Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Wall Street was higher on Friday morning after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said the case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months.
Yellen, speaking before a gathering of global central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, did not indicate when the Fed would raise rates, but said the central bank thinks future hikes should be "gradual".
"In light of the continued solid performance of the labor market and our outlook for economic activity and inflation, I believe the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has strengthened in recent months," Yellen said in prepared remarks.
All 10 major S&P 500 sectors were higher. Financials .SPSY, which stand to gain the most if rates are raised, jumped 0.78 percent.
Bank of America (BAC.N), JPMorgan (JPM.N), Goldman Sachs' (GS.N), Citigroup (C.N) and Wells Fargo (WFC.N) rose between 0.9 percent and 2 percent.
At 10:24 a.m. EDT the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI was up 104.33 points, or 0.57 percent, at 18,552.74.
The S&P 500 .SPX was up 13.91 points, or 0.64 percent, at 2,186.38 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was up 37.84 points, or 0.73 percent, at 5,250.04.
The dollar index .DXY pared losses to trade largely flat.
"Yellen wants to set the table for a September hike, but perhaps only deliver the hike in November or December," said Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
The markets have been on tenterhooks all of this week in the run-up to Yellen's speech. Wall Street has dropped about 0.5 percent from Monday through Thursday.
A report on Friday showed the U.S. economy grew at a slower pace than previously estimated for the second quarter. However, consumer spending, which makes up more than two-thirds of economic activity, was revised up to show it increased at the fastest rate since the fourth quarter of 2014.
Shares of Herbalife (HLF.N) fell 5.8 percent after a report said Carl Icahn, the nutritional supplement maker's top shareholder, was looking to sell his stake.
GameStop (GME.N) dropped 8 percent after quarterly revenue at the world's largest retailer of video games missed analysts' estimates.
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by 2,254 to 511. On the Nasdaq, 1,918 issues rose and 596 fell.
The S&P 500 index showed 27 new 52-week highs and 1 new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 86 new highs and 10 new lows.
(Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)

Wall Street rises as Yellen says case for rate hike stronger


Wall Street was higher on Friday morning after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said the case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months.


WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday fined Alaska Airlines, American Airlines (AAL.O), Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), and United Airlines (UAL.N) for providing inaccurate information to passengers about how much compensation they could potentially receive for being denied boarding against their will and for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage.

Four U.S. airlines fined for inaccurate information about bumping compensation


The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday fined Alaska Airlines, American Airlines (AAL.O), Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), and United Airlines (UAL.N) for providing inaccurate information to passengers about how much compensation they could potentially receive for being denied boarding against their will and for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage.


The Pulse night club sign is pictured through a fence following the mass shooting there last week in Orlando, Florida, U.S., June 21, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
ORLANDO, Fla. Panicked callers to 911 during June's mass shooting in Orlando told police of buildings hit by stray bullets and wounded friends stuck inside the gay nightclub where a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people.
"Gun shots were just like crazy," one caller outside the club told 911 operators, according to partial transcripts of the calls that were released on Tuesday.
Shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 at the Pulse nightclub in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
One neighbor near Pulse told 911 operators people were banging on his door to escape the shooting and others were seeking cover behind parked cars.
People reported on the carnage inside the club.
"One of our friends sent us a text and he said that he’s been shot and he’s in the bathroom and no one sees him," one caller told 911.
A woman told an operator her husband was in the club and he reported shooting.
"He told me he cannot get out. He’s over there (and) he said he cannot get out," the woman said.
A man said: "I just got home from the Pulse club ... My friends texted me (to) tell me there is a shooting going (on) A lot of my friends got shot."
The operator responds by saying not to text or call the friend.
Authorities did not release the names of those who called 911 or those who were mentioned as being inside the club.
Mateen, 29, was killed by police inside the nightclub.
He pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State militant group during the rampage in which he used an assault rifle and pistol that had been legally purchased although he had twice been investigated by the FBI for possible connections with militant Islamist groups.
U.S. authorities believe that Mateen, who lived in Fort Pierce, Florida, with his wife and young child, was self-radicalized and acted alone without assistance or orders from abroad.
(Reporting by Barbara Liston; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Alistair Bell)

Orlando 911 calls tell of fear inside and outside of Pulse club


Panicked callers to 911 during June's mass shooting in Orlando told police of buildings hit by stray bullets and wounded friends stuck inside the gay nightclub where a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people.


Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Italian President Sergio Mattarella (C) is seen with Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi (L) during his visit to Amatrice after the earthquake in central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
A firefighter stands in front of Sant'Agostino church following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Coffins of some of the victims of the earthquake in central Italy are seen inside a gym before the funeral in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
Mourners pay their respects as they attend a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A picture of San Francesco church hangs on the wall of a damaged house following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Mourners pay their respects as they attend a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A woman sits next to a coffin to pay her respects as she attends a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A friar pays his respects as he attends a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
ASCOLI PICENO, Italy The number of people killed in an earthquake that has wrecked parts of central Italy rose to 284 on Saturday, as the country started a day of mourning and prepared for a mass funeral for some of the victims.
A further two bodies were found overnight in the worst-hit town, Amatrice, which was flattened by Wednesday's powerful quake causing the deaths of at least 224 residents and tourists.
Although rescuers continued to scour the mounds of rubble -- all that remains of most buildings -- there was little hope of finding survivors.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella flew to Amatrice by helicopter on Saturday to see the damage first hand before traveling on later in the morning to the nearby city of Ascoli Piceno for the funeral of up to 40 of the victims.
Mourners gathered at a sports center in the city, where 35 coffins were lined up by early Saturday.
"Even if I didn't know them my heart broke for them. My thoughts are with them because there are people who have lost everything, homes, loved ones and the sacrifices made in life," said local resident, Luciana Cavicchiuni.
"These things should not happen," she said.
Aftershocks continued to rattle the area overnight, the strongest measuring 4.2. The Italian geological institute said some 1,332 aftershocks have hit Italy's central mountains since Wednesday's predawn 6.2 magnitude quake.
(Additional reporting by Iona Serrapica; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Italy quake death toll hits 284 on day of mass funeral


The number of people killed in an earthquake that has wrecked parts of central Italy rose to 284 on Saturday, as the country started a day of mourning and prepared for a mass funeral for some of the victims.


NEW YORK U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leads her Republican rival Donald Trump by 5 percentage points among likely voters, down from a peak this month of 12 points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll released on Friday.
The Aug. 22-25 opinion poll found that 41 percent of likely voters supported Clinton ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election, while 36 percent supported Trump. Some 23 percent would not pick either candidate and answered "refused," "other" or "wouldn't vote."
Clinton, a former secretary of state, has led real estate developer Trump in the poll since Democrats and Republicans ended their national conventions and formally nominated their presidential candidates in July. Her level of support has varied between 41 and 45 percent during that period, and her lead over Trump in the tracking poll peaked this month at 12 percentage points on Tuesday.
During the past week, Clinton has been dogged by accusations by Trump, which she has denied, that donations to her family's charitable foundation influenced her actions while she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Questions have also surfaced again about her use of a private email server and address rather than a government one during her period at the State Department.
Meanwhile, Trump and Clinton also sparred over who would be a better advocate for African Americans and other minorities, and Trump hinted he could soften his hard-line stance on immigration. [nL1N1B714Z]
In a separate Reuters/Ipsos poll that includes candidates from small, alternative parties, Clinton leads the field by a smaller margin. Some 39 percent of likely voters supported Clinton in the four-way poll, compared with 36 percent for Trump, 7 percent for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and 3 percent for Green Party nominee Jill Stein.
Both polls were conducted online in English in all 50 states. They included 1,154 likely voters and have a credibility interval of 3 percentage points.
The results may differ from the Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation project, which includes a separate weekly tracking poll that measures support for the major party candidates in every state and Washington D.C.
The States of the Nation, released on Wednesday, estimated that if the election were held now Clinton would have a 95 percent chance of winning by a margin of about 108 votes in the Electoral College, the body that decides the election through a count of the candidates' wins in each state.
(Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Frances Kerry)

Clinton leads Trump by 5 points in Reuters/Ipsos poll


U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton leads her Republican rival Donald Trump by 5 percentage points among likely voters, down from a peak this month of 12 points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll released on Friday.


