - allowed under a 2010 Supreme Court ruling - were successful, a Freedom of Information request revealed.
Figures showed North Wales Police approved 90% of requests, while neighbouring Dyfed-Powys Police did not approve any.
There were 49,466 registered sex offenders in the UK as of 31 March 2015 and they are only able to appeal 15 years after leaving prison.
The Home Office has issued guidance stating offenders should only be removed if it is no longer necessary for them to be registered to protect the public from sexual harm.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 made all sex offenders sentenced to more than 30 months in prison subject to indefinite notification requirements, without an opportunity for review.
But in 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that under human rights laws offenders in England and Wales should have the opportunity to prove they had reformed.
The offenders who brought the challenge said permanent inclusion on the register with no chance of a review was disproportionate.
And although the Supreme Court said an appeal should be possible, it underlined that it was lawful to monitor someone for life if they are a danger to society.
At the time of the ruling Home Secretary Teresa May said: "We will deliberately set the bar for those appeals as high as possible. Public protection must come first."
What is the sex offenders register?
Among those removed from the register include 27 offenders who raped people under 16 years old and three who committed incest with children under 13.
David Hines, founder of the National Victims' Association, said it was "outrageous" that people who had committed "horrific crimes" were no longer on the register.
He said: "I think the public will be outraged as well. These people should stay on the register. This is not protecting the public."
Theresa May brought in these new rules through gritted teeth after the Supreme Court declared that, with no right of review, requiring sex offenders to register their address with police and inform them of travel plans was disproportionate and incompatible with the right to privacy.
In 2012, when the rules came into force, the Home Office said police had to conduct a "robust review" and be "satisfied that it is not necessary, for the purpose of protecting the public from the risk of sexual harm", for a sex offender to continue to register.
This comprehensive set of figures appears to demonstrate that police are interpreting that guidance very differently.
How else can you explain the huge variations between North Wales, where 90% of requests not to register with police succeeded and Dyfed-Powys where none did; or Northumbria, 79.2% and North Yorkshire, 7.1% ?
A Home Office spokesman said: "Public safety is at the heart of all decisions taken by police.
"Those who continue to pose a risk will remain on the sex offenders register - if necessary, for life."
A spokesman for North Wales Police said removals from the register are only authorised after a senior officer has reviewed the case.
A total of 40 UK police forces responded to a Freedom of Information request from BBC News, out of 44 forces that can approve applications.
They reported 1,289 requests to be removed had been received, out of which 679 (53.7%) were approved.
Information about the offences people had committed was also provided by 35 of the forces.
Find out the percentage of applications approved by your local police force. | Almost 700 convicted sex offenders have been removed from the register in the past four years, the BBC has learned. | 35833760 |
All kick-offs at 15:00 GMT unless otherwise stated
Bristol City v Cardiff (12:00)
Burnley v Blackburn (12:30)
Brentford v Charlton
Derby v Huddersfield
Ipswich v Nottm Forest
Leeds v Bolton
MK Dons v QPR
Preston v Brighton
Reading v Fulham
Sheff Wed v Rotherham | All of the previews for the weekend's Championship games, as league leaders Burnley host Blackburn while Brighton travel to Preston. | 35726846 |
The road is crucial for East Africa's economy as it links the port of Mombasa to landlocked countries, such as Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda.
The worst-affected area is around Taru, about 80km from Mombasa.
Correspondents say the jam has been caused by repairs to the road following heavy rains.
Traffic jams are common in Kenya and are often caused by its badly maintained road network but this is said to be the worst for several years.
More than 1,500 trucks have been stuck, Willingtone Kiberenge, acting chief executive of the Kenya Transporters Association, told Reuters news agency.
Some motorists have been stuck in the countryside, miles from the nearest shop, since the jam began on Tuesday evening.
"I have not eaten since yesterday morning, not showered and not even changed clothes," Nathaniel Chweya, a lorry driver taking 10 cars to the Ugandan capital of Kampala, told Reuters.
It is only the traffic heading towards Nairobi that is affected by the hold-up.
Some trucks that tried to turn off the single carriageway onto the scrub land alongside have become stuck in the mud.
The BBC's Mohammud Ali Mohamed in Nairobi says there is a railway between Mombasa and Nairobi but it is old, unreliable and it takes several days to make the 500km journey.
Those who can afford it - and do not have heavy loads - tend to fly between the cities as there are hourly flights, he adds. | Kenyan police have been deployed to ease a traffic jam reportedly stretching for 50km (30 miles) on the highway between Mombasa and Nairobi. | 34867935 |
The Revue XXI magazine reported that Austrian-born SS commander Alois Brunner spent his last years living in squalid conditions.
It said he remained a fervent anti-Semite right up to his death.
Brunner is accused of deporting more than 128,000 Jews to death camps.
He was in charge of the Drancy internment camp outside Paris where Jews rounded up in France were held before being sent to the death camps. An estimated 345 children were among his victims.
For many years there has been uncertainty as to whether Brunner - born in 1912 - is still alive, although the chief investigator pursuing him told the BBC in 2014 that he believed Brunner died in 2010 in Damascus.
Brunner is believed to have fled to Syria in the 1950s from West Germany, reportedly serving later as an adviser to the Syrian government on torture tactics before being shunned by the authorities.
The latest investigation by the Revue XXI magazine (in French) quotes one of Brunner's guards as saying that he "suffered and cried a lot in his final years, [and] everyone heard him".
The guard, identified only as Omar, said Brunner survived on meagre army rations in the last years of his life.
The magazine's findings have been welcomed by renowned Nazi-hunter Serge Klarsfeld.
"We are satisfied to learn that he lived badly rather than well," Mr Klarsfeld told the AFP news agency.
Brunner was removed in April 2014 from the Simon Wiesenthal Center's most wanted list, in a move signifying that it too considered him to be dead.
The SS commander played a key role in the implementation of Hitler's "Final Solution" to murder Jews and has been described by Nazi hunters as "a monster", responsible for sending 47,000 Jews in Austria, 44,000 in Greece, 23,500 in France and 14,000 in Slovakia to camps where most were murdered.
In 2001 he was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a court in France and is reported to have survived at least two Israeli intelligence assassination attempts while in Syria in 1961 and 1980. | One of the world's most wanted Nazi war criminals died in 2001 aged 89 after spending more than a decade incarcerated in a dilapidated Damascus basement, a French magazine has said. | 38586945 |
Corie Adams, formerly of Matlby, Rotherham, pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to 11 sexual offences against two girls aged 13 and two aged 14.
The 18-year-old had earlier admitted an additional six offences against three girls aged between 12 and 14.
Adams is due to be sentenced on 2 December.
The offences took place between January 2015 and early 2016.
Read more about this and other stories from across South Yorkshire
Adams was arrested and charged following a joint operation by South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council.
Det Insp John Fitzgibbons said Adams' offending was "prolific and incredibly shocking".
"We were able to identify a number of his victims but there may well be more young girls out there yet to come forward," he said
"While he has admitted his part in the sexual abuse of many young girls in Rotherham, this does not lessen the awful impact his hideous crimes have had on their lives."
Det Insp Fitzgibbons said Adams had preyed on the girls' vulnerability and age for his own satisfaction.
"This is a truly despicable crime," he said.
Adams admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of rape, three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act and one count of grooming. | A man has admitted a string of "hideous" sexual offences against seven teenage girls. | 38149285 |
Only about 40% of farmers have received their Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) claims, leading to warnings of a "cash flow crisis" in the industry.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced the fund as he addressed the NFU Scotland annual general meeting in St Andrews.
NFU Scotland said it was "imperative" the new fund was delivered quickly.
The union had accused the Scottish government of creating a "hole" in the rural economy because of delays in allocating the EU money to farmers.
Reforms to the Cap system saw the Single Farm Payment Scheme replaced by the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) last year.
The BPS is the main EU subsidy available to farmers in Scotland, with the money being allocated by the Scottish government.
The payments are designed to act as a safety net for farmers and crofters by supplementing their main business income.
But payments have been affected by major issues with the IT system used to administer them, with the Scottish government also saying the challenge of implementing the reforms had been "hugely difficult".
Speaking at the AGM, Mr Lochhead said that more than 7,300 payments had now been authorised, which he said equated to about 40% of the 18,000 eligible claims.
He said he recognised that some farmers and crofters were facing hardship as a result of the delays, coupled with bad weather and difficult market conditions.
Mr Lochhead added: "We are making progress. However the extreme complexity of the policy we agreed with industry in Scotland - which is being delivered by a brand new IT system that we are constantly working to improve - means it is taking longer than expected to process applications.
"That is why the Scottish government is taking further action to ease cash flow pressures in the sector by earmarking up to £20m to ensure those most in need can access the credit they require until their payments come through.
"We will work with NFUS, banks and others to finalise the detail of the scheme and ensure it is available as quickly as possible and simple to access."
Responding to the announcement, NFU Scotland chief executive Scott Walker said: "The Scottish government has recognised the severe financial pressures that many farm businesses are under.
"But for this money to be effective it must be delivered quickly. We will be working with the Scottish government on the details of this funding but it is imperative that it is put into place swiftly."
The issue had been raised by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.
The party's MSP Alex Johnstone said: "Ministers are now having to set aside £20m of taxpayers' money to mop up their own failures to deliver this programme.
"It is a complete fiasco and rural Scotland has completely lost faith in this SNP government's ability to deliver."
Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesman Tavish Scott said the creation of the hardship fund was an "admission of failure" by the Scottish government.
He added: "Why should farmers take out a government loan when they should be receiving the government farm payment?"
Speaking on Thursday, NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie said the majority of farmers were still "completely unaware" of when they will receive their Cap payments 20 months on from the cabinet secretary's initial statement on its implementation.
He added: "That is the hole in the Scottish rural economy that Scottish government is responsible for and the reason why the wheels have stopped turning in the Scottish countryside." | Farmers hit by delays to EU payments are to be offered loans from a £20m fund set up by the Scottish government. | 35556253 |
The government wants to change the way the court works, but the court says the changes are unconstitutional.
The government has refused to publish the court's ruling because to do so would make it binding.
Critics say the changes would limit the court's ability to scrutinise government legislation.
Since it came to power last October, the new government of the conservative, populist Law and Justice party (PiS) has regularly clashed with the media and the opposition.
In Warsaw, demonstrators waving Polish and EU flags marched from the Constitutional Court to the presidential palace. Rallies also took place in the cities of Poznan and Wroclaw.
The government says the protests are proof that democracy is thriving in Poland. It argues that it won a strong mandate in elections last October to introduce sweeping reforms.
Why is Poland worrying the EU?
Government takes control of state media
The new rules increase the number of Constitutional Court judges needed for a ruling and change the order in which cases are heard.
Last week, the Constitutional Court struck down the rules as unconstitutional.
The Polish government has refused to publish the court's decision, saying the judges were not following the very rules they were evaluating.
The new rules will now go to parliament for debate, a government spokesman told a news conference on Saturday.
Last month, a draft report by the Council of Europe - a human rights watchdog - said the changes made it extremely difficult for the court to take decisions, thereby endangering the rule of law. | Thousands of people are protesting in the Polish capital Warsaw as a constitutional crisis between the government and the top court deepens. | 35793914 |
Highland Council is having to find millions of pounds in savings.
Budget leader Bill Fernie said rising costs and a reduction in funding from the Scottish government has left the council with a budget gap of £17-18m.
The simulator includes options in finding savings by reducing spending on schools and public toilets.
Available until 5 February, the local authority said it hoped it would generate feedback from people living in the Highlands on the running of council services.
Mr Fernie said: "We have done our best to look at how we can make savings whilst causing the least impact on essential services and jobs.
"We have identified a range of savings to reduce this gap and before we put our full proposals to council, we would like to understand what is really important to people in the Highlands."
He added: "The council cannot spend more than it has and there are some areas of the budget that have fixed costs and we cannot cut. The simulator cannot include the entire budget for this reason, but challenges residents to attempt the difficult task of cutting £14m from the budget." | A Scottish local authority has challenged the public to try and balance its books using an online budget simulator. | 38689139 |
The Scot matched Matsuyama's four-under round of 68 to reach 14 under par.
Daniel Berger is in third place, a shot behind Knox, with fellow American Bill Haas and Francesco Molinari of Italy another stroke adrift on 12 under.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is eight shots off the lead after an up and down 70 at Sheshan International.
The world number three was within four when he produced a brilliant recovery shot on the par-five eighth to set up his third birdie of the day, but bogeys followed at the 11th, 12th and 15th before he picked up strokes at the 16th and 18th.
Knox, bidding to become only the second player after former world number one Tiger Woods to retain a World Golf Championships title, was inches away from a hole-in-one on the fourth.
The 31-year-old was two behind Matsuyama when he picked up another shot on the 13th, only to find water with his approach to the par-five 14th as Matsuyama hit the green in two.
A two or three-shot swing looked certain and Matsuyama two-putted from long range for birdie, but Knox holed from 25 feet for an unlikely par and then birdied the 15th.
Knox was unable to make any more ground on the closing stretch and Matsuyama birdied the last as he looks to become the first Japanese player to win a WGC event.
England's Ross Fisher is in a tie for sixth place on 10 under, while the Republic of Ireland's Shane Lowry shot 65 to leap up the leaderboard and join McIlroy and Henrik Stenson of Sweden on nine under.
Race to Dubai leader Danny Willett endured another miserable day after a 75 left him 11 over par. | Defending champion Russell Knox remains three shots behind leader Hideki Matsuyama of Japan after three rounds at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. | 37809827 |
But he says it is good that manager Chris Coleman will use the games against Ukraine and Northern Ireland to "try out" ideas before the tournament.
Coleman is "99% certain" Wales will also play Sweden before their first major tournament finals for 58 years.
"We're quite surprised with two games, especially out in Ukraine," said Crystal Palace's Hennessey.
"But obviously the gaffer has got something up his sleeve he wants to try out and, probably look at a few players.
"So it's always good, those little warm-up games to go into a big tournament."
Hennessey played on Saturday as Palace earned a 1-1 draw at Swansea.
Wales host fellow qualifiers Northern Ireland on Thursday 24 March at Cardiff City Stadium.
"They've done really well themselves so it's always good to play against good competition and they'll be a good team to play against," added Hennessey.
They face Ukraine at Kiev's NSK Olympiyskiy Stadium four days later.
Wales' Euro 2016 campaign begins against Slovakia in Bordeaux on 11 June in Group B where they are also paired with England and Russia. | Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey is "surprised" Wales are playing two warm-up games before Euro 2016. | 35516380 |
After an inspired performance from Vale goalkeeper Jak Alnwick kept the game goalless at half-time, strikes from Poleon and Tom Elliot, early in the second half set Wimbledon on their way.
And late goals from Tyrone Barnett and Chris Robertson earned a first league win since thrashing Bury 5-1 in November
Vale's defensive concerns remain and they have now won just once in 10 matches.
The home side dominated for much of the first half but Alnwick made four exceptional saves to keep it goalless.
In the 53rd minute the home side broke the deadlock when Sean Kelly made an excellent run down the flank and crossed for Poleon to bundle in from close range.
Elliot headed home from a corner in the 58th minute to make it 2-0.
Soon afterwards Wimbledon keeper James Shea turned Nathan Smith's effort onto the crossbar, before Barnett and Robertson netted in the final five minutes.
Match ends, AFC Wimbledon 4, Port Vale 0.
Second Half ends, AFC Wimbledon 4, Port Vale 0.
Attempt missed. Tyrone Barnett (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Attempt missed. Andy Barcham (AFC Wimbledon) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right.
Tyrone Barnett (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kiko (Port Vale).
Goal! AFC Wimbledon 4, Port Vale 0. Chris Robertson (AFC Wimbledon) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dean Parrett with a cross.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Ryan Taylor.
Attempt blocked. Lyle Taylor (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Andy Barcham (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Goal! AFC Wimbledon 3, Port Vale 0. Tyrone Barnett (AFC Wimbledon) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lyle Taylor.
Attempt blocked. Quentin Pereira (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Nathan Smith (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Sam Kelly (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Andy Barcham (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sam Kelly (Port Vale).
Anthony de Freitas (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Tyrone Barnett (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Anthony de Freitas (Port Vale).
Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Tyrone Barnett replaces Tom Elliott.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Nathan Smith.
Substitution, Port Vale. Sam Hart replaces Sebastien Amoros.
Corner, AFC Wimbledon. Conceded by Kiko.
Lyle Taylor (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Anthony de Freitas (Port Vale).
Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Andy Barcham replaces Dominic Poleon.
Foul by Tom Elliott (AFC Wimbledon).
Quentin Pereira (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Kiko (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon).
Attempt saved. Nathan Smith (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Dean Parrett (AFC Wimbledon).
Sam Kelly (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Barry Fuller (AFC Wimbledon) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.
Tom Elliott (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Remie Streete (Port Vale).
Jake Reeves (AFC Wimbledon) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Anthony de Freitas (Port Vale).
Report supplied by the Press Association | Dominic Poleon grabbed his 12th goal of the season as AFC Wimbledon thumped Port Vale to earn their first win in four games. | 38271935 |
Graffiti was daubed and paint was thrown over walls at Tanvally and Corbet halls near Banbridge during the early hours of Friday morning. The halls are about five miles apart.
The incidents follow an attempted arson attack at Muckery Orange Hall in County Armagh last weekend.
The Orange Order said 12 of their halls have been targeted so far this year.
A spokesman for the order said the attacks were "clearly coordinated and deliberate criminal acts" that did not reflect the "excellent community relations" in the areas.