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. The first regularly scheduled commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than half a century is set to depart on Wednesday, starting a new chapter in the Obama administration's bid to open trade and travel with the former Cold War foe.
The first of several U.S. carriers to begin serving Cuba in the coming months, JetBlue Airways Corp will fly from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Santa Clara, a city in the center of Cuba known for its monument to revolutionary Che Guevara.
Among the passengers on the 150-seat Airbus A320 will be U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, JetBlue Chief Executive Officer Robin Hayes, news reporters and photographers and other officials. Regular travelers, including some of Cuban descent, will occupy nearly half the seats on a route that may be a commercial challenge, at least initially.
Cuba and the United States began normalizing relations in December 2014 after 18 months of secret talks. The countries had been hostile for more than five decades, since Fidel Castro ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in a revolution that steered the island on a communist course and made it a close ally of the Soviet Union.
Since Obama has been unable to persuade the U.S. Congress to lift a longstanding trade embargo, U.S. citizens are still prohibited from visiting Cuba as tourists. The U.S. government has approved exceptions to the ban, ranging from cultural, religious and educational travel to business and visiting family.
Despite those limitations, U.S. airlines have rushed to start flights - adding a lot of capacity and setting themselves up to lose money on the trips in the short run, said industry consultant Robert Mann.
"Most carriers look at international markets that have been restricted and are just opening up as an investment," Mann said. "You need to get your foot in the door."
Services on regional carrier Silver Airways and American Airlines Group Inc from the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area to Cuba's outlying provinces are the next to start, in September. Three other carriers will follow.
Mann said the companies probably offered to fly to Cuban cities unknown to many American travelers, so that U.S. officials would look favorably on their applications to fly to Havana.
A memorandum of understanding between Cuba and the United States will limit Havana flights to 20 round trips per day. U.S. officials have yet to announce a final decision on which companies will get those coveted routes.
(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Fort Lauderdale; Editing by Christian Plumb and Jonathan Oatis)

First U.S.-Cuba scheduled flight in decades set to depart


The first regularly scheduled commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than half a century is set to depart on Wednesday, starting a new chapter in the Obama administration's bid to open trade and travel with the former Cold War foe.


SINGAPORE Most Asian share markets slipped on Monday while the U.S. dollar held firm on Monday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated an interest rate increase remains on the cards for this year.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS slid 0.7 percent.
Japan's Nikkei .N225, bucked the trend and climbed 2.2 percent as the yen weakened against the resurgent dollar.
The case for a rate hike has strengthened in recent months, with a lot of new jobs being created, and economic growth is looking likely to continue at a moderate pace, Yellen said in a speech at the Fed's annual monetary policy conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday.
While Yellen did not give guidance on what the central bank needs to see before raising rates, she said the Fed already thinks it is close to meeting its goals of maximum employment and stable prices. She described consumer spending as "solid" but noted that business investment was weak and exports hurt by a strong dollar.
Comments by the Fed's No. 2 policymaker, Vice Chair Stanley Fischer, following Yellen's speech also bolstered the case for a hike this year.
Asked on CNBC whether a rate hike in September and more than one policy tightening before year end should be expected, Fischer said Yellen's comments were "consistent with answering yes" to both questions, albeit still data-dependent.
Traders remained cautious, however. The odds of a hike in September rose to 30 percent following the comments from 21 percent on Thursday, according to CME Group's FedWatch tool. Traders were pricing in a 60.2 percent chance of a hike in December, up from 51.8 percent on Thursday.
"While the move towards another Fed rate hike will likely cause bouts of consternation in investment markets I don’t see the same degree of uncertainty that we saw around last year’s Fed rate hike," Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy at AMP Capital in Sydney, wrote in a note.
"It’s clear from the Fed’s actions this year that it is aware of global risks, the impact of its own actions on those risks and any potential blow back to the U.S. economy and of the impact of a rising U.S. dollar in doing some of its work for it."
The comments from Yellen and Fischer dragged Wall Street lower at the close.
But they proved a boon for the U.S. currency, with the dollar index .DXY, which tracks the greenback against six global peers, jumping 0.8 percent on Friday. It held steady at 95.561 in early trading on Monday.
The dollar surged 1.3 percent against the yen JPY=D4 on Friday to a two-week high, its biggest one-day advance in almost seven weeks. It extended those gains by 0.1 percent to 101.99 yen early on Monday.
The euro EUR=EBS was little changed at $1.1194 after tumbling 0.8 percent on Friday, its biggest one-day slide since July 15.
In commodities, the rally in the dollar drove crude lower. U.S. crude futures CLc1 fell 0.9 percent to $47.22 in early Asian trade.
Investors will be looking to Japan household spending and retail sales on Tuesday, global factory activity readings on Thursday and the U.S. non-farm payrolls report on Friday.
(Editing by Kim Coghill)

Most Asia stocks slide on Fed officials' rate comments, dollar firms


Most Asian share markets slipped on Monday while the U.S. dollar held firm on Monday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated an interest rate increase remains on the cards for this year.


UPDATE 4-EU hits Apple with 13 billion euro Irish tax demand
BRUSSELS/DUBLIN, Aug 30 The European Commission ordered Apple Inc. to pay Ireland unpaid taxes of up to 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) on Tuesday as it ruled the firm had received illegal state aid.

BRIEF-Borgwarner VP Ericson sells 17,132 shares of co's common stock on Aug 26


The logo of Takata Corp is seen on its display through a vehicle at a showroom for vehicles in Tokyo, Japan, May 11, 2016. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
TOKYO A truck transporting Takata Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators and propellants that are at the center of a global recall exploded in Texas earlier this month, resulting in one death and four injuries, the embattled auto parts supplier said on Monday.
The truck operated by a subcontractor was traveling to a Takata plant in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Aug. 22 when the accident occurred, causing an explosion which incinerated one home, local media reported.
A Takata spokesman in Tokyo was unable to confirm the date and location of the accident, but said the truck was carrying air bag inflators and propellants containing ammonium nitrate, the volatile chemical compound linked to the supplier's exploding air bags, and that the blast killed one woman.
"Takata immediately deployed personnel to the site and has been working closely with the subcontractor and the appropriate authorities to investigate this incident," the company said in a statement.
The spokesman said Takata has a warehouse in Eagle Pass which stocks inflators manufactured across the U.S.-Mexico border at its plant in Monclova, which has been confirmed as one of the sources of its defective air bags.
These air bags have been linked to the deaths of at least 14 people and have sparked the global auto industry's biggest-ever recall. Prolonged exposure of the inflators to hot conditions can cause air bags to explode with excessive force, spraying shrapnel into passenger compartments.
More than 100 million vehicles worldwide have been slated for recall to replace Takata inflators, which in addition to the deaths, are linked to more than 150 injuries - mostly in the United States and involving Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) cars.
Takata is looking for a financial sponsor to help overhaul its business and carry ballooning costs as it faces potentially billions of dollars worth of liabilities over the sometimes deadly defects in its inflators.
(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

Truck carrying Takata air bag inflators causes blast in U.S., one killed


A truck transporting Takata Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators and propellants that are at the center of a global recall exploded in Texas earlier this month, resulting in one death and four injuries, the embattled auto parts supplier said on Monday.


A sign is seen at an AstraZeneca site in Macclesfield, central England May 19, 2014. REUTERS/Phil Noble
NEW YORK U.S. regulators said on Tuesday that AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L) will pay $5.52 million to resolve a foreign bribery probe into improper payments by its sales and marketing staff to officials at state-controlled health care providers in China and Russia.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission detailed the settlement with the drug company in an order instituting an administrative proceeding arising out of violations of provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Alan Crosby)

AstraZeneca to pay $5.52 million to resolve SEC foreign bribery case


U.S. regulators said on Tuesday that AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L) will pay $5.52 million to resolve a foreign bribery probe into improper payments by its sales and marketing staff to officials at state-controlled health care providers in China and Russia.


The logo of Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis is seen on its headquarters building in Basel, Switzerland October 27, 2015. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
ZURICH Novartis has won U.S. approval for a copy of Amgen's blockbuster arthritis drug Enbrel, but the Swiss drugmaker's bid to muscle in on the medicine's $4.7 billion in annual U.S. revenue remains blocked by court battles.
Novartis's Sandoz unit said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Erelzi, its biosimilar copy of Enbrel, for rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other diseases.
Yet Erelzi remains stuck in the starting blocks because U.S. courts have ruled makers of biosimilars must wait 180 days after winning FDA approval before beginning sales of the near-copies. [tinyurl.com/he4govy]
That could delay Erelzi's sales launch until March 2017.
Amgen is also waging an aggressive patent war, seeking to fend off Novartis's incursion on Enbrel's turf by arguing in U.S. federal court its drug has patent protection until 2029.
"We are fully committed to bringing Erelzi to U.S. patients and payers as soon as possible," Novartis said in a statement, adding: "However, we cannot speculate on product commercial availability."
Biosimilars aim to copy biologic products made inside living cells.
Novartis, whose first biosimilar Zarxio was approved last year after a separate court fight with Amgen, is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in biosimilar manufacturing in Austria and France to make cheaper biotech copies of brand-name drugs.
The Basel-based company is betting these copies will be irresistible for insurers, healthcare systems and governments aiming to contain costs.
In Erelzi's case, the prize is big as Enbrel was the world's fifth-biggest selling medicine in 2014.
In trying to accelerate sales, Novartis has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the ruling by a U.S. federal appeals court forcing biosimilar makers to wait six months after FDA approval. [tinyurl.com/jncdnhx]
Meanwhile, Amgen's battle to prolong patents it maintains shield Enbrel for another 13 years is far from resolved. In an Aug. 11 ruling, a U.S. federal judge in New Jersey blocked Sandoz from selling its version.
While court documents indicate Novartis and Amgen have struck a pact over the matter, their agreement has been sealed by U.S. District Judge Claire Cecchi and is not public.
"We will not comment on the pending litigation at this time," Novartis said in a statement.
However, the patent fight could take months or years to resolve. Cecchi has released a schedule for hearings, with a potential trial due to begin only in April 2018.
(Editing by David Holmes)

Novartis bid to sell new biosimilar crimped by U.S. court battles


Novartis has won U.S. approval for a copy of Amgen's blockbuster arthritis drug Enbrel, but the Swiss drugmaker's bid to muscle in on the medicine's $4.7 billion in annual U.S. revenue remains blocked by court battles.


U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks about health insurance marketplace enrollments and the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
NEW YORK Nearly a third of U.S. counties will likely be served by only one insurer that participates in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2017, according to an analysis published Sunday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The 31 percent of U.S. counties that will have just a single option of insurers within the ACA's exchanges would represent an increase from 7 percent this year, the nonpartisan group found.
UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N) and Aetna Inc (AET.N) have decided to largely exit government-run online marketplaces in 2017 that sell subsidized plans created under President Barack Obama's national healthcare reform law, citing low enrollment and high service costs.
The bulk of the decrease in counties with a choice of insurers is due to UnitedHealth's pullback, which was announced in April.
The data underscores the degree to which industry retrenchment is curtailing individual's options within the marketplaces. Insurer departures may lead to higher costs within that market, analysts have said.
One county - Pinal County, Arizona - risks having no insurer options at all within the marketplace, the analysis found.
However, the study's authors said another plan offered elsewhere in the state could expand to serve the county. The foundation also said it could take more months and more data for the full impact of the changes for 2017 to become clear.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was not immediately available for comment, but the agency has said that the ACA has helped increase the number of options available to individuals.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Paul Tait)

More U.S. counties to see Obamacare marketplace monopoly: analysis


Nearly a third of U.S. counties will likely be served by only one insurer that participates in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2017, according to an analysis published Sunday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.


Job seekers fill out applications during the 11th annual Skid Row Career Fair the Los Angeles Mission in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on May 31, 2012. REUTERS/David McNew/File Photo
SAN FRANCISCO Wall Street will fixate on a wave of U.S. economic data next week, crested by payrolls data on Friday that could sway expectations about the timing of future interest rate hikes and spark volatility in record-high stock prices.
Fresh data about employment and consumer confidence could help investors solidify expectations for a December interest rate hike from the U.S. Federal Reserve, or lend weight to a minority of strategists predicting a rate rise as early as next month.
Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the case for a rate hike is strengthening, but she left open the timing of what would be the first increase since December 2015.
"She did put the market on notice that she'd like to raise rates, which means the payrolls data out on Friday is very important. The wage component, length of the workweek and types of jobs, all are crucial in order to extrapolate to inflation,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey.
Following Yellen's speech, prices for fed funds futures implied investors see roughly a 60 percent chance of a December hike, up from just above 50 percent on Thursday. Investors see chances of a September hike at 36 percent, up from 21 percent.
Almost a decade of ultra-low interest rates has helped propel stock prices to record highs, even as the economy expands at a lukewarm rate and U.S. largecaps struggle with over a year of declining earnings.
Expectations for higher interest rates would likely continue a recent trend of investors selling high-dividend payers like utilities and telecoms, in favor of sectors tied to economic expansion like financials and industrials.
Underscoring the importance of the upcoming jobs report, Yellen pointed to a recent rebound in employment and said in her speech at a symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming that the Fed expects the economy to continue expanding.
"Chairwoman Yellen put a magnifying glass on next Friday’s jobs report. That really I do believe is going to be a determining factor of the market’s direction for its next leg," said David Schiegoleit, managing director at U.S. Bank Private Client Reserve in Los Angeles.
The August jobs report is expected to show the U.S. economy created 180,000 jobs this month after rising by 255,000 in July, according to a Reuters poll. The forecast is for the unemployment rate to dip one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.8 percent.
Other data in investors' crosshairs next week include personal consumption on Monday, consumer confidence on Tuesday, and car sales and factory activity on Thursday.
The S&P 500 fell Friday for the fifth time in six sessions, but is just 1 percent below its record high set earlier this month.
"Any potential strength in consumer and jobs data could be very helpful to support equity prices where they are right now," said Jon Adams, senior investment strategist at BMO Global Asset Management in Chicago.
(Reporting by Noel Randewich, additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Rodrigo Campos and Chizu Nomiyama)

Jobs data to be a big deal for record-high stocks


Wall Street will fixate on a wave of U.S. economic data next week, crested by payrolls data on Friday that could sway expectations about the timing of future interest rate hikes and spark volatility in record-high stock prices.