"The mindless morons responsible for such callous sectarianism ought to be ashamed of their actions and must be held accountable," the spokesman added.
"This double attack is particularly sickening coming on the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
"Such cowardly crime is in stark contrast to the gallant bravery shown by those who paid the supreme sacrifice 100 years ago." | Two Orange halls in County Down have been targeted in overnight attacks. | 36685017 |
It extended an extremely rare invitation to the world's media to come to Pyongyang to see a major military parade.
Officials here used the event to attack the "imperialist" United States, as they have done on many previous occasions.
But North Korea also gave the world a glimpse of something new: it unveiled the man many believe will be this country's next leader.
Kim Jong-un is tipped to succeed Kim Jong-il, his father - and North Korea's current leader - who is believed to be in poor health.
Getting accurate information out of one of the world's most secretive states is not easy.
Journalists, analysts and foreign governments often have to read between the lines or work out the meaning of symbolic events.
Last month Kim Jong-un was made a four-star general and given senior positions in the government and the Korean Workers' Party. Many thought then that the younger Mr Kim would eventually succeed his father.
This weekend foreign journalists had a chance to confirm that suspicion when they were unexpectedly allowed to visit North Korea.
Just hours after landing in Pyongyang's shabby airport - there is little air traffic - we were whisked to a special performance of the Arirang Games.
Annual performances take place over a series of weeks involving tens of thousands of singers, acrobats and gymnasts in an open-air stadium.
Koreans 'don't want' young Kim
Profile: Kim Jong-un
For Saturday night's show the venue was ringed with soldiers carrying machine guns. There were security checks for the audience.
Inside there seemed to be a selection of North Korea's most important people: army officers in full uniform and civilians in sharp suits.
During one part of the show the lights suddenly shone on the seats reserved for the most important guests.
There was Kim Jong-il, known as the "Dear Leader", and with him was his third son, Kim Jong-un. The audience turned their heads to look and then cheered.
The two men appeared together again on Sunday at the military parade, which took place in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square - named after the current leader's father, the founder of North Korea.
The parade was organised to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party.
North Korea used the event to show off some of its military hardware. There were rocket launchers, missiles and tanks spewing smoke.
There were also thousands of goose-stepping soldiers, marching in perfect unison. The ground shook as they filed past the main podium, where Kim Jong-il and his son were watching.
As the parade ended, many of those who had taken part surged forward towards the podium and began chanting Kim Jong-il's name.
Many were crying, although in a country where complete acceptance of the current leadership is essential, it is not clear whether they were genuinely moved.
Kim Jong-il responded to the call and came forward, clapping his hands and waving. He looked frail as he walked along the viewing platform with a noticeable limp.
He is reported to have had a stroke in 2008. If he is ill, it could explain why he is so keen to rapidly promote his third son, who is only in his late twenties.
Until recently Kim Jong-un was hardly known even inside North Korea, but people here are already referring to him as the "Young General".
It might not be long before the Kims extend their family's iron rule over North Korea for another generation. | North Korea is showing off both its past and its future to the outside world. | 11510780 |
Conservative MP Mr Javid tweeted: "No signal @O2. Please sort it out."
People in Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow and parts of Northern Ireland have reported issues.
O2 said it was aware of "isolated instances" of intermittent service across the UK, and it was investigating the situation.
The company has responded to complaints on Twitter by advising people to reset their device, and visit its support page if problems persisted.
O2's online network status checker said phone masts were currently not working in several areas, including London.
Many O2 customers took to social media to complain of not being able to send and receive calls and text messages, as well as problems with 3G internet signal.
Craig Newrick, who lives in Lowestoft, Suffolk said: "I have contacted O2 and got told to switch my device on and off again. It is really not good enough.
"What am I paying for?"
Others complained that the response to customers' complaints from O2 had been inadequate.
Aaron Nelson tweeted: "The impersonal, predictable and robotic style of responses from @O2's Twitter is an embarrassment. Still learning the internet?"
02 spokesperson said: "We are aware of isolated instances across the UK where some O2 customers are currently experiencing intermittent service.
"We are investigating the situation and will update as soon as possible." | Business secretary Sajid Javid has phone provider O2 to "sort it out" after complaints about users losing signals on their mobiles. | 32878936 |
At the end of this decade Japan will stage the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and the next year the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Tokyo.
Japan has already joint-hosted football's 2002 Fifa World Cup, but the size of the task ahead is of a much greater magnitude.
However, the country sees there being equally strong economic, touristic, and sporting benefits.
Progress this autumn has been a mixture of highs and lows, with the excitement of the Japan rugby team's showing at the recent Rugby World Cup being counterbalanced by controversy around the 2020 Games logo and stadium.
Both those projects have gone back to the drawing board, but Yukihiko Nunomura, chief operations officer of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, tells me he believes these issues are "slowly starting to recede".
"Both the stadium and logo are in the process of selection for new designs," he says.
"When it comes to the logo, previously this was limited to designers who had [won] an award, however those limits have been taken off. The process needs to be open and involve the public. It is now a much wider selection process."
One of the major targets for 2019 and 2020 is to see an upswing in tourism to the country, with hopes that the number of tourists will rise from 15 million last year to 20 million by Olympic year.
"It is not an unachievable target," says Mr Nunomura. "It would bring great economic benefits, not just to Tokyo.
"We have very rich attractions across Japan, including food and natural beauty, to cutting edge technology."
Mr Nunomura also says more than 20 major local firms have already signed up as 2020 partners, including Asahi, Asics, Canon, Eneos, NEC, Fujitsu, ANA and Japan Airlines.
"A lot of Japanese companies are already putting their hands up to be involved with the Olympic Games," he says.
Other plans currently in the pipeline include a programme of cultural activities around the Olympics and Paralympics.
And, for the period after the sporting events, a post-2020 legacy plan is also set to be launched next year, looking at areas such as Japanese traditional crafts and sustainability, among others.
Mr Nunomura's sporting tourism goals for 2019 and 2020 are shared by Masanobu Mikami, executive director at the London office of the Japan National Tourism Organization.
For the Rugby World Cup he says there are target markets such as the UK and Australia, but that Japan will be looking to attract visitors from other competing nations, and elsewhere.
The 2019 RWC is being hosted from the north to south of the country, and will ensure sports fans visit a number of regional cities, including such as Fukuoka, Sapporo, Oita, Kobe, and others.
And, for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games a year later, Mr Mikami hopes that visitors will not restrict themselves to the two tourism hotspots of Tokyo and Kyoto.
"Obviously with the RWC being a year before, it gives us a very important opportunity to emphasise the appeal and attractiveness of regional cultures across the country," he says.
"In 2020 we would again like to focus on the attractiveness of regional cities, and different parts of the country. It is really important that we get visitors to visit all parts of Japan."
Despite the media attention in the West given to elements of youth culture such as manga and anime, and characters such as Hello Kitty, Mr Mikami says that "most people who visit are interested in traditional things, such as temples, the tea ceremony, culture.
"But of course younger people who visit us are interested in these other things," he adds. "This current image we have is not a bad thing."
Mr Mikami says that one of the biggest cheerleaders for the country during the two events can be the Japanese public.
"We have to explain to them the importance of international visitors, and that if we welcome them with open arms, and get them to spend money then that will be of benefit to the whole country.
"That mindset needs to be encouraged, and if visitors to the Rugby World Cup or Olympic Games experience enough hospitality in Japan, we are hoping they would be back afterwards to enjoy the experience again."
The responsibility for a meaningful sporting legacy for 2019 and 2020 rests with Daichi Suzuki, head of the Japan Sports Agency, whose role is to integrate all the nation's sports administrative bodies under one umbrella.
A former swimmer, who won gold in the 100 metres backstroke at the 1988 Olympic Games, he has ambitions for sporting progress in both the elite and general public spheres.
Indeed, he says the two areas are related, as if Japan can grow the number of teams and athletes capable of winning on a global stage, that can inspire citizens to take part in sport.
"One of the goals is for the general population to be fitter and take part in sport," he says, adding that at present there are no set targets regarding public sporting participation, although this could change.
Conversely, he says there are specific targets for Japan's elite athletes, with a goal of finishing among the top three medal winning nations at the 2020 Games.
"Medals are very important," he says. "In London we got seven gold medals, in Rio 2016 we hope to win more than 10. So Rio will be very important for Japan."
Looking to the 2020 Paralympic Games, he says they can help integrate disabled people more into Japanese society, and put a focus onto issues which affect them, and also ones which affect the nation's elderly population.
Mr Suzuki says the country has a strong background in swimming, judo, wresting, gymnastics, and athletics, while there have been encouraging signs recently in archery and cycling.
In addition, team sports - such as rugby and football - are important too.
"We [Japanese] are very good at taking action in a group," Mr Suzuki says, and he hopes that seeing Japanese teams doing well will encourage the public to take part in sport.
"Japan spends 40 trillion yen on health care. That is very high, that could break Japan itself. It is very important to protect your own health and be fit.
"Sport is fun when you start participation, and make friends - there is a real sense of community." | To host one major global sporting event might be considered good fortune, but to host two in a couple of years shows not luck but planning and ambition. | 34775564 |
In a statement, he said he no longer spoke on behalf of the movement.
He added he was stepping down because of "internal changes" within the 20-year-old, far-left guerrilla group, and denied rumours that he was unwell.
The group has been fighting for greater recognition of the rights of indigenous people in the state of Chiapas.
"I declare that the one known as Insurgent Subcomandante Marcos no longer exists," Rafael Guillen Vicente, better known by his nom-de-guerre Subcomandante Marcos, said on a Zapatista website.
"The voice of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) will no longer come from my voice," he added.
For some time there have been rumours that he was in ill health, but he rejected those out of hand, saying that such reports had been spread by the rebel army for their own benefit.
'Unexpected'
His announcement comes just a day after he was seen in public for the first time in many months, when the enigmatic masked rebel attended a memorial for another key Zapatista leader in Chiapas, one of the poorest regions of Mexico.
The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico City says there appeared to be little outward sign that the rebel leader was about to retire from public life.
Subcomandante Marcos has reinvented himself in the past, launching himself as an alternative presidential candidate one year.
But it seems likely his time at the forefront of an organisation which once rocked the Mexican political establishment to its core has come to an end, our correspondent adds.
Subcomandante Marcos led an armed uprising in Chiapas on New Year's Day 1994.
The rebellion sparked several days of sustained fighting with the federal government, leaving dozens of people dead.
A peace pact was later signed but the Zapatistas' demands were never met and they created their own autonomous justice, health and education systems in several communities. | The head of the Zapatista rebels in southern Mexico, known as Subcomandante Marcos, has announced that he is leaving the group's leadership. | 27569695 |
The Macur Review, published on Thursday, backed the 2000 Waterhouse inquiry, which found "no evidence" of abuse by establishment figures.
On Tuesday, Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts criticized its 600 redactions.
Wales Office Minister Guto Bebb said they were necessary.
Court of Appeal judge, Lady Justice Macur, said in her review there was "no reason" to undermine the findings of Sir Ronald Waterhouse.
Parts of her review were redacted due to possible future prosecutions and to prevent potentially innocent people being implicated.
Addressing MPs in Parliament, Ms Saville Roberts said the review had offered hope to victims of abuse.
However, the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd said the number of redactions meant it offered "virtually nothing" to any understanding of the state's failings in north Wales.
"Especially alarming, possibly if not more so, are the numerous and very serious cases of missing or destroyed evidence at several different points during the various inquiries," she added.
Labour MP Ian Lucas said it had been a difficult issue for his Wrexham constituency and there had been "great hopes" for the Macur Review.
"The reaction within Wrexham has been one of huge disappointment and distress," he said.
Mr Lucas called for a full day's debate on the report.
"It's very important that everyone out there understands that the redactions in this report are made by the government, not by the judge," he added.
But Mr Bebb said the redactions were needed to ensure ongoing police investigations were not compromised.
"We had an obligation to ensure that nothing printed and published within this report could in any way, shape, or form damaged any further criminal proceedings," he said.
In addition, Mr Bebb said there was a legal requirement to ensure the identities of those who had suffered abuse be protected and an obligation to not to point the finger at people who might be "completely and utterly innocent".
"They [the redactions] were undertaken in order to ensure the integrity of the report," he added. | A review of an inquiry into child sex abuse at former north Wales children's homes added "virtually nothing" to public understanding of how the state failed victims, an MP has said. | 35877347 |
Wessex Water issued the notice to 250 homes in Bratton Seymour, Shepton Montague, Yarlington, and Maperton on Tuesday after tests found the water "was not of its usual standard".
The problem was traced back to a reservoir which has now been "drained, cleaned, and refilled", the firm said.
Tests held earlier now show the water quality is "excellent".
Nigel Martin, water supply general manager, said: "We have carried out extensive tests and they all show the quality of the water is excellent and there is now no need to boil it."
He added that all customers would receive compensation in due course for the inconvenience caused.
Wessex Water added that at no point was the parasite cryptosporidium - which affected thousands of homes in the Lancashire area last month - found in water samples. | A warning made to hundreds of homes in south Somerset to boil their tap water has been lifted after four days. | 34227589 |
The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire is to make the piece.
Geller plans to put the 12ft (3.6m) primate in his garden in Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire, where he already has a Cadillac covered in spoons.
"I plan to fly it to my house in a large cage hanging from a helicopter," Mr Geller said.
The British Ironwork Centre is calling on the public to donate spoons for the project.
"It will make it even more special to have the community involved," said the centre's managing director Clive Knowles.
"It's a problem as to how we could gather so many spoons as they are not readily available," he added.
"And we also want many different types of spoon for the sculpture to make it as beautiful as we possibly can.
"A sculpture made from one type of spoon would be very mundane."
Geller, who opens his gardens to charity five times a year, said he chose a gorilla because he owns five paintings by a chimpanzee.
The statue will be big enough to be seen from the nearby river, he said.
"My garden already has many interesting features, and you cannot saturate the place with sculptures made from spoons," he added.
"But this will be amazing and unusual." | Entertainer Uri Geller has commissioned a sculpture of a gorilla made from 5,000 spoons. | 24450294 |
The Alliance Party's Kellie Armstrong claimed it was part of Sinn Féin's demands for an Irish language act.
She said Alliance believes there should be a stand alone Irish language act, but the content had to be negotiated.
But Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir described the claims as "bunkum".
"Sinn Féin wants to see an Irish language act which is stand alone, which is strong but also prudent and practical," he said.
"I think we can do that to deliver rights for Irish speakers and stop discrimination."
"But there is no basis to the Alliance party claim."
However, Alliance's Ms Armstrong stuck by her claim, and told the BBC that Sinn Féin wanted "the sun, the moon and the stars options".
"In the early stages of negotiations we had a bilaterals with Sinn Féin where that figure was discussed," she said.
"We don't see that as a type of percentage that is appropriate at this stage.
"It may well be a natural progression to that once the Irish language act is in place."
She said that the 10% figure had initially come from a paper from the Irish language group, Conradh na Gaeilge (CnG), earlier in the talks process.
The former Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) published a consultation on an Irish Language Act in 2015.
One of the measures proposed was "some affirmative action in favour of Irish speakers in recruitment to the civil service" and other public bodies.
A discussion document on a language act published by Conradh na Gaelige in March 2017 gave more detail about proposed changes in the public sector.
It said that: "10% of those who are appointed should have both spoken and written Irish in the future."
However, the document also said that an Irish language commissioner should ultimately decide upon the required percentage of speakers in each department and public body.
Northern Ireland has been without a functioning devolved government since January, when the coalition led by the two biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, collapsed over a green energy scandal.
Talks to restore devolution have been paused and no progress is likely before September.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State James Brokenshire said he would "reflect" on his next move after the talks failed. | Sinn Féin says claims by an Alliance Party MLA, that it wanted 10% of future civil service recruits to be Irish speakers, are wholly inaccurate. | 40503383 |
Pietersen replaces Lwazi Mvovo and Bryan Habana is back on the left wing.
Coach Heyneke Meyer has also made four changes to his replacements from the squad that beat the United States 64-0.
Veteran lock Victor Matfield has failed to regain fitness following a hamstring injury.
Hooker Adriaan Strauss, prop Jannie du Plessis, scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and fly-half Pat Lambie are back on the Springboks' bench.
Meyer said Pietersen and Habana "have been in superb form" with nine tournament tries between them.
Habana is also on the brink of overtaking New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu as the top try-scorer in World Cup history.
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"They are playing some of the best rugby of their lives," said Meyer.
"They have been scoring some wonderful tries, as has Lwazi Mvovo, so it's really great to know that there is good competition among the wings.
"It made sense to reunite Bryan and JP on the wing as it brings a lot of experience to our backline, which has been doing well despite the relative inexperience of Handré Pollard, Damian De Allende and Jesse Kriel."
Meyer also backed the experienced returnees to South Africa's bench.
"We've seen first-hand how important it is to have experienced players on the field at the end of a match and to have this kind of experience available on the bench in a knock-out match is great," said Meyer.
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"Saturday's match will be huge and we are expecting an arm wrestle right until the end.
"We're playing against a well-balanced side that always likes to mix things up when it comes to physicality.
"They have a good set piece and some strong ball carriers upfront and in the back - it's what you expect to face at this stage of the competition and we're very excited about the challenge."
Backs: Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damien de Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez (capt).
Forwards: Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Lodewyk de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw.