A man looks at his phone as he walks past an authorised apple reseller store in Galway, Ireland August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
DUBLIN Ireland's cabinet may be given more time to decide on whether to back the finance minister's recommendation that Dublin appeal the European Commission's ruling against its tax dealings with Apple (AAPL.O), another minister said on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said on Tuesday he "disagreed profoundly" with the Commission's order that Apple should hand over to Ireland unpaid taxes of up to 13 billion euros ruled to be illegal state aid. He will seek approval for an appeal from cabinet at 1030 GMT.
The minority government led by Noonan's Fine Gael is reliant on the support of a number of independent lawmakers, a group of whom, the Independent Alliance, said on Tuesday that they were reviewing the decision and would need to further consult with Noonan, tax officials and independent experts.
If the Independent Alliance refused to back an appeal and pulled out of government, Fine Gael would no longer have sufficient support in parliament to pass legislation and the government could collapse.
"I'm sure, if people need time to understand this matter, that we will create the time and space to do this properly," Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael told national broadcaster RTE when asked if Prime Minister Enda Kenny would allow the Alliance more time if they ask for it.
"We will be able to make a decision but it is appropriate that we give this the time it needs. I am very confident that this government will work its way through this issue and continue with the mandate the Irish people have given us."
Fine Gael is also reliant on an agreement with its biggest rival, Fianna Fail, to abstain on key votes to facilitate the minority government. Fianna Fail said on Tuesday it would back an appeal through the European Courts.
Both parties were criticized by left-wing Sinn Fein, the country's third largest party. It said the government should accept the Commission's ruling and impose the tax bill on the iPhone maker, which says it will also appeal.
"It is important that Irish taxpayers are represented at today's cabinet meeting. The Independent Alliance have an opportunity to do that. They should oppose any appeal and insist that the correct tax bill is paid by Apple," Sinn Fein's David Cullinane said in a statement.
(Editing by Andrew Roche)

Irish cabinet may need more time to decide on Apple appeal: minister


Ireland's cabinet may be given more time to decide on whether to back the finance minister's recommendation that Dublin appeal the European Commission's ruling against its tax dealings with Apple (AAPL.O), another minister said on Wednesday.


U.S. President Barack Obama walks from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S. before his departure to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
WASHINGTON U.S. President Barack Obama shortened the prison sentences of 111 convicts serving time for drug-related offenses in his second round of clemency grants this month, the White House said on Tuesday.
Obama has now granted a total of 673 commutations during his presidency, more than the number granted by the 10 previous presidents combined, as he seeks to reform the criminal justice system, it said.
For some of the convicts, the commutations mean they will serve only half of their original prison sentences. For instance, Sly Stallone Aikens of South Carolina, serving a sentence of 360 months for using and carrying a gun during a drug trafficking crime, will now serve only 180 months.
More than one-third of the 673 convicts had been serving life sentences.
Obama has made reducing the number of people serving long sentences for nonviolent drug offenses a priority. It is one of the rare issues where the president gets support from Republican lawmakers.
He launched the clemency program in 2014, inviting thousands of drug offenders and others to seek early release. It was the most ambitious such program in 40 years, but it has struggled under a flood of thousands of unprocessed cases.
The White House counsel, Neil Eggleston, said he expects Obama will continue to grant commutations through the end of his presidency, which ends on Jan. 20. But only legislation passed by Congress can "achieve the broader reforms needed to ensure our federal sentencing system operates more fairly and effectively," Eggleston said.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner and Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Jonathan Oatis)

Obama shortens prison sentences of 111 convicts: White House


U.S. President Barack Obama shortened the prison sentences of 111 convicts serving time for drug-related offenses in his second round of clemency grants this month, the White House said on Tuesday.


SAN FRANCISCO Alphabet executive David Drummond, who has been a director on the Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] board for close to three years, has stepped down, the ride-hailing firm confirmed on Monday.
The move is a signal of increased overlap between the two companies as they vie for an edge in the competitive autonomous vehicle business.
Drummond joined the board after Alphabet's venture capital arm GV in 2013 invested about $250 million in Uber, among the firm's largest investments and a deal in which Drummond was involved.
"I recently stepped down from Uber's board given the overlap between the two companies," Drummond said in a written statement sent to Reuters. "Uber is a phenomenal company and it's been a privilege working with the team over the last two-plus years. GV remains an enthusiastic investor and Google will continue to partner with Uber."
Drummond joined Google in 2002 and serves as senior vice president of corporate development for Alphabet.
Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick in a written statement called Drummond "a sage advisor and a great personal friend" and said that the two companies would have "continued cooperating and partnership."
Technology news site The Information recently reported that Uber had shut out Drummond from board meetings, citing three people familiar with the situation, and is also shielding information from board participant David Krane of GV.
Uber has redirected much of its focus on developing a fleet of self-driving cars, also a sweet spot for Google. Uber opened a technology center in Pittsburgh, hired away some of the top-tier robotics minds from Carnegie Mellon University and has partnered with major automakers such as Volvo [VOLVO.UL]. Uber recently said it plans to put semi-autonomous cars on the road by the end of this month to pick up passengers.
Google is working on making its self-driving car experiments, which have been ongoing for years, into a viable business.
(Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Alphabet executive steps down from Uber board amid growing competition


Alphabet executive David Drummond, who has been a director on the Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] board for close to three years, has stepped down, the ride-hailing firm confirmed on Monday.