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein | South Africa have made one change to their starting line-up as wing JP Pietersen returns to face Wales in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final at Twickenham. | 34526940 |
"I do planting, weeding and harvesting on the farm," says Manal, as she empties her bag of vegetables into a sack held by her younger brother. "It's the same work we used to do on our land back in Homs."
Refugees have long been working illegally on farms in Jordan but risked being deported back to Syria if they were caught.
Now they can get free work permits.
"We feel the difference," says Mohammed. "Before we couldn't work outside easily. We hid from the police. With the permits, it's excellent."
More than 650,000 Syrians are registered as refugees in Jordan. However, until recently, the government allowed only a few thousand to work.
It was worried they would push down wages, take jobs from Jordanians and be encouraged to stay permanently, stirring up resentment.
Now the authorities are experimenting with another possibility - that the presence of so many Syrians could boost the sluggish economy.
About 350 Syrians work for al-Rahman Farms.
"It helped us a lot. They saved us from having to bring in migrant labourers from abroad. They also saved us money," says the farms' owner, Jamal Alzoubi.
"We used to hire Egyptians at two Jordanian dinars (£2.10; $2.80) an hour. They dictated terms. When the Syrians came it reduced wages. We had more workers and we started to cultivate more land. Now we have a big area."
Syrians at the farm come from a nearby refugee camp. They are given breakfast and work for an hourly rate of one dinar. Mr Alzoubi is convinced it is a win-win situation.
"Now these people live in dignity," he says. "The camp where they live is oppressive but now they're free to come and go. They go to the market. They have permits. There's no problem."
The reversal of Jordanian policy was announced at a conference on Syria for international donors in London in February.
European leaders pledged to ease trade regulations in return.
Last month, a key deal was reached to simplify the so-called rules of origin for Jordanian factories exporting to the European Union.
It allows more imported raw materials to be used in finished products that are labelled as Jordan-made, so they get duty-free access to EU markets.
There are quotas for the numbers of Syrians that businesses must employ.
"Having the new rules of origin and having the ability to employ Syrians in sectors - especially blue collar sectors - is very much allowing us to convert this burden and challenge into an opportunity," says Jordanian planning minister, Imad Fakhoury.
"Hopefully this will increase jobs for Jordanians as well as for Syrian refugees and attract new investments, increasing exports which will contribute to economic growth."
Jordan's economy is currently growing at just 2.4% a year. It has suffered from a loss of trade with its war-torn neighbours, Syria and Iraq and there is high national debt.
Now it is being offered international support to turn things around.
The World Bank has already announced a $100m interest-free loan. Next month it is expected to announce a $300m programme to attract investment, reform the labour market and create jobs.
The target is for Jordan to employ 200,000 Syrians.
The EU, in particular, wants more refugees to work; it hopes that by improving their living standards, they will be less likely to head for European shores.
Donors also want to reduce dependence on handouts.
Funds pledged for some 4.7 million Syrians now living in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey has consistently fallen short of targets. Last year's influx of hundreds of thousands to Europe partly resulted from cuts to food aid and cash payments.
So far some 20,000 work permits have been given out in Jordan. Syrian refugees are happy to have them but many say it will take more to improve their lot.
In Amman, I meet a middle-aged carpenter who asks us not to give his name. He is making high-end, custom-made furniture as he once did for his family's shops in Homs.
However, in Jordan, he can be paid only the minimum wage. His permit describes him as doing a different, low-skilled job.
"There's huge suffering even among those who work," the carpenter says. "The salaries aren't enough and the United Nations isn't providing much. I'm behind on my rent, I have debts."
"We don't get healthcare and I spent all my savings on hospital treatment for my wife," he goes on. "I need a heart procedure and I shouldn't work but the day I don't work, I don't eat." | In a sun-baked field just outside the Jordanian city of Ramtha, a young group of Syrian men and women weave their way up and down rows of green peppers. | 37011859 |
It comes after reports in the Sun that the 21-year-old is considering going public over a desire to join Chelsea.
Martinez insists Stones is not for sale and when asked if he knew of a transfer request said: "Not at all, no."
Everton have rejected bids of £20m and £26m while refusing to comment on a third offer. Martinez confirmed Stones will face Manchester City on Sunday.
He added: "[Stones] has been the hot topic of this transfer window. My only concern is preparing for the game."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is believed to want England international Stones as a replacement for captain John Terry, 34, who was substituted during the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City last Sunday. | Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he is not aware of any transfer request made by defender John Stones. | 34014569 |
However, it will not benefit from a government guarantee on its funding.
The Environmental Farming Scheme is due to open for applications in February.
But Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen has said it is not covered by the chancellor's promise to fully fund European Union schemes signed off before his Autumn Statement.
The scheme is part of Northern Ireland's rural development project which draws on EU funding.
Ms McIlveen said although the guarantee would not apply, she was intent on "securing the funding and implementing a well-focused scheme".
Previous agri-environment schemes made payments to farmers who worked to encourage biodiversity, enhance the landscape, and improve the quality of water, air and soil.
They were worth £180m over a seven-year term.
They finished in 2013 and the new one was being developed as part of the 2014-2020 rural development plan.
In August, Chancellor Philip Hammond said all structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes signed before the Autumn Statement would be fully funded.
He said that would apply even when projects continued beyond the UK's departure from the EU.
Ms McIlveen also announced a funding boost for some environmental projects.
Nineteen groups will share an extra £500,000 to improve habitats and protect wildlife.
The money comes from the plastic bag tax and tops up grants of more than £3m made to almost 40 projects earlier this year. | A key scheme to encourage Northern Ireland's farmers to manage land with the environment in mind is to be opened next spring. | 37301560 |
Speaking on BBC's Ask the Leader, Mr Farage said UKIP could emulate the SNP, which has risen in the polls since Scotland rejected independence.
And he told Today he could see "no circumstances" in which a deal could be done with Labour, given its opposition to a referendum on EU membership.
But he suggested he could back a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition.
He told the Radio 4 programme: "I won't help Labour. I can't help Labour. There are no circumstances, given that Miliband has turned his back on a referendum."
Analysis: UKIP campaign correspondent Robin Brant
Nigel Farage is toning down expectations. Or so it seems. Maybe it's a canny ploy in the hope that next week UKIP will then exceed predictions. Or maybe he thinks things are dipping as vote day approaches.
On Radio 4 this morning he conceded support had weakened in some areas, although crucially not the target seats the party is really hoping to win. Then there's the "2020 horizon" strategy. It's been much talked about by those at the top of UKIP as the real aim.
But Nigel Farage has given it more prominence in public in recent weeks, including today. On the one hand it reveals a genuine depth in what UKIP is trying to do. But the fact that some of the talk in the final week of the 2015 campaign is about the 2020 campaign reveals that the dream in the aftermath of last year's sensational by-election wins of dozens of MPs has faded.
But, and it's an important but, the benchmark for UKIP is how it did last time. The party got just over 3% of the vote at the last general election. It looks almost certain to exceed that this time.
Mr Farage said he did not want his party to go into coalition.
But he said he would support a "confidence and supply" deal - in which a party is supported through budget and confidence votes - with a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition.
"If we have, arithmetically, a position where we can have influence on the basis of confidence and supply, we would do that provided we could get a full, free and fair referendum for this country," he said.
On Thursday night, Mr Farage was one of six leaders facing questions in a series of programmes.
Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and the Lib Dems' Nick Clegg took part in a special edition of Question Time, while the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon and Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood were also questioned as part of the night's programming.
The first question Mr Farage faced was about leaving the European Union. UKIP says it wants a referendum on the UK's membership as soon as possible with equal spending limits and only British citizens able to vote.
Mr Cameron has promised an in/out vote by 2017 if he is prime minister.
Main pledges
Policy guide: Where the parties stand
Asked by a student in the audience whether his party would be "flawed" if Britain voted to stay in the EU, Mr Farage said: "If it's a full, free and fair referendum I would accept the result.
"Would it make UKIP redundant? No, because just look at what's happened in Scotland. The Scottish rejected their independence referendum but yet the SNP have gone to remarkable heights since then."
Mr Farage said he loved Europe but said it had been "hijacked" by the European Union.
The audience for the programme, filmed in Birmingham, was made up of 25% of people who said they would vote UKIP at the election, with the remainder divided between supporters of the other parties and people who are undecided.
The UKIP leader was also asked about UKIP's pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence. He said the world was more uncertain than it had been since the fall of the Berlin Wall and compared the spending to a home insurance policy.
UKIP MPs would make defence spending "a major issue" in Parliament, he said.
The Conservatives and Labour have not said they will meet the 2% Nato target beyond 2016.
On his plans to cut the foreign aid budget to fund the spending pledge, he said there were currently "huge barriers" stopping African nations selling agricultural products to the EU.
"We rape and pillage the fisheries off the west coast of Africa," he added.
"We are behaving in a neo-colonial way to Africa and we assuage our consciences by giving a bit of foreign aid that in nearly every case goes to the wrong people."
Responding to another question about the NHS, Mr Farage said he wanted the service to be "run publicly but properly".
He said there were more people in the country and "we now have fewer GPs per capita than any other country in Europe".
There were two ways of making sure people who turned up for healthcare were eligible, he said - "one is that we would all have to have a health card. Effectively, it would be like an identity card...
"The other option is actually to make sure that anybody that applies for a visa or a work permit before they come into the country proves they've got healthcare".
* Subscribe to the BBC Election 2015 newsletter to get a round-up of the day's campaign news sent to your inbox every weekday afternoon. | A referendum vote to stay in the EU would not make UKIP "redundant", party leader Nigel Farage has said. | 32542756 |
Both Northern Irishmen will have the opportunity to match the two gold medals they won five years ago.
If all goes to plan, the friends could win 100m and 800m titles within 15 minutes of each other on Sunday night.
"Whenever we won at London 2012, the stadium turned green," says McKillop.
"It will be great to have that opportunity again for the island of Ireland. Fingers crossed, it will be another amazing night."
However, while McKillop is bubbling with confidence after clocking his best 800m time in three years (1:58.25) at last week's Belfast International, the 27-year-old North Belfast Harrier, who has a mild form of cerebral palsy, is mindful that the standard in the T37 and T38 middle distance events is "rising all the time".
"I know Canada's Liam Stanley, who took the silver behind me in the T37 1500m final in Rio, is getting better all the time so it's not going to be easy.
"But I still want to win. There is no greater feeling that being on the podium, hearing your national anthem and looking at the people in the crowd clapping and celebrating what you have achieved. I love that."
McKillop has been beset by injury since 2012 and his annual stint on the treatment table this year was caused by a calf problem in January.
However, "unbelievable" physio work by Kerry Kirk at the Sports Institute in Jordanstown got the Glengormley man back on the track much quicker than he expected.
An impressive 4:04 for 1500m at the Northern Ireland Championships in early June suggested McKillop was peaking at the right time and while he then clocked a disappointing 4:09 metric mile a couple of weeks later, his 800m time last Wednesday was a "huge confidence booster".
"I got back sooner than I normally would after such an injury. That's why you saw me run 1:58 for 800m last week and not 2:05.
"I feel back as an athlete and I'll be in a stadium in front of 60,000 people believing I can run my fastest," adds McKillop, who has not lost at paralympic level since 2006.
Visually-impaired Smyth, who recently turned 30, has been unbeaten at Paralympic level since beginning his international career at the 2005 European Championships.
The county Londonderry man joined able-bodied stars such as Dwain Chambers and Christophe Lemaitre at the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona when he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 100m final.
A year later, Smyth was alongside Usain Bolt in the 100m entry at the World Championships in Daegu and the Derryman's personal best of 10.22 seconds saw him missing out on qualifying for the London Olympics by 0.04 seconds.
Smyth regrouped from that disappointment to star at the London Paralympics as he clinched the T13 100m and 200m titles in world record times of 10.46 and 21.05.
Since 2012, the Eglinton man's track times have been slowed by injury but he has remained far too good for the opposition at paralympic level - most recently last year's Rio Games when he took a third successive 100m gold.
Heading into London, Smyth, who dashed home from the last world championships in Doha two years ago for the birth of his daughter Evie, insists his motivation to win remains "as strong as ever".
"At the end of my career, I will want to be able to look back and think that I did everything possible to keep improving as as an athlete.
"I will want to leave my sport on a high rather than dwindling away," adds Smyth who intends to remain in competition until at least Tokyo 2020.
With the Mark Kirk-trained Ballyclare man James Hamilton representing the host nation at the London championships, McKillop will be the first of the Northern Ireland trio in action when he competes in the T38 800m heats on Friday evening (20:25 BST). | Ireland's Michael McKillop and Jason Smyth are determined to repeat their London 2012 heroics at the World Para Athletics Championships which begin in the Olympic Stadium on Friday. | 40573224 |
He told the National Union of Teachers conference that he backed teachers' opposition to "forced" academies.
Mr Corbyn, the first Labour leader to address the NUT, received a standing ovation from delegates in Brighton.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said it showed the Labour party had "chosen to retreat into the fringes".
Mr Corbyn's speech at the NUT's annual meeting comes more than a decade after senior Labour figures stopped attending.
Estelle Morris was the last Labour education secretary to address the conference, in 2002, where she was heckled and slow handclapped.
But Mr Corbyn received a standing ovation even before he had spoken - and his speech, condemning the government's plans for an all-academy school system, was received with loud applause.
The Labour leader accused the Conservatives of excluding parents from how their children's schools are run - and argued that there was no evidence that academy status improved school standards.
"Let's be clear, this is an ideological attack on teachers and on local and parental accountability," Mr Corbyn told the conference.
"It was nowhere in the Tory manifesto, it's something that's just been dreamt up at the last minute and stuck into the Budget.
"I want schools accountable to their parents and their communities - not as a process of asset-stripping our facilities to be handed over to somebody else.
"There is not a shred of evidence that academies improve standards."
The Labour leader said the government's policy was a step towards the privatisation of the state school system.
And he argued that it failed to address problems facing schools such as tackling teacher shortages or dealing with the consequences of child poverty.
Mr Corbyn's criticism of the all-academy proposal comes as Conservative councillors raised concerns, calling on the government to reverse its plans for England's schools.
Earlier this week the NUT staged a series of protest rallies against academy status with the rally in London addressed by Labour's shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has sent an open letter to teachers attending the NUT conference, also opposing the academy plans.
"I have never understood why the government think that converting a school to an academy will automatically drive up standards. They're wrong.
"What drives up standards is a well-funded education system and a teaching workforce who receive proper support and recognition for their work.
"My fear is that this policy is worse than misguided - it is downright harmful."
But schools minister Nick Gibb said that Mr Corbyn's intervention showed that Labour would "reverse the remarkable rise in standards across England's schools since 2010, which has seen 1.4 million more young people in schools rated good or outstanding".
"While Jeremy Corbyn and Lucy Powell are willing to undo the academisation process which started under Tony Blair and Andrew Adonis, we are determined to create a dynamic school-led system which empowers pupils, parents and school leaders.
"It is clear that only the Conservative party will put the interests of children and parents ahead of that of vested interests. Labour should never be trusted to run our schools again."
The two biggest teachers' unions, the NUT and NASUWT, are beginning their Easter bank holiday conferences.
On Saturday, Ms Morgan will be putting the government's case at the NASUWT conference in Birmingham.
As well as debating the plans for more academies, the teachers' conferences will be debating issues including excessive workload, baseline testing, the misuse of social media and teacher shortages. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says that the plan to force all England's schools to become academies was a step towards "asset stripping" and privatisation. | 35891011 |
The jihadist militant group said the killing was revenge for US air strikes against its fighters in Iraq.
Foley's mother Diane said on Facebook she was proud of her son: "He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people."
The White House said if the video was genuine, the US would be "appalled".
Foley, 40, has reported extensively across the Middle East, working for the US publication GlobalPost and other media outlets including French news agency AFP.
In the video, titled A Message to America, a man identified as James Foley is dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kneeling in desert-like terrain beside an armed man dressed in black.
He gives a message to his family and links his imminent death to the US government's bombing campaign of IS targets in Iraq.
Clearly under duress, he says: "I call on my friends, family and loved ones to rise up against my real killers, the US government, for what will happen to me is only a result of their complacency and criminality."
Then the masked militant, who speaks with a British accent, delivers a warning to the US government: "You are no longer fighting an insurgency. We are an Islamic Army and a state that has been accepted by a large number of Muslims worldwide.
"So any attempt by you Obama to deny the Muslims their rights of living in safety under the Islamic caliphate will result in the bloodshed of your people."
After he speaks, the militant appears to start cutting at his captive's neck before the video fades to black.
His body is then seen on the ground.
Another captive, identified as American journalist Steven Sotloff, is shown at the end, with the warning that his fate depends on President Barack Obama's next move.
Mr Sotloff was abducted a year ago in northern Syria, close to the border with Turkey.
In a statement, GlobalPost asked for "prayers for Jim and his family", adding that it was waiting for the video to be verified.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said "if true, the murder of James Foley is shocking and depraved."
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond acknowledged the militant appeared to be British. The involvement of a significant number of UK nationals in Syria and Iraq was "one of the reasons why this organisation represents such a direct threat to the UK's national security", he told the BBC.
Foley had covered the war in Libya and was detained there for more than 40 days.
"I'm drawn to the drama of the conflict and trying to expose untold stories," he told the BBC in 2012.
"There's extreme violence, but there's a will to find who these people really are. And I think that's what's really inspiring about it."
US officials confirmed that they had seen the video. One said it appeared to be authentic while two others said the victim was Foley, Associated Press reports.
President Obama is expected to make a statement later. White House National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends."
Mrs Foley, in her Facebook post, urged the militants to free any other hostages.
"Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world," she wrote.
The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists estimates that 20 journalists are missing in Syria, local as well as international, and believes many are held by IS militants.
The US launched air strikes almost a fortnight ago, in an attempt to help Kurdish forces curb the advance of Islamic State militants in northern Iraq and recapture the Mosul dam, the biggest in Iraq.
President Obama described IS militants on Monday as "a threat to all Iraqis and to the entire region". He said the Iraqi people needed to reject them and unite to begin to push them out of the lands they had occupied.
IS has been accused of massacring hundreds of people in areas under its control in Iraq and also in eastern Syria.
Who are Islamic State (IS)? | The Islamic State (IS) has released a video online purporting to show the beheading of US journalist James Foley, who went missing in Syria in 2012. | 28862268 |
The home side had their manager Lee Clark sent to the stand and Motherwell took the lead thanks to a sublime chip from Lionel Ainsworth.
Mark McGhee's side doubled their advantage immediately after the interval with Marvin Johnson's header.
Killie pulled a goal back through Martin Smith's header, which resulted in a late if ultimately futile rally.
The first major moment of drama happened off the pitch with Clark's dismissal. It looked like it was for something he said to the fourth official after he was spoken to about leaving his technical area.
Motherwell had a great chance to score when Ainsworth crossed for Scott McDonald but the former Australia striker fired wide.
After an early curled effort from Soulemane Coulibaly went past, Kilmarnock struggled to create, though Stevie Smith's free-kick went just over.
Well almost took the lead in bizarre fashion when an attempted clearance from Miles Addison ricocheted off Craig Clay. The ball looked goal-bound but Jamie MacDonald pulled off a great save.
However, moments later Motherwell did take the lead with a moment of magic from Ainsworth. His pace took him clear of the Kilmarnock defence and, as MacDonald rushed out of his goal to close the angle, Ainsworth showed terrific composure to lob the keeper.
Media playback is not supported on this device
After just 30 seconds of the second half Motherwell netted again. A great cross from Chris Cadden was headed home by Johnson and it suddenly looked bleak for the home side.
Kris Boyd immediately came off the bench and almost scored straight away, Craig Samson blocking. From the corner, Addison headed just wide.
Ainsworth should have made it 3-0 after he sprung the offside trap but his finish was poor and MacDonald gathered comfortably.
Samson made a good save from a low Boyd free-kick from 25 yards but Kilmarnock were struggling to create enough chances to get back into the game.
But suddenly that chance came. A cross from Greg Taylor found the head of substitute Smith and the midfielder flashed a header past Samson.
Kilmarnock were left flummoxed at the end as Coulibaly tangled with defender Ben Heneghan. It looked like a possible penalty but a free-kick was awarded to Motherwell, much to the anguish of the home fans.
Match ends, Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 2.
Second Half ends, Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 2.
Foul by Souleymane Coulibaly (Kilmarnock).
Stephen McManus (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Ben Heneghan (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt saved. Steven Smith (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Substitution, Motherwell. Ross MacLean replaces Lionel Ainsworth.
Foul by Ben Heneghan (Motherwell).
Gary Dicker (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Chris Cadden (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Martin Smith (Kilmarnock).
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Steven Hammell.
Goal! Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 2. Martin Smith (Kilmarnock) header from more than 35 yards to the top left corner. Assisted by Gary Dicker.
Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Martin Smith (Kilmarnock).
Substitution, Kilmarnock. Martin Smith replaces Greg Kiltie.
Attempt saved. Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Foul by Chris Cadden (Motherwell).
Rory McKenzie (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott McDonald (Motherwell).
Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Jordan Jones.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
Attempt saved. Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Foul by Craig Clay (Motherwell).
Rory McKenzie (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the top left corner.
Lionel Ainsworth (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Steven Smith (Kilmarnock).
Foul by Richard Tait (Motherwell).
Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by William Boyle.
William Boyle (Kilmarnock) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Kilmarnock. Jordan Jones replaces Dean Hawkshaw.
Scott McDonald (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gary Dicker (Kilmarnock).
Substitution, Motherwell. Joe Chalmers replaces Carl McHugh because of an injury.
Richard Tait (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Greg Kiltie (Kilmarnock). | Motherwell started their Premiership campaign with an away victory over Kilmarnock. | 36930564 |
A study of 8,800 people over 50 showed high blood pressure and being overweight also seemed to affect the brain, but to a lesser extent.
Scientists involved said people needed to be aware that lifestyles could damage the mind as well as the body.
Their study was published in the journal Age and Ageing.
Researchers at King's were investigating links between the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke and the state of the brain.
Data about the health and lifestyle of a group of over-50s was collected and brain tests, such as making participants learn new words or name as many animals as they could in a minute, were also performed.
They were all tested again after four and then eight years.
The results showed that the overall risk of a heart attack or stroke was "significantly associated with cognitive decline" with those at the highest risk showing the greatest decline.
It also said there was a "consistent association" between smoking and lower scores in the tests.
One of the researchers, Dr Alex Dregan, said: "Cognitive decline becomes more common with ageing and for an increasing number of people interferes with daily functioning and well-being.
"We have identified a number of risk factors which could be associated with accelerated cognitive decline, all of which, could be modifiable."
He added: "We need to make people aware of the need to do some lifestyle changes because of the risk of cognitive decline."
The researchers do not know how such a decline could affect people going about their daily life. They are also unsure whether the early drop in brain function could lead to conditions such as dementia.
Dr Simon Ridley, from Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Research has repeatedly linked smoking and high blood pressure to a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and this study adds further weight to that evidence.
"Cognitive decline as we age can develop into dementia, and unravelling the factors that are linked to this decline could be crucial for finding ways to prevent the condition.
"These results underline the importance of looking after your cardiovascular health from mid-life."
The Alzheimer's Society said: "We all know smoking, a high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a high BMI [Body Mass Index] is bad for our heart. This research adds to the huge amount of evidence that also suggests they can be bad for our head too.
"One in three people over 65 will develop dementia but there are things people can do to reduce their risk.
"Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and not smoking can all make a difference." | Smoking "rots" the brain by damaging memory, learning and reasoning, according to researchers at King's College London. | 20463363 |
The decision means that 4,000 men and women will be called up for service from 1 January 2018, a defence ministry spokeswoman told the BBC.
They will be selected from about 13,000 young people born in 1999, who will be asked to undergo a military assessment, Marinette Nyh Radebo said.
Non-aligned Sweden is worried about Russia's Baltic military drills.
In September, a Swedish garrison was restored to Gotland, a big island lying between the Swedish mainland and the three ex-Soviet Baltic states.
Ms Nyh Radebo said the return to conscription was prompted by "the security change in our neighbourhood".
"The Russian illegal annexation of Crimea [in 2014], the conflict in Ukraine and the increased military activity in our neighbourhood are some of the reasons," she said.
The 13,000 who undergo the military tests will be a mixture of volunteers and conscripts. "You are part of the conscript system once you've done the tests - men and women are treated equally," Ms Nyh Radebo said.
"The authorities choose the ones who are willing, interested and motivated."
Russian menace pushes Sweden towards Nato
Norway breaks tradition to host US troops
Baltic warning of Russian test for Nato
Poland to sign up 35,000 paramilitaries
The conscripts will serve for nine to 12 months. The aim is to encourage them either to become military professionals or, later, to join the reserves.
"If we want full and trained military units, the voluntary system needs to be complemented by compulsory military service," Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
Sweden had military conscription until 2010, but previously only men were drafted.
Ms Nyh Radebo said that "70% of parliament is behind the decision to strengthen the military and co-operation with the countries around us".
The closest co-operation is with Finland, she added.
Sweden and Finland are not in Nato, but co-operate closely with the alliance. Their Nordic neighbours Norway and Denmark are in Nato.
The Swedish recruitment system will be modelled on Norway's, Ms Nyh Radebo said.
A Swedish government report on defence priorities for 2016-2020 says recruitment of reserve squad leaders, soldiers and sailors has "proved to be problematic".
It details a range of measures to boost Swedish military capabilities, citing "the deteriorating security situation in Europe, particularly in light of the Russian aggression against Ukraine". Deeper defence co-operation with Finland is "critical", it says.
According to a 2015 research paper by Barbara Kunz of the IFRI Security Studies Center, Sweden has about 52,000 full-time military personnel - 20,000 of them permanent staff and most of the others Home Guard members.
Most of the 28 EU member states abolished military conscription. France and the UK - the main pillars of Nato defence in western Europe - made their armed forces fully professional (France in 2001, the UK in 1963).
Germany suspended conscription in 2011, but provision for it remains in the constitution. There is a debate now about reintroducing some form of national service.
During the Cold War, national service meant that West Germany could mobilise 495,000 soldiers and boost the numbers to about 1.2 million if necessary with reservists.
Turkey has the second-largest armed forces in Nato, after the US military. Turkey has conscription for all men over the age of 20. They must serve between six and 15 months.
Neighbouring Greece - a Nato partner - has compulsory military service (nine months) for men from the age of 19. Cyprus - a longstanding source of Greek-Turkish tension - also has conscription.
Denmark and Norway have limited conscription, but their forces are overwhelmingly professional. Estonia and Lithuania - small Baltic states wary of Russian moves near their borders - have similar recruitment policies.
Finland however requires all men from the age of 18 to serve up to 347 days in the armed forces. They are later counted as reserves and can be required to take military refresher courses. For women military service is voluntary.
In Russia all men aged 18-27 have to spend a year in the armed forces.
Ukraine brought back conscription in 2014, when tensions with Russia escalated.
Switzerland operates a militia system, whereby men have to serve periods in the armed forces from 19 to 34 years of age, and keep their equipment at home. | The Swedish government has decided to reintroduce military conscription - a move backed by the country's MPs. | 39140100 |
The white Fiat Punto flipped onto its roof near Junction 12 southbound at Uddingston at about 15:30 on Saturday.
A man and a woman were freed from the car and taken to Wishaw General Hospital.
No other vehicles were directly involved in the crash, but two other cars were damaged by flying debris.
The motorway was closed in both directions for a time but the northbound carriageway later reopened.
The southbound carriageway remained closed with diversions in place. | Two people have been taken to hospital after their car overturned on the M74 just outside of Glasgow. | 36875237 |
The body of Janet Murgatroyd, 20, was found in the River Ribble in Preston after a night out in 1996.
A man's manslaughter conviction for her death was quashed on appeal in 2004.
Lancashire Police's Det Ch Insp Gary Brooks said: "Twenty-one years on from Janet's brutal murder we remain committed to finding her killer."
He added: "Janet was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. A student at the University of Central Lancashire and a part-time staff member with Lancashire Police, she had much to look forward to and enjoy.
"However, this was all taken away from her in a vicious attack, which we believe was sexually motivated.
"This was an opportunist offence by a very dangerous man who, despite the passage of time, still needs to be brought to justice."
The student had been shopping with a friend in Preston on 15 June 1996 before drinking in several pubs later that day.
She was seen leaving The Adelphi pub with a man before separating from him and was later spotted sleeping on Fishergate near Preston Railway Station.
Janet was subsequently seen fleeing from a man across Penwortham Bridge, by a taxi driver early on 16 June.
Two witnesses described hearing the sound of a female moaning and saw a man crouched down on the bank of the River Ribble. Detectives think this was Janet and her killer.
Her body was found later floating in the River Ribble.
The cause of death was drowning and head injuries, a post-mortem examination found. | New CCTV footage of a student walking down a street prior to her murder has been released on the 21st anniversary of her death. | 40299576 |
In future, the MP involved will be consulted and named only if there is an issue of "parliamentary privilege or constitutional significance" at stake.
The cross-party Procedure Committee said revealing names of arrested MPs was incompatible with a privacy right.
Chairman Charles Walker said he was not asking for special treatment for MPs but for the law to be applied equally.
The Commons approved changes to the existing rules, which require the police to notify the Speaker when an MP is arrested and for the Speaker in turn to tell the House, without a formal vote.
Mr Walker, the Tory MP for Broxbourne, in Hertfordshire, told the Commons that MPs should have the same rights to privacy as any other citizen, and in future their names should not be put in the public domain if they were arrested, unless this was directly connected to their role as an MP.
But objecting to the change, Labour MP John Mann argued that it would give MPs special rights in law that do not apply to everyone else.
Deputy Commons leader Therese Coffey said it was up to the Commons to decide although the government has indicated that the change brings MPs into line with the rest of the public.
The Procedure Committee's recent report revealed that in the last Parliament, Tory MPs Nigel Evans and David Ruffley were named after their arrests. Mr Evans was later acquitted of sexual offences and Mr Ruffley cautioned for assault.
Green MP Caroline Lucas was arrested during an anti-fracking protest and later acquitted of obstruction.
Meanwhile it has emerged that police have been involved in a total of five cases linked to MPs' expenses under the current system, with none of the politicians identified.
In December it emerged that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the MPs' expenses watchdog, had referred three potentially criminal cases to police in March without any public announcement, or identifying the individuals involved. | Any arrested MP will not automatically be identified in the Commons after MPs backed changes to its procedures. | 35540433 |
Soldiers from the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) Kineton Station, accompanied by a band, marched from Warwick Castle to Pageant Gardens in the town.
Kineton Station has a permanent staff of more than 200 military personnel.
The parade was followed by an open day at Marlborough Barracks, Southam. | Soldiers have taken part in a parade to celebrate the 75th anniversary of an ammunition depot. | 40692026 |
New Mills, who play in the eighth-tier Northern Premier League Division One North, had lost all of their league and cup games this season.
But on Tuesday night the Derbyshire club drew 2-2 with Witton Albion to earn their first point of the campaign.
"I just hope it can be a springboard for the rest of the season," said manager Garry Brown.
In front of a crowd of 218 at Witton Albion's Wincham Park in Northwich, New Mills twice led through Darryl Mason.
But goals from Danny Andrews and Rob Hopley earned the home side a draw as the Millers earned a point for the first time since 11 April, 2015.
"We have got rid of that duck," Brown, the club's fourth manager since June, told BBC Sport.
"The 'worst team in England' tag had driven me. I know we are not and I think we can still surprise a few people this season. New Mills is no longer a place to get easy points.
"It was a fantastic performance and just what the lads deserve." | A non-league team dubbed "the worst in the country" have ended a 26-game losing streak. | 35428336 |
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) wants to put limits on how much individuals can risk when they open accounts with spread betting firms.
The regulator also wants to see stronger risk warnings given by firms to their customers.
And it wants to restrict marketing gimmicks, such as offering bonuses to customers for opening an account.
The aim is to protect individual customers from making excessively risky bets on financial markets they do not properly understand.
It is a way of betting on the movement of a financial market without having to buy the underlying investment itself.
That means if you open an account with a spread betting firm, you can bet on things like the rise or fall of a share index such as the FTSE 100, individual shares, currencies, commodities, bonds and even bitcoins.
Some firms offer thousands of individual bets from which clients can chose.
The vital point to understand is that the loss or gain on these bets can rise or fall rapidly, depending on just how far the price of the underlying investment moves.
And the loss can far exceed the initial stake.
The attraction, however, is large, tax-free profits - if you get the bet right.
If you believed all the adverts published by spread betting firms you would imagine that everyone was doing it, all day long.
In reality it is a specialist minority taste.
The FCA estimates that only about 125,000 people in the UK have active spread betting accounts and a further 400,000 are based overseas.
About 40% are regarded as inexperienced. That means 60% are experienced and likely to be investment professionals of one sort or another.
It would appear not.
The FCA has estimated that 82% of clients have made overall losses on their spread betting accounts.
So a lot of the firms' customers are not as clever as they think.
And the FCA thinks they need a bit of extra protection.
In its modern form it started in the City in the 1970s when a firm called IG Index started offering bets by telephone on the daily movement of the gold price.
Other firms entered the business and the idea of spread betting became especially well known to the general public in the 1990s with the advent of spread betting on sports results.
As far as betting on financial markets is concerned the industry has grown strongly in the past few years thanks to the internet.
The FCA now licenses nearly 100 such firms.
Bluntly: an individual can lose far more than his or her initial stake.
Although firms will typically limit those losses, they can still be very large.
And although there can be automatic "stop-loss" limits on an account to restrict losses, these don't offer enough protection for inexperienced customers.
They should do.
Take a look at the websites of of the big spread betting firms like IG Index, City Index and CMC Markets.
They carry clear warnings with good guides to the mechanics of spread betting and the risks involved.
But the FCA thinks these warnings are not good enough.
It says: "Firms often failed to clearly set out the high-risk, leveraged and OTC (over the counter) nature of these products. In particular, risk disclosures and warnings often did not clearly explain the potential for rapid losses that could exceed deposited funds."
The FCA is also concerned that the firms are increasingly targeting more naive customers with their adverting, such as with sports team sponsorships.
That business is regulated too by the FCA but it is not the focus of the regulator's concerns.
However the proposals are now out to consultation and if that process shows a need for sports spread betting to come under the proposed new rules, then those businesses will be affected too. | Spread betting on financial markets by the general public will be more tightly regulated by the financial watchdog. | 38222623 |
The Shanghai Composite Index closed down 1.1% at 3,664, losing 10% over the week and more than 14% for the month.
The government took further action to calm the market on Friday with a crack down on automated trading.
It restricted 24 trading accounts in which it had detected what it called abnormal bids, moves it described as malicious selling.
Hong Kong's share market headed in the opposite direction, with the Hang Seng index finishing up 0.6% to 24,636.28 points.