People walk next to an official photo of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff, at a camp in support of Rousseff, in Brasilia, Brazil, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
BRASILIA Suspended President Dilma Rousseff will make a last stand in Brazil's Senate on Monday in an impeachment trial that is widely expected to remove her from office and end more than a decade of leftist rule by her Workers Party.
Rousseff, who is being impeached on charges of breaking budget laws, has denied wrongdoing and denounced the nine-month impeachment process that has paralyzed Brazilian politics as a conspiracy to overthrow her and roll back policies that have favored Brazil's poor during 13 years of Workers Party governments.
But a deep recession that many Brazilians blame her for and a huge corruption scandal involving state-run energy company Petrobras [PETR4.SA] have undermined Rousseff's popularity since she was re-elected in 2014.
Her vice president, Michel Temer, has been interim president since mid-May, when Rousseff was suspended after Congress decided it would continue the impeachment process that began in the lower house.
If the Senate convicts Rousseff on Tuesday or Wednesday as expected, Temer, 75, will be sworn in to serve out the rest of her term through 2018. His business-friendly government vows to take unpopular austerity measures to plug a growing fiscal deficit that cost Brazil its investment-grade credit rating last year.
"She will appeal to undecided senators to respect democracy and stop the coup that is under way," a spokesman for Rousseff told Reuters. "She is in good spirits."
In her 30-minute speech, the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Rousseff, 68, would point to a lifetime fighting for democracy, from her arrest and torture by a military dictatorship for belonging to a left-wing guerrilla group to election as Brazil's first female president.
Twenty of her former Cabinet ministers will support her from the Senate gallery, along with her political mentor and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, founder of the Workers Party.
With the odds stacked against her, Rousseff's testimony appears to be aimed at making a point for the history books that her impeachment was a travesty rather than a bid to sway the 81-seat Senate to block her eviction from office.
FIFTY-FOUR VOTES NEEDED TO CONVICT
Temer is confident he has the two-thirds of the chamber needed to remove Rousseff, and he has planned an address to the nation on Wednesday before heading to China to attend the summit of the G20 group of leading economies.
"We need 54 votes, and we expect to get at least 60," Temer's press spokesman, Marcio de Freitas, told Reuters.
He said the more votes Temer got, the stronger would be his mandate to take the difficult measures needed to restore confidence in Brazil's economy, caught in a two-year recession.
A survey published by O Globo newspaper on Sunday showed 53 senators would vote against Rousseff and only 18 would back her - 10 short of the 28 she needs to avoid being ousted. Ten senators have not stated a position or were not polled.
Even senators not convinced the accounting charges brought against Rousseff warrant her impeachment have decided to vote against her because they see her return to the presidency prolonging Brazil's political crisis.
"I will vote against her even though I think it is a tragedy to get rid of an elected president, but another 2-1/2 years of a Dilma government would be worse," centrist Senator Cristovam Buarque said in a phone interview.
Rousseff has lost her base of support in Congress and can no longer run the country effectively, he said.
Senator Helio Jose, who was the Rousseff government's deputy whip in the Senate, has not declared his vote. But he said in a telephone interview that Temer was doing a good job restoring stability since he took over from Rousseff.
"I don't think the return of President Dilma would be good for the country. Temer has built support in Congress to pass austerity measures we need to recover confidence and draw investment to Brazil," he said.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Brazil's Dilma Rousseff takes stand in impeachment trial


Suspended President Dilma Rousseff will make a last stand in Brazil's Senate on Monday in an impeachment trial that is widely expected to remove her from office and end more than a decade of leftist rule by her Workers Party.


Digital mapping firm HERE wants new investor by year-end - Handelsblatt
FRANKFURT, Aug 30 Digital maps company HERE, controlled by German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen, aims to find a new investor by the end of the year, HERE chief Edzard Overbeek told a German newspaper.

BRIEF-Moody's changes Canadian Solar's outlook to negative from stable


A man uses a mobile phone in front of an advertisement board bearing the image of Pokemon Go at an electronic shop in Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
BRUSSELS Inspired by the success of Pokemon Go, a Belgian primary school headmaster has developed an online game for people to search for books instead of cartoon monsters, attracting tens of thousands of players in weeks.
While with Pokemon Go, players use a mobile device's GPS and camera to track virtual creatures around town, Aveline Gregoire's version is played through a Facebook group called "Chasseurs de livres" ("Book hunters").
Players post pictures and hints about where they have hidden a book and others go to hunt them down. Once someone has finished reading a book, they "release" it back into the wild.
"While I was arranging my library, I realized I didn't have enough space for all my books. Having played Pokemon Go with my kids, I had the idea of releasing the books into nature," Gregoire told Reuters.
Though it was only set up a few weeks ago, more than 40,000 people are already signed up to Gregoire's Facebook group.
The hidden tomes range from books for toddlers through to Stephen King horrors, placed around Belgian towns and countryside, often wrapped in clear plastic to keep off the rain.
The Detournay family from the town of Baudour in southern Belgium said the game was now part of their morning walks. They found one book and left four others for people to find.
"My daugther said it's like hunting for easter eggs, only with books," Jessica Detournay said.
When they returned home, they received a Facebook notification informing them that somebody had already found two of their books.
Gregoire is now contemplating taking the game a step further and creating an app for it.
(Editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek and Robin Pomeroy)

Belgians are hunting books, instead of Pokemon


Inspired by the success of Pokemon Go, a Belgian primary school headmaster has developed an online game for people to search for books instead of cartoon monsters, attracting tens of thousands of players in weeks.


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.
A study of 1,500 Brits exploring the influence of packaging and branding on shopping habits found that one in six people thought the Coca-Cola bottle was the most identifiable in terms of packaging.
Indeed, it was deemed to be just as recognisable without its logo or the product itself.
The research, commissioned by Easyfairs, organisers of Packing Innovations and Luxury Packaging London, found the Toblerone triangular chocolate bar finished as a close runner up, with Marmite’s glass jar rated as third-best-loved product packaging.
Beauty brands, such as the Tiffany Box and the Chanel No.5 Bottle just missed out on the top ten.
Coke’s success has been attributed to its targeting younger audience, with one in five Millennials selecting the bottle as the most recognisable pack product.Pringles’ iconic cylinder tube, fourth on the overall list, was the Millennial’s second favourite.
The study also revealed barcodes as the greatest packaging invention, ahead of more traditional items such as the cardboard box (21 per cent) - although the younger generation, 18-34 years, voted for 3D printing and re-sealable zips as its top two.
Gerry Sherwood, Event Director for the Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, who commissioned the survey, said: “Millennials have officially passed Baby Boomers as the largest generation in history, and are more personally connected to their favourite brands than ever before. It is therefore not surprising to see 3D printing come out top in our poll for this age group.”
Top Ten Most Recognisable Brand’s Packaging
1. Coca-Cola Bottle
2. Toblerone Triangle
3. Marmite Jar
4. Pringles Tube
5. KFC Bucket
6. Heinz Ketchup Bottle
7. Fairy Liquid Bottle
8. Apple’s iPhone Box
9. Walkers Crisp Packet
10. Amazon Box

Coca-Cola bottle ‘most iconic packaging’


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.
The gang are currently being hunted by police after the incident in Buckinghamshire on August 11, where a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across railway tracks.
A member of the public called 999 but before anything could be done, a train crashed into the planks.
The train was badly damaged but not derailed and there were no injuries. However, passengers said they felt the carriage ‘jump in the air’.
Investigating officer PC Jay Townsend used the incident as an opportunity to fire out a nationwide warning.
“This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do,” he said.
“Not only is trespassing on the railway extremely dangerous – with trains travelling well in excess of 100mph – but this could have caused the train to derail, and who knows what might have happened.
“We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”
PC Townsend is now hoping to catch the culprits and bring them to justice.
“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information,” he added.
“Do you know who might have done this? Have you seen someone bragging about this on social media, or maybe uploading a video of themselves on the tracks?
“If you have any information, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.