Investors are looking ahead to China's official manufacturing data, which is expected to be released over the weekend.
A private manufacturing report last week showed a surprise drop, prompting a plunge in mainland China's shares earlier this week.
In Japan, shares were held back as data showed inflation stalling and an unexpected fall in household spending.
The country's benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed slightly higher at 20,585.24 points, up 0.3%.
Japan's inflation in June remained at 0.4% while household spending dropped by 2%, significantly more than expected.
The weak data is likely to revive deflation fears and increase the pressure for more fiscal policy and monetary easing.
Shares in technology giant Sony fell by 1.5% despite the company releasing strong results on Thursday after the Japanese stock market had closed.
The company saw its net profit more than triple in the April-to-June quarter, helped by strong sales of its PlayStation 4 games and camera sensors.
In South Korea, positive data on business confidence and industrial production lifted shares.
The Kospi index closed 0.5% higher at 2,030.16 points.
Australia's ASX 200 finished 0.5% up at 5,699.20 points. | Mainland Chinese shares ended July with their biggest monthly loss in nearly six years. | 33729122 |
Teodorin Obiang Nguema, the son of the country's president, is accused of money laundering. He has not commented.
Swiss authorities have seized 11 cars in total.
Among them was reportedly a Porsche valued at more than $830,000 (£667,000) and a Bugatti Veyron which sells for $2m (£1.7m).
The accused is due in court next year in France on similar charges, which he denies.
Prosecutors in Geneva say he has plundered his country's oil wealth to buy luxuries, including a private jet and Michael Jackson memorabilia.
Equatorial Guinea, a small country on the west coast of Africa, struck oil in 1995.
Its president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is Africa's longest serving leader. He has been described by rights organisations as one of Africa's most repressive leaders.
He seized power in 1979.
MrObiang, 47, was promoted in June by his father to be vice-president.
He was already set to face trial in France next year on corruption and embezzlement charges.
He is challenging those charges at a UN court and is not expected to appear before the French judges. | Prosecutors in Switzerland have seized luxury cars belonging to the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, who they are investigating for corruption. | 37861795 |
The bureau initially retweeted the prime minister's photo of himself looking through a plane window, with submerged fields and buildings visible.
Hours later, they tweeted the same image again, but with a much clearer scene crudely pasted on to the window.
The second tweet was deleted but not in time to prevent social media ridicule.
The PIB has made no public comment yet.
Mr Modi flew to Chennai (Madras) in Tamil Nadu state on Thursday to see the damage caused by the widespread flooding, which has left more than 260 people dead since last month.
A large-scale rescue operation is under way, amid neck-high water in some areas.
While some saw the deleted tweet as light relief, others criticised it as inappropriate amid the tragedy. Others also shared their own edited Modi pictures.
It isn't the first time Mr Modi has fallen victim to some amateur image editing.
Last year, before Mr Modi became prime minister, a fake photo showing US President Barack Obama watching one of his speeches went viral.
Commentators on Twitter suggested the image was released by an ardent Modi supporter trying to imply the US president was following Mr Modi's election campaign. | India's state-run Press Information Bureau is facing online mockery after tweeting an edited image of PM Narendra Modi surveying deadly Chennai floods. | 34991822 |
The operation targeted 80 properties, including brothels and pubs.
It also involved a raid by counter-terror police on the house of the leader of the Hell's Angel chapter in the city of Hanover.
The suspected crimes being investigated include people- and arms trafficking, prosecutors said.
The investigation, which also covers alleged cases of bodily harm and corruption, is primarily aimed at the Hells Angels chapter in the northern city of Kiel, they said.
A court ordered the chapter to be closed earlier this year.
Police are also looking for a corpse thought to be that of an ethnic Turkish man who crossed the bikers, German newspapers report.
The raid on the Hanover home of the Hell's Angels' leader in the city, Frank Hanebuth, involved the elite GSG 9 tactical police unit.
Officers armed with machine-guns and wearing balaclavas broke down a heavy wooden front gate and abseiled from a helicopter to gain entry to the property, media reports say.
They are also reported to have shot a dog belonging to Mr Hanebuth.
Mr Hanebuth, who is thought to have been in the property at the time, is accused of having known of, or even ordering, the crimes being investigated in connection with the Kiel Hells Angels, prosecutors said.
His lawyer, Goetz Von Fromberg, denied the allegations, saying Mr Hanebuth did not know anyone involved in the alleged crimes.
The motorcycle club - the world's largest in terms of membership - has often been linked to organised crime, and is considered an organised crime syndicate by the US Department of Justice. | Police have raided dozens of properties across northern Germany as part of a major investigation into the Hells Angels motorcycle club, reports say. | 18195006 |
However, the draw did extend Chelsea's lead at top of the Premier League to nine points.
Liverpool keeper Mignolet made up for his first-half embarrassment when he was beaten by David Luiz's superb free-kick from 25 yards.
Georginio Wijnaldum's close-range header in the second-half gave Liverpool a draw they fully deserved, ending a run of three home losses in a row.
However, it could have been much better for Chelsea and worse for Liverpool when Costa went to ground 14 minutes from the end.
Referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot but Mignolet dived low to his right to save the Spain striker's spot-kick.
Arsenal 1-2 Watford: Arsenal's Premier League title hopes suffered a huge blow with a shock home defeat as Watford secured their first top-flight win over the Gunners since 1988.
Bournemouth 0-2 Crystal Palace: Crystal Palace finally earned a Premier League victory under Sam Allardyce as goals by Scott Dann and Christian Benteke secured the points against Bournemouth away at a rain-swept Vitality Stadium.
Burnley 1-0 Leicester City: Burnley secured their fifth home Premier League win in a row with victory over Leicester at Turf Moor, thanks to Sam Vokes' late goal.
Middlesbrough 1-1 West Bromwich Albion: Middlesbrough came back from a goal down but were left frustrated as a hard-working West Brom claimed a point at the Riverside Stadium.
Swansea City 2-1 Southampton: Swansea boosted their Premier League survival hopes and secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a spirited victory over Southampton.
Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham: Title-chasing Tottenham had to settle for a point at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland climbed off the bottom of the table with a hard-fought draw. | Chelsea had to settle for a draw against a strong Liverpool side at Anfield after Diego Costa's late penalty was saved by Simon Mignolet. | 38824865 |
Plans for the West Way shopping area in Botley would have seen the existing shopping precinct demolished.
Developer Doric Properties proposed to build a supermarket, 100-bed hotel, six-screen cinema, 525 student homes and a Baptist church.
The company said it had not decided whether it will appeal against the decision.
Simon Hillcox, of Doric Properties, said: "We're obviously disappointed with the outcome.
"We are now going to take some time to review and understand the decision before we decide on our next steps."
Caroline Potter, from West Way Community Concern, which campaigned against the plan, welcomed the decision by the Vale of White Horse District Council.
"We are delighted. Common sense, democracy and justice have won out," she said.
The group said 2,200 people had signed a petition opposing the redevelopment.
Hundreds of campaigners opposed to the development formed a human chain around the site in protest in October. | A £100m shopping and student housing development in an Oxford suburb has been turned down by councillors. | 30320278 |
City of York Council approved plans to write to about 35,000 motorists yet to claim their money back.
About 47,000 fines totalling £1.3m were issued between August 2013 and April 2014.
However, only approximately 12,000 refunds claims have been submitted.
A council spokeswoman said it would write to each driver issued with a fine to advise them of the refund procedure at a cost of up to £150,000.
Drivers will then have until 31 December to submit their refund request, following an extension of the previous 30 June deadline.
Previously the council had said refunds would only be issued to those who made a claim via the council's official application process.
Refunds were offered to drivers after a traffic adjudicator said the council had "no power" to issue fines because signage and CCTV were inadequate. | Drivers fined for crossing York's Lendal Bridge during a trial closure are to be told they are entitled to a refund after councillors overturned a decision not to directly contact them. | 30917888 |
The 33-year-old shot a four-under-par 68 that included five birdies to move to 13 under overall.
Jason Dufner had led by five stokes before Saturday's third round, but carded five over for the day to drop to tied third - four shots off the lead.
Americans Bubba Watson and Justin Thomas are also on nine under par.
Dufner ran up four early bogeys at Muirfield Village and compounded his misery by driving into a water hazard at the last for a closing bogey.
Former world number ones Rickie Fowler, at eight under, and Jordan Spieth, a stroke further back, remain in contention. | Daniel Summerhays holds a three-shot lead over fellow American Matt Kuchar heading into the final round of the Memorial Tournament in Ohio. | 40146779 |
The 49-year-old told Today FM that he had just completed two weeks of radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
"I have just started a journey with cancer," he told presenter Matt Cooper.
He said the diagnosis was a "huge shock" but that he had "caught it really early" and was "incredibly lucky".
The singer, who has had chart success with singles A Better Man and Life Love and Happiness, said he got a clean bill of health from his GP earlier this year but felt that "something was out of kilter".
He was diagnosed with a rectal tumour after undergoing a colonoscopy.
Kennedy said that he advised anyone with a "grain of doubt" over their health to get it checked.
He said he had also met with his brother, and fellow musician, Bap Kennedy after being "estranged for a very long time".
Bap Kennedy is receiving palliative care after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
"Estrangement becomes like a very bad habit," Brian said, "It just becomes the norm. We just got used to not hearing or seeing from each other.
"I got to see him again and give him a hug and if anything good has come out of this, it was the chance to see him again.
"I think that cancer puts manners on the best of people, the best of situations and the worst." | Belfast singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy has revealed that he is being treated for rectal cancer. | 37262777 |
Since giving up his membership last year to focus on the PGA Tour, the 38-year-old Englishman has climbed from 75th to 24th in the world rankings.
Casey said staying in America was the "right decision for my family" but he was "very sad" he would not be able to qualify for Europe's Ryder Cup team.
Europe captain Darren Clarke said Casey's decision was "disappointing".
Clarke can only select players who hold European Tour membership.
Former world number three Casey played in Europe's nine-point victories in 2004 and 2006, and their defeat at Valhalla in 2008.
He was left in tears when he was overlooked for a wildcard by Colin Montgomerie in 2010, when he was ranked seventh in the world.
Casey said: "With my wife and young son as my priority, I have decided to continue to concentrate on the PGA Tour, which has worked well for us this past year.
"I believe this decision will help me to be the best I can be both on and off the course."
Clarke, who played alongside Casey at Oakland Hills in 2004 and the K Club in 2006, said: "It is obvious that representing Europe in the Ryder Cup is not on Paul's priority list, which is disappointing, but I wish him all the best for the future.
"The focus is firmly on the players who are committed to the European cause as we move towards Hazeltine and I look forward to working with these players over the next 10 months."
The 2016 Ryder Cup begins on 27 September. | Paul Casey has ruled himself out of the 2016 Ryder Cup by deciding not to rejoin the European Tour. | 34891396 |
The five works by the Irish-born British artist are estimated to be worth more than €25m (£22m; $29m).
Ten people have been arrested in the investigation. The works were stolen from the Madrid home of José Capelo and belonged to him, a friend of Bacon.
It is thought to be the biggest theft of contemporary art in Spain. Bacon died in Madrid in 1992, aged 82.
Born in Dublin in 1909, Bacon had no formal training as a painter but became one of the most prominent artists of his era. He died of a heart attack.
The Madrid burglars also stole a safe from Capelo's home, containing jewels and other precious items. He was away in London at the time. The police investigation is continuing.
A Spanish police statement said the three works were recovered after a tip-off from a London team specialising in tracking down missing art.
The team had been contacted by someone in Sitges, near Barcelona, who wanted to verify one of the stolen paintings.
The inquirer sent the team photos of the work by email, which revealed Bacon's signature on the back of the painting. That suggested that the photos had been taken after the burglary.
By identifying the camera used, police traced the professional photographers and arrested one of the suspected thieves. Several accomplices were also arrested.
Seven arrests were made in Madrid in May 2016, and a further three in January this year. Bacon visited Madrid frequently and had many friends in the city.
In 2015, two Bacon self-portraits, which had been kept hidden in a private collection for many years, sold for a combined £30m at a Sotheby's auction in London.
A Bacon painting featuring his friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud set a record in 2013, becoming the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction when it fetched $142m (£89m) in New York. | Spanish police say they have recovered three of five paintings by Francis Bacon that were stolen in 2015. | 40659726 |
Hundreds of police officers flooded the US Navy Yard, which was evacuated after the false alarm on Thursday morning.
But after scouring the site, officials said police had found no sign of a shooting, made no arrests and found no weapons.
The sprawling site in the southeast part of the US capital was the scene of a mass shooting two years ago.
Aaron Alexis, a former contract worker, killed 12 people and wounded three others in September 2013.
The BBC's Tara Neil at the scene said officers had focused their attention on building 197, the site of the 2013 shootings.
The building serves as the headquarters for the Naval Sea Systems Command, which builds and maintains ships and submarines for the Navy.
Washington Navy Yard, which is the US Navy's oldest shore installation, was first opened in the early 19th Century, according to the Navy. | A US military complex in Washington DC has been given the all clear after reports that a gunman was on the site. | 33367626 |
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) was giving evidence to the Northern Ireland affairs committee.
Voters will go to the polls on 23 June to decide whether the UK should remain a member of the EU.
The FSB's Roger Pollen said its members are "dividing roughly into two substantial camps" for leave or remain.
But he added that a substantial part of them need more information before they can decide on facts rather than instinct.
Mr Pollen said there was uncertainty about what leaving the EU would mean for businesses.
"Looking to remain you're dealing with a largely known quantity, looking to leave there is uncertainty," he said.
He used subsidies for farmers as an example, saying "there's no guarantee" that agriculture in Northern Ireland would be as high a priority for the government as it is under the current settlement.
The Democratic Unionist Party MP Gavin Robinson suggested farmers could get a more generous subsidy outside the EU.
FSB member Patricia O'Hagan, who runs an IT firm in Belfast, said she was concerned about how leaving the EU could impact on her ability to compete for government contracts in EU countries.
She also asked how it would affect her ability to employ people from EU countries.
"We have employed people from Poland, Lithuanian and other countries - if that became more difficult I would have concerns about being able to get the skills we need," she added.
Mr Pollen said one member of the organisation who wants to leave the EU argues that it would be easier to give government support to businesses as EU state aid rules would no longer apply.
That member said a major impact would be that corporation tax in Northern Ireland could be reduced without having to cut the block grant that Northern Ireland receives from Westminister. | Businesses need more information before they can reach firm conclusions on the European Union referendum, a Westminster committee has been told. | 35649367 |
Singapore Airlines was the launch customer for the two-deck jet in 2007.
The airline has decided not to renew the A380 plane when the ten-year contract expires next year.
The news comes after Airbus more than halved its delivery target for the A380, raising fears it could slip back to making a loss from the aircraft.
A Singapore Airlines spokesperson said: "Our first five A380s are on 10-year leases, with options to extend. The first expires in October 2017, and we have decided not to extend it.
"For the other four, decisions will be made later."
But they added the airline had orders for five separate A380s with Airbus, which will start being delivered in the second half of 2017.
The A380 only began breaking even for Airbus last year.
In July, Airbus said it would still avoid losing money on the jet in 2017 with as few as 20 deliveries, but gave no further guidance.
Analysts say that big aircraft like the A380 and Boeing's 747 series have fallen out of favour.
Smaller jets can be more profitable as they are easier to fill and are cheaper to operate, analysts say. | Singapore Airlines has decided not to keep the first A380 it leased, delivering a fresh setback for Airbus' super-jumbo plane. | 37362488 |
People in the Democratic Republic of Congo expect very little from the state, government or civil servants.
In fact, ordinary Congolese often repeat expressions like "the state is dying but not yet dead" or "the state is ever present but completely useless".
It seems they also expect little from the upcoming elections and there can be little argument that DR Congo is indeed a failed state.
Ordinary citizens are poor, hungry and under-informed.
The government is unable to provide decent education or health services.
The country - two-thirds of the size of western Europe - is a battleground.
The citizens of DR Congo pray to be delivered from the brutal militias that still control parts of the eastern provinces, where rape has become so commonplace that one senior UN official called the country "the rape capital of the world".
I asked a university colleague if he thought things could get worse.
Andrew Harding: Eastern DR Congo is my favourite place in Africa
"When you are rock bottom, you can still dig deeper," was his response.
Public administration is in shambles. Civil servants have mutated into predators.
Ferdinand Munguna is a retired railway worker in Lubumbashi, the mineral capital of DR Congo in the south of the country.
He has to bribe the man working in the pension office who requires "motivation" before processing the old man's file. Mr Munguna complains that his pension is "hardly enough to buy soap".
Starting a business in DR Congo takes 65 days compared to the sub-Saharan African average of 40 days. In neighbouring Rwanda it takes three days.
And guess which country has one of the worst air safety records worldwide?
The prestigious Foreign Policy magazine's Failed States Index puts DR Congo in the critically failed category. Only Somalia, Chad and Sudan (when it included South Sudan) have worse rankings.
The recently released UNDP report on human development indicators put the former Belgian colony at the bottom of the 187 countries it surveyed.
On the political front, President Joseph Kabila has shown much more interest in regime consolidation than implementing his five-point development agenda - which most Congolese consider more as a political slogan than a development initiative.
When criticised, Mr Kabila's henchmen resort to the ultimate force of dissuasion.
Take Zoe Kabila, the president's brother, who reportedly ordered his Republican Guard escort to beat up two traffic officers because they did not give his 4X4 priority.