British Transport Police issue warning after train ‘jumps in the air’


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.
The average driver now pays £715 a year for fully comprehensive cover, up 19 per cent on the same time last year.
The figures were revealed by the Confused.com car insurance price index, which tracks quarterly and annual trends.
After dropping for several years from a high of £843 in 2011, insurance costs have been rising since the start of 2015. The latest figures, for the period from April to June 2016 show that costs have risen by 6 per cent since the start of the year and drivers are paying an average of £115 more for their insurance than they were in the same period last year.
Northern Irish drivers have been worst hit by the latest rises, seeing their premiums climb 25 per cent year-on-year. They now face an average premium of £863.
Also feeling the impact badly are motorists in parts of Scotland - the Highlands and Islands saw rises of 24 per cent and drivers in the Hebrides were hit with a staggering 42 per cent annual increase.
Conversely, Orkney’s capital - Kirkwall - was one of only two places to see a drop in costs, with a quarterly fall of four per cent. Hereford, in the West Midlands, was the only other place to see a fall in quarterly premiums - down two per cent on the first three months of the year.
While younger drivers might face the highest premiums overall, they have actually escaped the worst of the rises. Drivers aged 17 saw an annual rise of just eight per cent - the lowest of any age bracket - but still face average premiums of £2,013. A the opposite end, 61-year-old drivers saw a 24 per cent rise - the highest of any age group - but still only pay £418 a year.
And the gender gap persists, with male drivers facing annual rises of 21 per cent in comparison with the 18 per cent faced by women. This continued difference means the gap between the sexes is growing as men pay an average of £92 a year more - up from £27 in 2013.
Confused’s motoring editor, Amanda Stretton, said: “We’ve not seen price rises of this magnitude for five years - a 19 per cent annual increase is substantial to say the least. And these price rises are being felt across the board, for drivers of all ages and genders, across all UK regions.
“If prices continues to rise at the rate we’ve been seeing, we could be facing the possibility of average comprehensive premiums reaching a high not seen since 2011. This, combined with rising fuel prices and increased motoring costs across the board, could result in a sizeable dent in drivers’ pockets.”

Car insurance costs soar nearly 20 per cent in 12 months


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.


Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline.
But new research suggests injuries sustained from indoor trampoline parks are an “emerging health concern”.
The warning comes after a study recorded 40 children needed medical treatment at one hospital in the space of just six months after trampoline accidents at an indoor park.
Last week 25-year-old Bryony won a silver medal in Rio, performing twists and turns at a staggering 30ft.
But while many youngsters may wish to emulate her, researchers stress the danger of using indoor trampoline parks, where many kids bounce simultaneously, on beds placed in close proximity to each other.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of Australian children under 17, who sought medical treatment at a children’s emergency care department between July 2014 and January 2015.
The team focussed solely on injuries sustained whilst at a trampoline park.
During a six month period, the team recorded 40 child patients, 55 per cent of which were girls, requiring treatment for their injuries.
The average age of each child patient was 10, but the youngest was just a year old.
Most of the injuries, a third, occurred while the child was on the trampoline.
And a fifth - 18 per cent - of the injuries were caused by a failed landing.
But in eight cases, the injury was the result of several different children of different sizes using the trampoline at the same time.
The research, published in the journal Injury Prevention, revealed over half of the children (52.5%) injured were simply jumping and not attempting any flips or somersaults at the time.
Six children injured themselves by landing awkwardly on something on the trampoline, such as protective padding designed to prevent falls.
Bruising and sprained ankles were the most common injuries, with 55% of the children’s medical records detailing these.
A third fractured elbow and ankle bones.
But for five children, their injuries were more serious and required surgery and a hospital admission.
Author Dr Christopher Mulligan, from The University of New South Wales said: “Most children were injured while involved in simple jumping activities (52.5%).
“However, five children (12.5%) were injured while attempting somersaults or flips.
“Six children were injured when they came into contact with something while on the trampoline.
“This included two children who landed on balls, and four children who landed on, or caught their feet in, the less elastic padding surrounding them or the hard surface floor.
“In terms of the injuries observed, the majority of patients presented with a soft tissue injury or sprain ( 55%) or fractured bone(s) (37.5%).
“One child sustained a lip laceration. One child presented with concussion, and one with chest pain.
“The lower extremity was the most frequent site of injury (67.5%), followed by the upper extremity (15%).
“The most common sprains were of the ankle. The most common fractures were supracondylar fractures of the elbow and fractures of the ankle.
“There was one fracture/dislocation of a cervical vertebra. No patients sustained a loss of consciousness.”
He added children using trampolines at home are more at risk of falling off it as they are raised above the ground or falling through the padding.
But at centres “double bouncing, or multiple users on a single trampoline, carried a significant risk for injury.
“This occurred particularly when small children were jumping with larger peers
or other adults.”
The study was published in the BMJ’ s Injury Prevention.


Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline.


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.
The study shows exposure to traffic pollution is a trigger for daytime sleepiness - and may also trigger SNORING.
More than 12,000 adults were included in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study.
The findings show that people exposed to high levels of pollution had a 65 per cent greater chance of suffering from daytime sleepiness, compared to those who had no exposure.
Traffic noise in the bedroom was also a trigger - with people 46 per cent more likely to feel sleepy in the day if exposed.
And the research also suggests that people are also 29 per cent more likely to be a habitual snorer if they are exposed to traffic noise while they sleep.
Daytime sleepiness affected one in five people involved in the study, while one in four reported habitual snoring.
Ane Johannessen, an epidemiologist at Bergen University in Norway, wrote the study together with Professor Thorarinn Gislason and other Northern European researchers.
She said: “Exposure to traffic should be taken into account when planning treatment for patients with sleep disturbances, because reducing noise and pollution exposure in the bedroom may have a beneficial effect.
“Reducing exposure through relocating the bedroom away from pollution sources or making the bedroom more soundproof to protect against traffic noise, as well as mapping alternative and less polluted outdoor everyday routes may help patients with their sleep disorders.”
The study also showed that men, older subjects, smokers and those with lower education were more likely to report habitual snoring.
They were usually less physically active, with a higher BMI, and more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Women, older people, smokers, and those with lower education were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
The new research is due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress in London next month.
Professor Jorgen Vestbo, President of ERS and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The question of who snores may be a running joke in some households but for many snoring is a serious issue, with direct links to physical and mental well being and the same is true for daytime sleepiness.
“We want people to think more about the environment around them and the impact it can have - from the way they sleep to the air they breathe.”
To coincide with Congress, the ERS will be holding some free public lung function testing, starting in Trafalgar Square on September 2 and 3.

Sleepiness linked to traffic noise and pollution


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.


A pastor and a Rolls-Royce aerospace engineer are among the 12 hopefuls competing to win the 2016 series of The Great British Bake Off.
The amateur bakers, competing to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion Nadiya Hussain, will again seek the approval of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
However the seventh series could be the last on the BBC. Its three-year deal with producers Love Productions expires at the end of this run and ITV is bidding to poach the format.
Ms Berry, 81, hinted at tensions behind the scenes between the new batch of contestants donning their aprons. She said: “They know the standard that it is, which is now pretty high. And I think they were slower to bond this year than they were in the past.”
The bakers include Andrew, 25, originally from Northern Ireland, he now lives in Derby and works as an aerospace engineer for Rolls-Royce. A Cambridge University graduate, Andrew has set his heart on designing a baguette concorde.
The oldest contestant in this year’s lineup will be Lee, a 67-year-old who has worked in various pastoral ministries for the past 30 years – most recently as the pastor of his local church in Bolton. A former builder, he had a complete change of direction in the mid 1980s, when he turned to theology and took up baking.
The youngest baker is Michael, a 20-year-old from London who is studying politics and economics in Durham. He enjoys making “big grand cakes” and making Greek pastries inspired by his Cypriot heritage.
Teaching Assistant, Benjamina, 23, who started baking aged 14 just for fun, recently graduated with a 1st in Economics & lives in south London.
The contestants also include 66-year-old former primary school head teacher Val, and 31-year-old secondary school PE teacher Candice. Mother of two Kate, 37, is a farmer’s daughter from Norfolk, is a qualified nurse and works on an acute respiratory ward. Candice, 31, from Bedfordshire, was taught to bake by her beloved Nan, and strives to emulate her bakes aiming to be “even half the lady she was.”
Hollywood said Nadiya’s success – she is judging a junior version of the series and is presenting a documentary on her culinary inspirations – had raised the bar for this year’s batch.
“Nadiya went to a whole new level, and because of that I think it put the pressure on them more, and I think we felt that in the tents as well,” the judge said. “But actually they came out tops.
They started quite nervously but once they settled down they got into it. Then the baking started to flow and the standard got really really good.”
The Great British Bake Off launches on August 24 on BBC One at 8pm.

Great British Bake Off contestants: Rolls-Royce engineer and pastor join 2016 lineup


A pastor and a Rolls-Royce aerospace engineer are among the 12 hopefuls competing to win the 2016 series of The Great British Bake Off.


Music, theatre, art, comedy and children’s events are all part of the autumn programme through to December at Stowe House.
Highlights include concerts in the Ugland Auditorium by British a cappella ensemble Apollo5 and The Budapest Cafe Orchestra with their traditional folk and gypsy flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia.
Apollo5 will present a mixed programme of sacred choral music, spirituals, traditional melodies and pop song with versatility and charm.
Also performing in the auditorium is Fresh Dixie, with jazz grooves, pop hooks and blistering improvised solos.
Theatre shows at Stowe during the autumn include Happy Hour, a poignant and fast paced comedy exploring the 21st century obsession with happiness and success.
And prior to that is the spooky Frankenstein, performed during the Halloween month of October.
Comedy arrives with Hal Cruttenden, host of Live At The Apollo. He will be ranting about the real evils of the modern world - over sharing on social media and the 5:2 diet. The more he complains, the funnier he gets.
Children’s theatre includes Under A Magical Moon, a re imagining of Peter Pan as told by Wendy.
There’s plenty of Christmas events to look forward to including Red Priest with their Winter Baroque Carnival presenting a cheering feast of music for winter including Vivaldi and Handel performed in their own inimitable style.
And make a note of the date for the Christmas Gift Fayre from 10am-5pm on Saturday October 29 and Sunday 30 when unique and unusual Christmas gifts for the whole family will be available under one beautiful roof.
Full details of all events throughout the season can be found online at www.artsatstowe.co.uk.

Stowe House hosts music, theatre and art


Music, theatre, art, comedy and children’s events are all part of the autumn programme through to December at Stowe House.


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QUIZ: How well do you know your retro games?


Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz?


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.
“So we get to play all day, then have a knights’ sleepover as well?” Even with mum and dad in tow he knew he was in for something special. And I wasn’t unexcited myself.
At over 1,100 years old Warwick Castle offers its 21st century visitors free reign to explore magnificent stately rooms, dungeons and impressive grounds.
And its owners, Merlin Entertainments have brought history to life with a flaming fireball launch from the trebuchet (the largest in the world ), breath taking displays from enormous birds of prey, blood and guts from the Horrible Histories, spooks and ghouls undergrounds, jousting, archery, knights and endlessly more.
But the best part? Now, you don’t even have to go home. When the castle closes its gates the fun is only just beginning as another exciting adventure awaits – the promise of a sleepover in the shadows of kings.
The castle has been home - and imprisonment - to kings and earls, hosted royal banquets and parties and even has links to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. So the latest addition of year-round camping lodges at Knight’s Village really does mean a sleepover steeped in history.
No time to make it round the maze or see the joust? We can come back tomorrow morning after breakfast. The words are like magic to my little knight-in-training. And even mum and dad are tingling to wake up in such magnificent grounds after enjoying an evening by the river and some of the best views you could ever wish for.
An afternoon arrival showed us that a day at the castle just isn’t enough. But once evening arrived there really was a whole new adventure waiting.
Families can banquet in the great food hall where majestic thrones, flags and plates of armour take you right back hundreds of years. But what really grabbed our attention was the entertainment and chance for children to go wild.
The castle’s brilliant staff pulled everything out of the bag for the youngsters. Circus skills, archery, more knight and sword training – it was a summer Kids Club, but one where the grown-ups are elbowing to get involved as well. Though the less interested still get to enjoy a superb evening relaxing on the porch, watching the fun and basking in the last of the sunshine.
But of course, the centrepiece of Knight’s Village - the lodges. They’re great. With everything from mod-cons (plugs, and WiFi) to replica weaponry and armour, there’s something to keep all ages happy.
Unless you go for the premium, they’re on the cosy side. But with hundreds of years of history on your doorstep, there’s certainly no reason to want to cram inside and watch television.
And of course if it’s sunny and you have a taste for something a bit more medieval, you can get yourself booked up for Glamping and take on a huge cloth tent, complete with four-poster beds and a pair of thrones to watch over the evening entertainment as the sun sets.
It was as peaceful and entertaining a night as you could hope for, with happy children and happy mum and dad all looking forward to a return to the banquet for a hearty breakfast and another go at flag spotting.
The best bit about sleeping among the trees where inspiring history once unfolded? Waking up to stunning views in complete tranquillity. Looking out over the new camping village (which prides itself on not harming the historic grounds in any way and that not one tree was felled in its construction), you really can imagine yourself hundreds of years back in time.
And being able to head back through the gates to do it all again for a second day of exploring.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village is as magical as you could expect from a stay in a truly historic location, and with activities continuing well into the night, acres of grounds to explore, and a historic town just metres outside, there’s no reason not to be excited.
Earning an excited thumbs up from mesmerised children, the stay really delivered as the perfect place to enjoy history on your doorstep this summer.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village offers seasonal stays in Glamping tents or year-round accommodation in its wooden lodges. Prices start from £41.30 per person.
Visit www.Warwick-castle.com to book or more information.

TRAVEL REVIEW: Exclusive sleepover at one of the country’s biggest historical castles


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.


More than half of the UK’s grandparents are planning to look after their grandchildren over the next few weeks, according to a recent survey.
A poll of more than 8,000 over-50s shows that one in eight grandparents will look after grandchildren once a week over the school summer holidays, with a further one in eight will be on childminding duties twice per week.
However, one in twenty grandparents say they will be hosting their grandchildren three days a week while school is out for the summer, according to the research by Saga Car Insurance.
And it’s not just their time that will be donated - one in five say they will spend well over £200 keeping the children occupied. Days out to the beach (77 per cent) and on shopping trips (35 per cent) are the most popular distractions, although some grandparents are even taking their grandchildren on a holiday either in the UK (14 per cent) or abroad (5 per cent).
Grandparents in the North East are the most likely to babysit grandchildren over the school summer holidays, while those in the East Midlands are least likely to.
The Scots are most likely to spend big on their grandkids, with one in four expecting to spend more than £200 during the school holiday period.
Sue Green, Head of Saga Car Insurance, commented: “It looks as though children are in for an action-packed summer which is full of adventure if nan and granddad are in charge over the next couple of weeks. Grandparents really are generous giving up their time and money to help with childcare over the summer holidays and I’m sure they are really looking forward to spending some quality time with their grandchildren.”