Usually immune to the brutality of the security forces, even people in Kinshasa were shocked by this alleged incident at a busy downtown intersection.
Numerous cases of journalist beatings and killings have also been reported.
Floribert Chebeya, a highly respected human rights activist was murdered, allegedly by members of the president's inner circle.
Poor leadership is a major problem for DR Congo.
In the absence of a functioning state or similar, even the best-intended projects can have perverse side effects if they are carried out without comprehensive feasibility studies or efforts to understand local culture and practices.
An international medical NGO provided mosquito nets to a poor village in the Upemba region of Katanga. Many lakeside villages in the mineral-rich province suffer from a high rate of malaria-induced child mortality. Sleeping inside these nets is the best way to avoid mosquito bites and malaria. But this laudable action created a human and ecological catastrophe.
As the mosquito nets were free and abundant, fisherman used them as fishing nets. Given their extremely fine mesh, not only were fish removed from the lake but all other forms of micro-fauna and micro-flora too. The lake gradually became covered with a black scum. Villagers lost their sources of livelihood and food supply.
It took a Belgian priest two years to get the villagers, who believed they had been cursed, to realise what had happened and before the lake was able to regenerate.
There are few figures on the political landscape with vision, leaders able to bring an end to corrupt government, reduce poverty, solve the country's security problems or improve the well-being of ordinary people.
DR Congo bashing has become a mantra amongst academics, humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and policy makers.
But I think that this is unfair.
While it is important to maintain pressure on Kinshasa's unabashedly corrupt political establishment, we also have to consider the country's troubled past.
Few societies have accumulated so many woes.
Those old enough to remember say the whip and chain is what they associate most with Belgian colonialism.
Others however are nostalgic and wish for the Belgians to return to solve the country's problems.
Cold War policies facilitated the maintenance of the brutal dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko.
He ruled what was then named Zaire for 32 years, supported by the West because of Cold War strategic interests.
Two wars - the liberation war that toppled Mobutu and "Africa's first world war", from 1997-2002 - are overwhelming obstacles to development, state-building and well-being.
DR Congo is also victim to what is commonly referred to as "the resource curse". The central government cannot control borders with its nine neighbours.
Much of DR Congo's coltan, a mineral used in computers and mobiles, is illegally exported through Rwanda. Precious tropical hardwoods are siphoned off through Uganda.
DR Congo's financial and technical partners - the so called "international community" - are also to blame.
They have no master plan for reform. They do not share a common vision and often implement contradictory programmes.
Belgium supported the idea of decentralisation arguing that it could bring government accountability down to the grassroots level. The World Bank blocked the process.
Bank experts have some control of the treasury in Kinshasa but they have absolutely no idea of how resources in the provinces are managed.
Data collection is a surreal concept in DR Congo - many offices do not have electricity, let alone computers.
Absence of national sovereignty is another hallmark of a failed state.
DR Congo is a country under international trusteeship. Important decisions are taken by World Bank technocrats, UN officials and increasingly by international NGOs.
When the electoral campaign officially opened last month, candidates travelled to Europe and the US to garner support.
The UN mission, Monusco, is playing a key logistical role in the elections by transporting ballot boxes across the vast nation. People would not be able to vote without this kind of support.
Whatever accountability there is in DR Congo is directed towards international backers, not the Congolese people.
Congolese authorities have abdicated from the development agenda.
Road rehabilitation and bridge building have been delegated to the World Bank and Belgian Technical Cooperation.
Monusco is supposed to look after the security sector. The World Health Organization and medical NGOs try to deal with the public health challenges.
The UK is involved in reinforcing governance programmes, while churches provide primary education.
The state is an absentee landlord - outside partners do its work.
So DR Congo is on an artificial life-support system. But replacing the state, or acting on its behalf, is not viable in the long-term. It undermines state-building momentum.
Sources: Estimated figures from the UN and World Bank
DR Congo and its partners are clearly confronted by the tragedy of powerlessness.
The system is such that when things do not work, go wrong or do not move forward, it is never really anyone's fault.
There are plenty of good excuses. A colleague told me when asked why he did not show up for an appointment: "Well, there was an eclipse that day."
While DR Congo is clearly a failed state, Congolese society has not failed.
On the contrary it is strong, vibrant, dynamic, tolerant and generous. People have a sense of taking charge of their own destinies.
Women form rotating credit systems to compensate for the absence of an accessible banking system.
Farmers band together to hire a lorry to get their cassava or charcoal from the central city of Kikwit to market in Kinshasa.
Bebe, who lives in the Paris suburb of Griney, sends money home to Kasai via Western Union. Some months it contributes to school fees, others it pays for medicines for her ailing mother-in-law.
Her father will spend some of it on Primus, the beer of choice in Kinshasa.
"Elikia" means hope in Lingala and there is much of it throughout the country.
Hopes for positive change will come from the people, not from the Congolese political establishment, and certainly not from outside interventions.
Theodore Trefon is senior researcher at the Royal Museum for Central Africa and author of the blog Congo Masquerade: The political culture of aid inefficiency and reform failure.
On 25 November, the BBC World Service is broadcasting a special one-hour debate in front of a Kinshasa audience: Is DR Congo a failed state? Tune in at 1900 GMT. | As the Democratic Republic of Congo prepares for just its second general elections in four decades on 28 November, Congolese affairs analyst Theodore Trefon considers whether this failed state, still recovering from a war which led to an estimated four million deaths, can ever be rebuilt. | 15775445 |
Matthew Collett-Leslie, 14, from Hastings, was first referred to Sussex Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) in November 2014.
In May, a psychologist said he showed signs of autism but would need a full assessment, scheduled for 26 November.
The NHS trust said there had been a significant rise in referrals.
Matthew, who was referred to Camhs by his school, Hailsham Community College, has started his petition on charge.org and written to the prime minister.
He said the wait for a possible diagnosis had affected his school and home life.
"Children do pick on me sometimes because they don't feel the way I am feeling," he said.
"There is not much support at school because I am not officially diagnosed."
His father Joe said Matthew needed help and support at school from a teaching assistant.
"At home I need the support for myself to deal with the situation," he said.
Tom Purser, of the National Autistic Society, said a diagnosis of the condition could help young people understand their behaviour and entitle them to support at home and at school.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "Assessments for autism involve several stages with a number of different professionals because the symptoms are complex and often confused with other conditions.
"There has been been a significant rise in the number of referrals to us which has added to the pressures on our services.
"It is a key national priority to reduce the wait and we are working with other NHS professionals to look at the delays... to see what more can be done."
Phil Matthews, principal of Hailsham Community College, confirmed that the school made Camhs referrals for students when considered appropriate. | A teenager with suspected autism who faces a wait of a year for a mental health diagnosis has started a petition to cut waiting times. | 34383303 |
Universal, the film company behind the movie, confirmed its release but we'll have to wait until June 2017 to see it.
Despicable Me 2 was the UK's biggest box office hit in 2013 and made an estimated £561 million worldwide since being released last year.
It tells the story of international villain Gru being recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super-criminal.
The film was named in the best animation category at the Golden Globes and has been nominated for a Bafta award too.
Pharrell Williams' track Happy, which was written for Despicable Me 2, is currently number one in the Official UK singles chart.
The original Despicable Me film was released in 2010.
Details of the plot for the new film have yet to be unveiled, but you can bet there'll be more crazy adventures with our favourite characters.
Universal have also announced that an animated big screen version of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas will be released in November 2017. | Gru and his minions are set to return to the big screen in Despicable Me 3. | 25761293 |
A retrial has been ordered over the death of Shaimaa el-Sabbagh in January last year.
Images of the frail figure dying on a Cairo street after being hit by birdshot sparked outrage in Egypt and around the world.
Ms Sabbagh was with activists marching to Tahrir Square to mark the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
Why was one death singled out?
The al-Yawm al-Sabi news website said the court had accepted an appeal filed by officer Yassin Hatim against his prison sentence and ordered a retrial.
Some Egyptians condemned the decision on social media, with the prominent 6 April protest group saying "Justice is a right" (in Arabic).
The 33-year-old mother was a leading member of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party and was among about 40 activists who had gathered to lay wreaths in Tahrir Square to commemorate those who died during the 2011 uprising.
Photographs showing her after she had been shot were widely shared on social media and hundreds of people attended her funeral in Alexandria.
At least 18 people including three police cadets were killed in clashes the day after Ms Sabbagh's death.
Dozens of police officers who stood trial over the deaths of nearly 900 protesters during the 2011 uprising have been acquitted or received suspended sentences. | Egypt's highest court has annulled a 15-year jail sentence for a policeman accused of shooting dead a protester. | 35574004 |
The university reopened on Monday after being closed last month because of protests against a planned increase in tuition fees.
Wits had warned the entire academic year could be cancelled if classes did not resume.
Protesters have been demanding free education.
This is the fourth week of protests sparked by a government proposal to raise tuition fees by up to 8% in 2017.
At least two police helicopters are hovering above the centre of University of Witwatersrand.
It all started out as a peaceful protest of students singing and chanting. They then started disrupting classes and threw stones and bottles at private security guards and police who retaliated with teargas, rubber bullets and stun grenades.
Some students were seen vandalising the university. They are also growing impatient, they say a general assembly meeting which was due to be held last Friday to resolve their issues was cancelled without their knowledge.
The heavy police presence is an indication that both sides are digging their heels in and the situation is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
The BBC's Justine Lang in Johannesburg says that a hardcore of 600 out of the 37,000 students at Wit University are "determined not to budge".
President Jacob Zuma ordered a freeze on tuition fees for a year after similar protests last year.
They have been the biggest student protests to hit the country since apartheid ended in 1994. | South African police have fired tear gas at students at Wits University in Johannesburg after they forced their way into lecture halls. | 37607757 |
The Manxman beat Germany's Marcel Kittel to the line during stage six to take him one above France's five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault.
He is now five behind another five-time Tour winner, Eddy Merckx of Belgium.
Fellow Briton Dan McLay was third in a bunch sprint with Team Sky's Chris Froome safely home in the peloton.
On a relatively flat stage from Arpajon-sur-Cere to Montauban, set up for sprinters, there was no great movement in the general classification as Belgium's Greg van Avermaet remained in the yellow jersey.
The BMC rider still leads France's Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick-Step) by five minutes and 11 seconds, with 2013 and 2015 champion Froome a further six seconds behind.
Relive the final stages of Cavendish's thrilling win
Having already won the opening stage of this year's Tour to take hold of the yellow jersey for the first time, and won a photo finish on stage four, a third Cavendish victory came after the Team Dimension Data rider emerged from the back of the pack.
It also ensured he took hold of the leading sprinter's green jersey, overtaking Slovakia's Peter Sagan (Tinkoff).
"Oh my god, that was terrifying," he told ITV4. "That was like the old days, just wheel surfing. There are almost two finish lines, and I was a little bit too far back so it was carnage in the final straight, there were guys coming from everywhere.
"I was fighting to be on Marcel Kittel's wheel, I wasn't sure if they were that organised, but I knew it would be the right thing to go early because it was downhill. I went for the line and I had to come again, I did what Marcel has done to me in the last four years and held on."
Fortuneo-Vital Concept's McLay, who earned a fourth top-10 finish of his maiden Tour, was actually finishing faster than Cavendish or Kittel but the 24-year-old ran out of tarmac.
Despite Van Avermaet eking out a five-minute lead on Wednesday, there was no desperation from the main general classification contenders given he is not considered a main rival, and they will get a better chance to claw it back when the Tour heads to the Pyrenees on Friday.
The main task for the likes of Froome, and Movistar's Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde, was to stay out of trouble as the sprinters jockeyed for a last chance of glory before the ascents take their toll.
Once the breakaway pair of Jan Barta (Bora-Argon) and Yukiya Arashiro (Lampre-Merida) were caught by the peloton with 21km to go, Froome's team-mates kept him at the front of the main pack to ensure he was not involved in any crashes.
Fellow yellow jersey rival Alberto Contador remains six minutes and 39 seconds off the leader's pace, while Vincenzo Nibali looks unlikely to mount a challenge after winning the 2016 Giro D'Italia.
1. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Dimension Data) 4:43:48"
2. Marcel Kittel (Germany/Etixx - Quick-Step) same time
3. Daniel McLay (Britain / Fortuneo)
4. Alexander Kristoff (Norway / Katusha)
5. Christophe Laporte (France / Cofidis)
6. Peter Sagan (Slovakia / Tinkoff)
7. Dylan Groenewegen (Netherlands / LottoNL)
8. Edward Theuns (Belgium / Trek)
9. Bryan Coquard (France / Direct Energie)
10. Shane Archbold (New Zealand / BORA)
1. Greg van Avermaet (Bel/BMC Racing) 30hrs 18mins 39secs
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra/Etixx-Quick-Step) +5mins 11secs
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +5mins 13secs
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +5mins 15secs
5. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +5mins 17secs
6. Warren Barguil (Fra/Giant) same time
7. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar)
8. Pierre Rolland (Fra/Cannondale)
9. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana)
10. Daniel Martin (Ire/Etixx-Quick-Step) | Mark Cavendish edged a thrilling sprint to win a 29th Tour de France stage, moving him outright second in the race's all-time standings. | 36738058 |
The Brazilian centre-back made a total of 64 appearances for the Gunners after joining from Villarreal for about £11m in January 2015.
The 26-year-old helped Arsene Wenger's side win the FA Cup in 2015 and 2017.
"We would like to thank Gabriel for his contribution to the club and to wish him well for his return to La Liga with Valencia," Arsenal said.
The La Liga club, who finished 12th in the Spanish top flight last season, said Gabriel has signed a five-year contract until 2022.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista has joined Spanish club Valencia for an undisclosed fee. | 40979524 |
The single deck bus will primarily run along the lime 2 route, which serves Mears's village Burghfield Common, near Reading, but will also be available for use on other routes in the town.
It comes after a fake golden postbox was installed in his village in August.
Mears and his diving partner Jack Laugher won the men's synchronised 3m springboard event.
He described seeing himself pictured on a bus as a "surreal experience".
"My old friendship group use this service, so it's going to be weird for them getting on the bus and seeing me on the side of it," he said.
He added that he hopes the younger generation in the town will be inspired by his achievements in Rio and for the sport of diving.
Jake Osman, of Reading Buses, said: "After the great exploits of London 2012, the gold medal winning athletes were celebrated with gold post boxes in their home towns. However, this was only for those Olympics.
"As Chris will not get a golden post box in Burghfield Common we thought we could step up and give Chris something to demonstrate that the people of Burghfield, and Reading are proud of his achievements."
The bus was unveiled at the Pride of Reading Awards on Friday. | A gold bus has been created for Olympic gold medallist Chris Mears in tribute to his Rio 2016 success. | 37870968 |
This is being seen as an improvement on his commitment in 2010 when funding was frozen and eroded by inflation.
But the additional cash is expected to be spent on projects to support overseas development aid.
Initial reaction from the scientific community suggested that this was "good" settlement - but not a "great one".
In announcing the settlement in his Spending Review on Wednesday, George Osborne said: "In the modern world, one of the best ways you can back business is by backing science.
"That's why, in the last Parliament, I protected the resource budget for science in cash terms. In this Parliament I'm protecting it in real terms so it rises to £4.7bn."
One senior researcher, who did not wish to be named, told BBC News that the details they had seen suggested there might be a number of strings attached.
"What has actually been announced is another four years of flat cash for the core activities of the research community," they said.
The previous flat cash settlement has seen an erosion of spending power for research, so the concern is that a similar situation would continue.
The chancellor's extra £1.5bn is from a fund for supporting overseas development projects. That would mean that by 2020 up to 10% of the science budget will be ring-fenced - to be spent only on projects that would benefit development aid.
Those responsible for allocating the money will hope that these additional funds can be used on projects that meet the development criteria. This would release funds for others that don't.
The Nobel Laureate and president of the Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, said: "The chancellor rightly declared the UK to be brilliant at science and by protecting the science budget in real terms he is giving British scientists an improved chance of maintaining our global leadership, improving lives and driving the economy.
"The last five years have seen cuts to the science budget of around £1bn, so protection from such cuts over the next five years is to be welcomed.
"This settlement does, however, still leave us well behind our competitors in terms of the percentage of our GDP we spend on research. There is also still detail to be looked at and we will be doing that over the coming hours and days."
Many had hoped for an increase in the science budget to stay competitive with other nations that are heavily investing in science. Among them was Prof Paul Hardaker, chief executive of the Institute of Physics.
"This will help UK science but we still need to be mindful of how this compares to higher investment by international competitors," he said.
Similar concerns were expressed by Dr Jenny Rohn, chair of Science is Vital.
"As it stands, this science budget appears to be smaller than in 2010 thanks to preceding inflation, and will continue to shrink both as a fraction of GDP and per capita," she explained.
Many others though, such as Sir John Tooke, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, were relieved that science had been spared the cuts suffered in other areas of government spending.
"In a wider landscape of shrinking budgets, we're grateful that the chancellor has recognised the need to protect research for the long-term benefit of the UK," he said.
Naomi Weir, acting director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering (Case), said she was pleased to see that the chancellor was continuing to support a strategy for science and industry.
"Committing to invest in science and innovation is investing for the future: creating high-value jobs, driving productivity, and catalysing economic growth," she said.
"It will have far reaching benefits in education, security and resilience, and health. There are undoubtedly some details to unpick, but it is encouraging on many counts to see that the government has listened to the science community and made an evidence-informed decision to back science and engineering in today's Spending Review."
The chancellor also announced funding for the Royce Institute in Manchester, and new agricultural research centres in Shropshire, York, Bedfordshire and Edinburgh.
And Mr Osborne announced a £75m investment for the Cavendish Laboratories at Cambridge University.
He added that in order to get the most from government investment in science, he would implement the recommendations of a review of science spending carried out by the Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse.
Among his suggestions was that a committee of ministers, possibly chaired by Mr Osborne himself, should oversee research spending.
Follow Pallab on Twitter | The UK chancellor has said that the science budget will be protected in real terms - equating to an increase. | 34925495 |
It's the first of three significant tournaments in the Middle East and is followed by the Qatar Masters and the Dubai Desert Classic.
Two of the world's top four players will be competing and that would have been three but for Rory McIlroy's rib injury forcing the Northern Irishman to withdraw.
Here are a few key things to note about the next few days.
The Abu Dhabi Golf Club's par-72 Championship course stretches out over 7,583 yards and is regarded as one of the finest in the Middle East.
This is the 12th edition of the tournament and it always attracts an impressive field.
The USA's Rickie Fowler triumphed in 2016, becoming the first American to do so since the tournament's inaugural event in 2006 when Chris DiMarco was victorious.
California-born Fowler, 28, finished with a one-stroke winning margin over Belgium's Thomas Pieters, who also impressed during the 2016 Ryder Cup for Europe.
Yes. Seven of them.
Linlithgow's Stephen Gallacher makes his 500th European Tour event appearance in Abu Dhabi and after struggling with injury, is confident of getting back to his best form with new clubs and a new swing.
Both East Kilbride's Marc Warren and Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay are in action and both will be eager to add to their most recent European Tour titles in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
A joint fourth finish at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Leopard Creek, South Africa has given Glasgow's Scott Jamieson confidence ahead of his first tournament of the year, while experienced Aberdonian Paul Lawrie also plays having amassed eight European Tour titles so far in his career.
Cocksburnpath's David Drysdale did well to wind up tied for seventh at last week's SA Open and will be confident of kicking on to another strong finish in Abu Dhabi, while Grantown on Spey's Duncan Stewart wants to atone for a disappointing showing at Glendower.
Minus the injured McIlroy, the headliners are world number three Dustin Johnson and world number four Henrik Stenson.
The Swede topped the Race to Dubai order of merit in 2016, which added to his Open triumph at Royal Troon.
American Johnson won the US Open at Oakmont last summer.
Fowler will aim to become the second player to make a successful defence of the title after Germany's Martin Kaymer did so in 2011.
The prize pot in Abu Dhabi equates to just under £2.2m, with the winner taking approximately £365,000. | The 2017 European Tour's desert swing gets underway on Thursday with the Abu Dhabi Championship. | 38666090 |
Six years in the making, the international commitment could prevent 700,000 deaths a year, say experts.
It is the fourth time a UN declaration has been reached on a health issue - following HIV in 2001, non-communicable diseases in 2011 and Ebola in 2013.
The signatories now have two years to report back with an action plan.
Experts say treatment-resistant infections pose one of the biggest known threats to humanity today.
Without urgent action, it is conceivable that simple infections could soon become entirely untreatable with existing drugs.
The problem has been caused by over-use of antimicrobial medicines for humans, animals and agriculture.
Repeated exposure allows bacteria and other infections, including HIV and malaria, to learn how to dodge these treatments by mutating and evolving.
Unless new effective treatments are found, routine medical procedures such as hip operations and Caesarean sections could become too dangerous to perform.
The nations have committed to:
Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO, said: "Antimicrobial resistance poses a fundamental threat to human health, development, and security.
"The commitments made today must now be translated into swift, effective, lifesaving actions across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
"We are running out of time."
The UK has been at the forefront of a campaign to get global action on superbugs.
It has pledged £369m to international antimicrobial resistance (AMR) programmes in the past two years.
Earlier this year, Lord O'Neill, who led a government review on AMR, called for a $2bn (£1.5bn) investment in global innovation funding for research by 2020.
The signatories at the United Nations General Assembly in New York have agreed to pool funding, already totalling about $790m (£600m).
The UK's chief medical officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies, said: "Drug-resistant infections are firmly on the global agenda, but now the real work begins.
"We need governments, the pharmaceutical industry, health professionals and the agricultural sector to follow through on their commitments to save modern medicine."
The UK has set its own target to reduce inappropriate prescriptions and the incidence of high risk bacterial infections in hospitals by 50% by 2020 and cut the level of antibiotic use in the agricultural sector to 50mg/kg by 2020. | The 193 countries of the United Nations have agreed a landmark declaration to rid the world of drug-resistant infections or "superbugs". | 37420691 |
Paul Jones said he felt "hoodwinked" by David Cameron who last year threatened to impose tough new laws on internet giants if they did not take action.
Mr Jones told Channel 5 News that not enough had been done in the fight.
A Downing Street spokesman said there was "always more to do" on the issue.
Coral and Paul Jones from Machynlleth, Powys, launched a high-profile campaign after Mark Bridger, 47, was found guilty of their daughter's abduction and murder last year.
Five-year-old April went missing from outside her home on 1 October 2012. Her body has never been found.
Referring to Mr Cameron, Mr Jones said: "I think he's hoodwinked us a little bit by coming out banging the drums, but hasn't actually put any money in place - he's left it to the internet [companies]."
He added: "When I last met David Cameron I said 'aim high' - but he's fallen well short of the mark."
Last July, the Mr Cameron threatened to impose tough new laws on internet giants if they failed to blacklist key search terms for abuse images.
In November, Google and Microsoft promised to introduce new software that will automatically block 100,000 "unambiguous" search terms which lead to illegal content.
Bridger's trial highlighted the issue of internet abuse after the killer was found to have accessed child abuse images online just hours before April was snatched.
As a result, Mr Cameron agreed to meet April's parents last year to discuss the problem and how to address the issue.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister has personally led an effort to eradicate child abuse imagery from the web, which has seen the setting up of a new National Crime Agency, nationwide child-safe internet filters and the first-ever agreement from the main search engines to block illegal images in the last year alone.
"Of course, there is always more to do, and we are continuing to work with other countries, industry and other groups to look at where further action can be taken." | The father of murdered schoolgirl April Jones has accused the Prime Minister of falling "well short of the mark" in a pledge to clamp down on online images of child abuse. | 26795260 |
The 43-year-old digital entrepreneur said he would leave the show after the current 12th series.
He says he wants "to pursue other interests".
Kelly Hoppen and Duncan Bannatyne are also leaving at the end of this series leaving Peter Jones as the only original investor left on the show. Deborah Meaden is also staying.
Piers Linney said: "After hearing over 200 pitches and made nine deals, I have had a fantastic experience on Dragons' Den.
"I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to contribute to such an iconic and long-running TV show and to have been the first Dragon with Afro-Caribbean heritage.
"I've really enjoyed it. It has been a great experience and a pleasure to share with millions of viewers the growing importance of digital innovation.
"It is now the right time for me to move on, although entrepreneurship and diversity are two of my greatest passions so I will continue to focus my energies on supporting both.
"I've got many more things I want to do in life that I plan to do - and I've got family as well so time is at a premium."
The married father-of-two joined the show in 2013 alongside Kelly Hoppen.
Linney says he'll continue to work closely with the businesses he's backed, including digital picture book publisher Lost My Name.
His other investments included self-tan brand Skinny Tan, festival and clubbing holidays operator Mainstage Travel and customised trainers company Skribbies.
He also said he wouldn't rule out a return to TV.
He previously appeared in Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire in 2011.
"I might do TV again," he said. "I'm good at being me and if something reflects my interests, it might be something I'm interested in doing."
Dragons' Den continues on BBC Two on Sunday evenings at 21:00 GMT.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Piers Linney has announced that he is stepping down from BBC Two series Dragons' Den after two years. | 31074219 |
The two men, who were wearing lifejackets, were thrown into the water in the incident between Fortrose and Avoch.
Kessock Lifeboat was launched at 12:30 and reached the pair seven minutes later.
The men were taken aboard the lifeboat before being airlifted to hospital.
It was thought the men may have been in the water for about 35 minutes before the alarm was raised.
The North Kessock-based lifeboat crew found the men had managed to climb back into their water-swamped boat. They were suffering from the effects of hypothermia.
A coastguard rescue helicopter and Inverness Coastguard Team were also involved in the rescue.
Volunteer helmsman Stan MacRae said "The dingy started taking on water because of the conditions.
"The two men found they couldn't bail it out fast enough, which led to the capsize.
"When we assessed their condition it was obvious they needed further medical attention and the best thing to do was to get them winched into the helicopter and away to hospital as fast as possible."
The men were aboard the helicopter by 12:56 and flown to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
Kessock Lifeboat crew were able to save the sailing boat and tow it to Fortrose. | Two sailors had to be rescued after their small wooden sailing dingy took on water before it capsized in high winds and 1.5m (4.11ft) waves. | 40188823 |
Users said they were also unable to access their internal company networks.
Russian IT security company Kaspersky Labs told users to disable its anti-virus software or roll back the update.
Two hours later it issued a fix - but since their PCs were unable to auto-install new code from the net, users had to perform several tasks first.
Kaspersky told its customers: "Please disable the web AV component of your protection policy for your managed computers."
It then told them to go the repositories section, download an update and re-enable the protection.
The company issued a statement, apologising "for any inconvenience caused by this database update error".
"Actions have been taken to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future," it said.
Dorset-based IT consultant Graham Lord wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter: "Bravo on breaking the internet on all your XP clients.
"Your update just set back one of my repair jobs by a day's work."
But Spain-based security blogger David Barroso tweeted: "So Kaspersky QA [quality assurance] team failed with this update but they quickly released a fix, which it is something good." | Thousands of computers running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system were unable to connect to the internet after installing an anti-virus update. | 21352762 |
Pte Matthew Boyd, from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, was found injured and unconscious in Brecon early on Sunday morning and later died.
Two men have been arrested in connection with his death.
Elaine Mawhirk said Matthew had always wanted to be a solider and had joined up when he was 16.
"Because he was so young his mum and dad had to sign a form to give permission for him to sign up," she said.
"He was just about to renew his four-year contract with the Army.
"He was doing very well, he was progressing so well within his career with the Army."
Pte Boyd and his family lived in Gibraltar but he was originally from Northern Ireland, where some of his relatives still live in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.
Mrs Mawhirk said her nephew had been on a training exercise in Brecon, before the incident.
"He volunteered because they were short of men for the training exercise and Matthew put himself forward to go and assist in the training of new recruits in Brecon," she said.
"That was just his love and his passion. He had so many friends and support within his regiment.
"The messages we're receiving and reading the testimonials from his regiment in Gibraltar is just heartbreaking.
Matthew's aunt said his death had left the family "devastated".
"Matthew was fun-loving, lived life to the full, he had an amazing wee life and packed so much in at the age of 21," she said.
"I'll remember his cheeky grin.
"As a family growing up we spent all our holidays together in Spain and no holiday is ever going to be the same because we're just going to be missing Matthew.
Welsh police have arrested a 23-year-old man on suspicion of murder while a 22-year-old has also been detained in connection with his death.
Both men remain in custody.
Dyfed-Powys Police said Pte Boyd was wearing civilian clothing when he was found and the 23-year-old who was arrested was not a serving soldier. | The aunt of a soldier born in Northern Ireland who was killed in Wales has said he was "fun-loving" and "lived life to the full". | 36255183 |
The 27-year-old from Norwich, who is one of BBC Sport's Paralympic Ones to Watch for 2015, has torn his anterior cruciate ligament.
He will miss this week's International Blind Sports Federation World Games in Korea, where a four-strong judo squad will compete for Great Britain.
"Managing the emotions that come with injuries is vital," said Drane.
Last year's World Championship bronze medallist started the sport as a teenager but, aged 22, he discovered his eyesight was deteriorating as a result of corneal dystrophy and was persuaded to try visually-impaired judo.
But he remains hopeful of being part of the GB team for next year's Paralympics in Rio.
"My intentions remain the same as when I first started this journey - to do everything in my power to shape my best performance to Rio 2016," he added. "The rest is just uncontrollable."
In Drane's absence, GB medal hopes in the judo event rest with London 2012 silver medallist Sam Ingram (-90kg), with Chris Skelley (-100kg), Jack Hodgson (+100kg) and Natalie Greenhough (-70kg) all hoping to get qualification points for the Rio Paralympics.
GB also has representation in Korea in the women's goalball and men's football events. | British Paralympic judoka hopeful Jono Drane has been ruled out of action for nine months with a serious knee injury. | 32703472 |
Over the next three days, rail services between Great Yarmouth and Norwich, Marks Tey and Sudbury, and Ipswich and Felixstowe are being replaced by buses.
The company has apologised for the cancellations, which it said were due to trains needing repairs to damaged wheels.
Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis said the situation was "unacceptable".
The rail journeys have been cancelled due to Abellio's diesel trains suffering wheel damage as a result of poor rail conditions.
"This situation leads to excessive wear on the wheels which must be repaired before the trains can re-enter service", a spokesman for the train operator said.
"On average we are continuing to see two trains arrive back at the end of each day with wheel damage, more than double the rate we have experienced in previous autumn periods."
Conservative MP Mr Lewis said: "At a time when we are trying to encourage people into the centre of Great Yarmouth, this is just not good enough.
"It is an important time of the year for the high street, with new shops opening."
He said Abellio "should be able to manage their stock" to prevent this situation arising.
Ian Edwards, chairman of the Marks Tey and Colchester Rail Users Group, said: "They (Abellio) have not invested enough. All they are looking for are cost savings. This is not good enough."
An Abellio spokesman said: "We apologise for the ongoing impact of train service cancellations affecting our local routes.
"We are doing everything possible to repair the trains affected as fast as we can. We are working with Network Rail to try and improve rail conditions to prevent further damage."
A Network Rail spokesman said: "We are running extra rail cleaning trains and have had extra staff out on track to keep things moving. We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption and will continue to work with Abellio." | An MP has criticised train operator Abellio Greater Anglia for cancelling up to 80 train journeys a day. | 34880805 |
Perinatal health covers the time during which a woman is pregnant and up to two years after she gives birth.
Post-natal mental illness, or as it is commonly known, post-natal depression, affects around one in ten mothers here.
Dr Janine Lynch said the current situation is serious.
Post-natal mental illness can be chronic, even life-threatening, when a woman is not offered specialist treatment in either a hospital or by specially trained staff.
Dr Lynch says the current situation is serious: "Women's lives are being put at risk due to the lack of specialist care. And none can be treated alongside their baby when they are feeling at their most vulnerable. Mother and baby have to be separated."
At the moment Northern Ireland does not have an inpatient specialist mother and baby unit. In fact there is only one specialist psychiatrist for the entire region.
Therefore when a woman is admitted to hospital for post-natal depression treatment they are separated from their baby.
According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, on average, 75 Northern Ireland mothers per year require admission to hospital.
Speaking on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Lynch said this was unfair.
"In Belfast, women have access to a limited service," she said.
"We could do a lot more if we'd more resources, and in all of the other trusts in Northern Ireland, women have no access to specialist dedicated help."
It is understood that the college has met at least five different health ministers over a period of 15 years, campaigning for a specialist mother and baby unit. But Dr Lynch said their calls have fallen on deaf ears.
"They listen and nod, but sometimes you just think they aren't treating it seriously. It is serious - women can die."
The health minister told the BBC that he was aware of the problem and was attempting to find a way to resolve it.
Lindsey Robinson discovered she had post-natal depression two years after the birth of her son, Reuben.
She told the BBC: "Normally I'm quite a confident and easy going person, but I became fearful of everything. I just didn't know who I'd become.
"I looked at myself in the mirror and I didn't recognise who was looking back at me. I was a mess."
She said the illness impacted both her mental and physical wellbeing.
"I woke each day and thought, 'All I have to do is survive another day until I can get back into bed'."
Lindsey now writes a blog which details how she and others are continuing to cope with the illness. | Northern Ireland's only specialist psychiatrist in perinatal mental health, says the lack of services for NI women who are chronically ill is endangering lives. | 35652441 |
The governing body's chief executive Blane Dodds says a new finance and support package for Scotland's promising young golfers will help to establish them on the European Tour.
"It's an initiative for helping the best talent we've got," said Dodds.
"It's taking away a lot of the management, logistics and hassles of life on tour."
Ewen Ferguson and Grant Forrest are the first players to benefit from the initiative, which will guarantee them eight Challenge Tour starts this season as they look to qualify for the European Tour.
They will receive funding for two years, as well as coaching and management support from the scheme, which is a partnership between Scottish Golf, Aberdeen Asset Management, SSE Hydro and Bounce Sports Management.
With only one Scot - Russell Knox - in the world's top 30, Scottish Golf wants to try to enable more players to reach the top of the game.
"We've watched Ewen and Grant coming through the ranks over the last few years and clearly we want success at the highest level of the game as an objective," Dodds said.
"There is cash involved, but it's more rounded than that. We've been helping to prepare them from a golfing perspective, there's coaching and technical and lifestyle and strength and conditioning [advice].
"The other element is when that talent is showing promise and ability to perform at a higher level, it's ensuring all the other ancillary support is there so that they can perform when they are on the course.
"It's a stepping stone. If you look over the last few years, the young, talented golfers from Scotland haven't fulfilled their potential. It's about trying to help that process. "
Ferguson, who played his third Challenge Tour event at the Turkey Airlines Challenge last week, was Scottish Golf's amateur of the year in 2015 and, along with Forrest, was a member of the Great Britain & Ireland team that won the 2015 Walker Cup at Royal Lytham.
The duo were identified as having the potential to reach the highest level of the game by the Scottish Golf performance committee, and the governing body plans to open the initiative to other players next season.
"The ultimate goal is to be out there playing stress free, without having to worry about the financial side of things and hopefully bring the best out of ourselves on the golf course," said Ferguson.
"[It's] having the financial backing and support team around you to be able to make the stress less and play with more freedom.
"It's being able to fund my first couple of years of getting out there and trying to find my feet, that's the problem it will solve. It can be very expensive, food, hotels, taxis, caddies - that's what will be taken care of."
Forrest tied for fifth in Turkey, having only turned professional last year. His aim for this season is to finish in the Challenge Tour's top 15 and qualify for the European Tour.
"It's an expensive sport to play for a living, so not having to worry about that when you're teeing up every round is so valuable," Forrest explained. "It's the peace of mind to go out and perform my best.
"If you have a bad week and miss a cut and you want to change your flight it costs more, so it's things like that, to make your life easier and try to help to deal with all the hardships that come with life on tour." | Scottish Golf has developed a programme to ease young golfers' transition from amateur to professional status. | 39724579 |
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10 February 2015 Last updated at 07:41 GMT
He was rewarded for being the only solo artist to sell more than one million albums in both the UK and US in 2014.
Now the star's childhood music teacher, Joanna Eden, has said she ''shed a few tears'' at his success. | British soul singer Sam Smith has won four Grammy Awards in the US, including the prestigious prizes for record and song of the year and best new artist. | 31350221 |
Republic of Ireland's McGeady, 30, has played 32 top-flight games for Everton.
Vermijl, 24, made 32 appearances for North End on loan last season and joins them on a three-year contract.
Defender Baptiste, 30 joined Boro in 2015 but suffered a double leg fracture before playing a competitive game.
The former Blackburn and Bolton centre-back ended last term on loan at League One side Sheffield United.
McGeady scored 31 league goals in 185 league appearances for Celtic before joining Russian outfit Spartak Moscow and had a loan spell with Championship club Wednesday last season, scoring once in 13 games.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page. | Preston have signed Everton midfielder Aiden McGeady and Middlesbrough's Alex Baptiste on season-long loan deals, plus Sheffield Wednesday defender Marnick Vermijl for an undisclosed fee. | 37238738 |
A growing number of tech entrepreneurs believe they have an answer.
But does using more technology offer time-starved parents valuable new ways to interact with their kids or simply make them more paranoid?
Molawa Adesuyi is co-founder and chief executive of Mytoddlr, an app that gives you updates on what your little one is up to at nursery or creche. He is in no doubt about the usefulness of such tech.
"Most working parents drop off their children in day nurseries as early as 8 or 9am, and can't pick them up till 5 or 6pm," he says.
"And in this time, they have absolutely no way of keeping in touch or staying abreast of their children's welfare all through the day. This is a major, major problem."
With the Mytoddlr app and website, nurseries input data about the child's routine and behaviour throughout the day - from potty breaks to naps - and parents receive these updates in real time on their phones or computers.
"The nursery is happy, parents are happy, it's a win-win for everyone really," says Mr Adesuyi.
But isn't this an extra administrative burden for nursery staff?
Mr Adesuyi claims not, as it can actually reduce paperwork and provide an easier, faster way of communicating with parents, he says.
"There are such great apps out there now for parents... solutions to real problems parents have. It's just nice to see technology change parenting," he concludes.
Launched in 2015, Mytoddlr is being used by 2,000 parents in Lagos, Nigeria, and is currently being trialled by some nurseries in London.
Harsh Songra, 19-year-old founder and chief executive of smartphone app My Child, was inspired to launch his child development monitoring app after having dyspraxia when growing up.
This developmental disorder affecting co-ordination and movement can be difficult to diagnose if parents don't know what to look out for.
"I have known the struggle of a family where the child has a disorder," he says. "It took my parents over nine years to figure out the specific problem, and I still go through some health issues," says Mr Songra.
The My Child app helps parents monitor the development of a child up to 24 months old, asking questions, aggregating relevant content, and identifying local experts.
Launched in early 2015, the app has been downloaded more than 11,000 times in over 140 countries, and is particularly popular in the US, India, Singapore and the UK.
Mr Songra believes technology is a useful parenting tool, but concedes that it may sometimes interfere with the work of professionals.
"At times it does affect their relations with doctors, because parents become paranoid about their child because of what they searched on Google," he says.
"The problem is that we tend to believe the content of one link over 100 others, and then take actions based on that knowledge.
"But we believe all this will surely change with time, as there is going to be more awareness about these issues in the future."
Parenting apps - from webcam baby monitors to location-tracking services, interactive games to health checkers - are definitely on the rise, as busy parents integrate the latest tech into their lives.
One woman in Australia even used Siri, Apple's voice-activated iPhone assistant, to call an ambulance when her toddler daughter stopped breathing.
But for New Jersey-based entrepreneur Amit Murumkar, the motivation for creating an app was purely practical.
"My daughter was three... and would bring a piece of art back daily from her Montessori school, but there is only so much you can put on a refrigerator door," he says.
"I also was a good artist as a kid, and when I became a parent I thought, 'If only I could show the art I did to my own kids.'"
So he built a smartphone app called Canvsly, that allows parents to capture these works of art on the app, organise them into albums, and invite grandparents or other family members to see and comment on them.
The artwork can also be printed through the app and used to create gifts. As long as you trust the app's cloud storage provider, you could then ditch the originals.
"Parents can go guilt-free and clutter-free," Mr Murumkar says, adding that the app has been downloaded in more than 100 countries.
Anesu Charamba, a tech analyst at research consultancy Frost & Sullivan, believes such apps are helping parents raise and interact with their children in "new and exciting ways".
And as smartphones and cheaper, more reliable internet access spreads beyond developed economies to the rest of the world, early adopters will be joined by the majority, he believes.
Follow Technology of Business editor @matthew_wall on Twitter
Click here for more Technology of Business features | How can busy working mums and dads keep tabs on their toddlers and stay connected to them during the working day? | 36854290 |
Jurgen Kantner was abducted from his yacht in November. The Abu Sayyaf group said it was behind the incident.
The body was retrieved on the island of Sulu and will be returned to Germany, officials said.
Mr Kantner's companion, Sabine Merz, was found shot dead aboard their abandoned yacht in November.
Last month, a video was posted showing the beheading of Mr Kantner by a knife-wielding man.
The German foreign ministry said in a statement that it was "deeply shocked by the inhuman and gruesome act".
Abu Sayyaf is one of the smallest and most violent jihadist groups in the southern Philippines, known for its brutality, including beheadings.
It has pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State.
In recent months it has been behind a series of attacks at sea between the Philippines and Malaysia, with tug boats and fishing vessels intercepted and their crews kidnapped and held for ransom.
According to Abu Sayyaf, the couple were cruising off Malaysia's Sabah state when the militants intercepted them, the Filipino military say.
Mr Kantner, 70, and his companion had been held for 52 days in 2008 by Somali pirates and released after a ransom was paid. | The body of a German hostage beheaded by Islamist militants in the Philippines this week has been recovered, military officials say. | 39170612 |
7 February 2017 Last updated at 07:04 GMT
In particular, we wanted to find out what you really feel about selfies.
Ricky went to find out what you had to say. | For Safer Internet Day 2017, you've been telling us exactly what you think about social media. | 38879900 |
The 32-year-old was handed a six-month ban last August for breaching betting rules and retired two weeks later.
He was appointed player welfare manager at Super League side Warrington in October and he will retain his role with the Wolves.
"It's an exciting time and I'm really looking forward to it," Mathers told BBC Radio Leeds.
"I stick by what I said when I retired and I stand by my reasons for doing that.
"I think the old romantic in me wants to be a part of getting the Bulls back in the Super League." | Bradford Bulls have signed full-back Richie Mathers, four months after he announced his retirement from the game. | 35430571 |
The event was due to take place at 17:00 GMT on Sunday in Cromer, Norfolk.
Organisers said the wind would blow inland and could "blow debris into the crowds" who line the promenade, cliff top and beach.
They said the free event was the biggest New Year's Day display in the country. It will be held on 8 January. | A New Year's Day fireworks display which annually attracts 10,000 people has been postponed due to a northerly wind. | 38477771 |
At the end of September, 16.3% (39,557) of patients were waiting more than a year for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment.
The Health and Social Care Board described the figures as "unacceptable".
A plan to tackle the delays is expected to be announced in January.
The latest Department of Health figures show a total of 243,141 patients in Northern Ireland were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment at the end of September.
That is 7% more (17,548) than at the end of June and 5.4% (12,516) more than at 30 September last year.
Analysis by BBC News NI Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly
The fact that hospital waiting times are up comes as no surprise.
The number of people living longer and requiring specialist health services is increasing - but that is not matched by either funding or extra staff.
As with the rest of the UK, Northern Ireland has a shortage of specialist staff.
Take radiology - at the moment there are about 40 vacant radiologist posts. That has a massive knock-on effect when it comes to seeing people on time.
There is also a shortage of specialist orthopaedic surgeons - hence the number of people waiting for hip replacements and back surgery.
In January, the health minister is due to announce a plan as to how she envisages tackling hospital waiting lists.
That is expected to include a detailed strategy and additional dedicated resources.
But it is hardly likely that those resources will solve the problem.
Instead, the health service will have to do things differently, including consultants changing how they work and being prepared to allow GPs and nurses to share the workload.
In the Northern Health Trust for instance, dermatology consultants are being encouraged to view photographs of patients and their complaint rather than insisting on seeing everyone in person.
Something radical needs to happen to shatter this cycle of men and women waiting unacceptable times on lists.
According to targets set by the health minister, at least 50% of patients should not have to wait any longer than the recommended nine-week target.
More than two thirds of patients in Northern Ireland (167,250) were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, according to the latest Department of Health figures. That is a slight increase compared to the same time last year.
At the end of September, more than 70,000 patients were waiting to be admitted to hospital. That is an increase of 11.7% on last year. | New figures indicate that in the past year there has been a 5.4% rise in the number of people in NI waiting to see a health specialist for the first time. | 38089936 |
The company was founded in 2001 and develops wearable wireless vital signs-monitoring devices for use by hospital patients and outpatients.
It has been bought by New York-based UltraLinq Healthcare.
UltraLinq said the purchase would help its strategy of developing a cost-effective digital health platform focused on cardiovascular conditions.
Intelesens currently employs a team of 39 who will remain at its site at Belfast Harbour, where the company manufactures a range of electrodes and devices.
Aidan Langan, CEO of Intelesens said the deal represented a "tremendous opportunity" for the company, as well as for the MedTech sector in Northern Ireland more generally.
Intelesens' single largest shareholder was Enterprise Equity.
The company began life as a spin-out from Ulster University. | Intelesens, a Belfast-based medical technology firm, has been bought by a US company for an undisclosed sum. | 40817009 |
Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Lib Dems said Scots did not want another ballot despite SNP claims it had a mandate.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale dismissed claims she had not been clear on the issue.
And Ruth Davidson ruled out any second ballot until after 2021.
The SNP has said it has a mandate to hold a second referendum, despite the 2014 vote being a "once in a generation" event.
It said it included the right to hold another independence ballot in the event of a "material" change to Scotland's circumstances.
It insisted that the Brexit vote, in which 62% in Scotland voted to remain in the EU, a majority, albeit reduced at Holyrood last year, and a vote in March by the Scottish Parliament to stage another referendum, constituted a mandate.
Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland Ms Dugdale, who has previously said Labour MPs and MSPs could campaign for independence if a second referendum was staged, insisted she would block any second ballot.
She said: "Everywhere I go I meet people who are distressed, upset and worried about the instability a second referendum would cause and indeed the damage independence would cause.
"We have been very clear we are opposed to independence and a second independence referendum.
"The reality is now, our job is to block a referendum here in Scotland. Because the people of Scotland don't want it, nor do they want independence."
And Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who has seen her party stage an electoral revival on the back of her vocal opposition to another independence vote, said she did not believe the SNP had a mandate for a second referendum.
She insisted on the programme that there was no "public consent" to hold another vote and if there had to be one it could only be after 2021 at the earliest.
She said: "the SNP are going to argue for another referendum till the cows come home. I don't accept they have a mandate. There has got to be both political and public consent for this."
And she said there could not be any second vote held until after a Brexit deal had been negotiated and its effects "played out on the ground" including the new powers devolved from the EU back to Scotland.
She added: "I am absolutely not going to advocate for this to be held in the next while or within the next generation."
And Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie joined in the chorus against staging a second referendum while campaigning in East Dunbartonshire.
He said: "The Scottish economy is teetering on the edge of a recession, the performance of Scottish education is dropping down the international rankings and mental health services are failing to deliver the care we expect.
"People should use their vote to change the direction of the country away from another divisive independence referendum."
But SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson, said there was only one way for Scotland's "voice to be heard" adding: "Scotland needs MPs who will speak up for what is right, not simply do whatever Theresa May tells them.
"Now more than ever, it is vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland at Westminster." | Leaders of Scotland's main pro-UK parties insist they would block any attempt to stage a second independence vote. | 40077253 |
Many of them hail the flamboyant performer as a true pioneer of the British rock scene.
Richard Jones from Chester says he was was blown away by Keith Emerson's on-stage presence, when he first saw him in 1968.
"He led the charge to progressive rock as he was a consummate musician primarily. Showmanship was the icing on the cake" he said.
"He rewrote the history of rock music, simple as that. Even Rick Wakeman [of the band Yes] would probably admit he was the best of the best."
"The English pioneered the genre but Keith led the charge with complex reproductions of classical music for the Hammond [organ]. And of course the full size Moog [synthesizer] which no-one believed could be taken on the road!
"He was never one of the populist musicians, and he did his own thing, but if you ever saw him he was quite a humble guy. He was not someone who followed the crowd.
"On the way to my first concert I met a fellow fan of the band on the National Express bus. We are still friends today and still go to concerts together".
Eddie Conway, from Milton Keynes, became a lifelong fan after seeing one of the band's first performances in the late 1960s.
He said of Emerson: "He'd jam the keys of his synthesizer down with large knives while swinging it around, then hurl the knives into a door at the side of the stage.
"I saw ELP several times through the years, and I was also lucky enough to see him at what would be his last gig at the Barbican last year. He will be sadly missed."
Steve Crabbe from Milton Keynes went to see ELP at the Portsmouth Guildhall in 1971.
"I was transfixed when they came on stage and started with Barbarian with its huge thundering fuzz bass line" he wrote.
"In those days there was no limit on volume, so the whole place shook and my trousers flapped! Fantastic at the time and I still play their tracks at high volume to try and recapture the sheer exuberance of it all."
Rick Stephenson from Norfolk got to know Keith while fundraising for charity.
"I've been a lifelong fan and living in Norfolk I used to do some fundraising for Children in Need and because I was a fan of his I approached him to ask for his help. After that we corresponded quite regularly because we both loved playing keyboards and motorbikes.
"He was a lovely bloke who loved being a dad and being a grandfather. I've always said that I have had two influences in my life one being my dad and the other was Keith.
"When playing the keyboard, or piano, he could do stuff with one hand which I couldn't manage with two. He gave me some sheet music for his piano concerto although I have no hope of being able to play it.
"He loved really deep and was a true gentleman." | Fans of the legendary rock musician Keith Emerson, the co-founder and keyboardist of progressive rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer, have been sharing their tributes after his former bandmates revealed that he had died at the age of 71. | 35793251 |
Gaston Ramirez is also available after an ankle knock and the only absentee is Calum Chambers, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Arsenal could welcome back captain Laurent Koscielny after two games out with an Achilles issue.
Petr Cech could also return after a calf injury but Lucas Perez and David Ospina remain sidelined.
Ian Dennis: "Arsenal will certainly not want another meek Monday night after their sorry showing at Selhurst Park.
"Last week their team coach was delayed in traffic in south London, but I remember 10 years ago the Arsenal bus, en route to the Riverside, took a wrong turn and started heading towards Darlington. They lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough that day.
"Critics of Arsene Wenger will say the club is lacking direction. The statistics certainly reinforce those that think Arsenal have lost their way - they've won seven points out of a possible 24 since the end of January.
"Sam Allardyce tactically exposed Arsenal but can Steve Agnew follow suit? A winning formula is essential because time is running out for Boro, who have scored the fewest home goals of any side in the top four divisions in England."
Twitter: @Iandennisbbc
Middlesbrough head coach Steve Agnew: Of course they [Arsenal] are in a difficult moment, certainly away from home. But they have got top-quality players throughout the team, so we have no doubt it will be a really, really difficult game.
"It is a challenge because he's got top, top players through the squad. It's full of internationals and Arsene Wenger, in my opinion, is one of the most talented coaches there's been around for many years."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on his side's top-four prospects: "We might get there, we might not get there, but the only thing to get there is to believe we can do it and that's what we have to focus on.
"It's not the fear to fail, it's the desire to make it and that's the only chance we have to make it."
Arsenal were all over the place against Crystal Palace last time out but Middlesbrough will not cause them anywhere near the same sort of problems.
Prediction: 0-2
Lawro's full predictions v singer Sting and his son
Head-to-head
Middlesbrough
Arsenal
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches. | Middlesbrough will be boosted by the return of captain George Friend from a calf injury. | 39550227 |