Grandparents to the rescue over school summer holidays


More than half of the UK’s grandparents are planning to look after their grandchildren over the next few weeks, according to a recent survey.


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.
Pets at Home surveyed more than 800,000 pet owners through its My VIP club and has found the top 50 most popular names for each pet type. Whether the pet is a bird, cat, dog, fish, horse, reptile or small animal, Charlie was the clear winner with almost 34,000 of British pet owners choosing this name for their animal friend, topping the list of most common names for birds, cats and horses.
Poppy also proved to be a popular choice for many pets, particularly canines and felines, ranking at number one for dogs and number two for cats. Other common selections include Alfie, Bella, Billy and Molly.
George also ranked highly across all species with almost 10,000 of those taking part choosing this name within the top 50, again regardless of pet type, suggesting the young Prince’s influence may not end with toddler fashion and toys.
The world of entertainment, particularly children’s cartoons, appear to have had an effect on the names owners select. Bird based film Rio saw the film’s title rank in 10th place for birds, while classic cartoon character name Tweety came in at number 32.
Bestselling book A Cat Called Alfie may have inspired cat owners, with Alfie being the eighth most popular name for cats. Winnie the Pooh fans are meanwhile drawn to Tigger, which ranked at 11 in cat names. Demonstrating that classic films can still influence our decisions, Thumper, who appeared in the 1942 film Bambi, is still the seventh most chosen name for rabbits. Nemo, is the second most popular name for the nation’s fish following Goldie in first.
Gavin Hawthorn, Group CRM Director, said: “It’s interesting to see that just as popular culture and famous faces influence what we name our children, likewise, these trends can help the nation’s pet owners select a name for their animals. It seems likely that children being allowed to name their first animal friend forms a big part of the naming process, particularly among the film and TV inspired monikers.
“However, it also seems that books and even the Royal family are also helping Brits to decide on what to call their pet. Meanwhile Charlie and Poppy scored highly across species, suggesting that cute, traditional names will always appeal when it comes to naming our pets.”
Top 10 names for British pets by species
Top 10 names for dogs
1. Poppy
2. Alfie
3. Bella
4. Charlie
5. Molly
6. Max
7. Daisy
8. Bailey
9. Ruby
10. Lola
Top 10 names for cats
1. Charlie
2. Poppy
3. Molly
4. Bella
5. Oscar
6. Daisy
7. Tilly
8. Alfie
9. Millie
10. Smudge
Top 10 names for small animals
1. Daisy
2. Fudge
3. Nibbles
4. Poppy
5. Rosie
6. Charlie
7. Thumper
8. Fluffy
9. George
10. Harry
Top 10 names for reptiles
1. Spike
2. George
3. Rex
4. Charlie
5. Sid
6. Monty
7. Bob
8. Leo
9. Rango
10. Sheldon
Top 10 names for fish
1. Goldie
2. Nemo
3. Bob
4. Bubbles
5. Fishy
6. George
7. Fred
8. Jaws
9. Dave
10. Tom
Top 10 names for horses
1. Charlie
2. Jack
3. Rosie
4. Molly
5. Harry
6. Alfie
7. Billy
8. Poppy
9. Murphy
10. Lady
Top 10 names for birds
1. Charlie
2. Joey
3. Billy
4. Bobby
5. George
6. Blue
7. Alfie
8. Rosie
9. Sky
10. Rio


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.


Call it divine intervention but I’m sure Saint Herbert is watching over me as I pass my first bushcraft test at one of Britain’s most heavenly destinations.
Faced with having to boil water on a magical island without the aid of matches or a lighter, my prayers are answered by the former monk when the tiny pieces of bark from a silver birch tree crackle and then burst into flames with little more than a flick of flint on steel.
Chris gets a helping hand making a fire.
Saint Herbert must have performed a similar task every day when he lived as a hermit on this island in the middle of Derwent Water, Cumbria, back in 687 AD.
He would have caught fish in the crystal-clear waters, poured himself a drink and then sat back in wonder at the beauty of his surroundings, the four highest mountains in the Lake District rising out of the deep blue lake in majestic splendour.
More than 1,300 years on, it’s my turn to feast on the views, and I feel blessed to be there on such an enchanting summer’s day.
A tree-laden haven for wildlife, St Herbert’s Island features heavily in the remake of Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s tale Swallows And Amazons, which is expected to be one of the blockbuster films of the summer.
The nostalgic big-screen adaptation follows the adventures of the four Walker siblings - John, Susan, Roger and Titty (controversially renamed Tatty for political correctness) - on holiday with their mother in the Lakes while their father is at sea with the Royal Navy.
They are given permission to sail their boat Swallow for a camping trip to Wild Cat Island, when their father responds to their eager request with a telegram, saying: “Better drowned than duffers if not duffers won’t drown.” But after encountering rival sailors the Amazons (sisters Nancy and Peggy Blackett), they engage in warfare.
Eventually, though, the children join forces to aid the Blacketts’ uncle James Turner (or Captain Flint) who is caught up in murky dealings with Russian spies.
In a nod to Ransome’s shady past - he was kept on file by MI5 as a suspected spy - the plot takes an altogether more sinister turn, with plenty of subterfuge and high-speed chases.
The scenes were shot at Derwent Water, Windermere and Coniston Water, plus parts of North Yorkshire and Scotland.
Along with my wife, Carole, I’m introduced to the joys of sailing and bushcraft by Graham Little, a friendly, weathered Cumbrian from the Keswick Canoe And Bushcraft Group, who has the patience of a saint.
He pushes our canoe out on to the flat, calm water and gently guides us around the lake, offering tips for technique, interspersed with observations about the bountiful wildlife.
We pass Derwent Island, once owned by the eccentric Joseph Pocklington who, in the late 1700s, used to hold a regatta once a year and challenge the townspeople of Keswick to attack the island whilst he shot at them with his cannons.
Sailing across Derwent Water brings back memories of my own childhood. Like Ransome and the fictional Walker children’s father, my dad, Graham, had a spirit of adventure that sometimes got my brother, Stephen, and I into trouble.
On one memorable holiday when I was still in short trousers, he bought a small, second-hand RIB boat and a rattling outboard motor, and took us out into a big, sweeping bay down on the south coast.
It was only when the boat started filling up with icy water that it dawned on him that perhaps he should have bought some life jackets as well.
Fortunately, we made it back to shore before the boat completely submerged, only to be met with a fearful dressing-down from my mum and grandfather, for putting my brother and I at risk.
The base for our weekend trip to the Lakes is the delightful Borrowdale Gates Hotel, a five-minute journey from the market town of Keswick.
Ransome would often make the short walk from Keswick to Friars Crag, a small headland that the renowned poet and art critic John Ruskin once said offered one of the three best views in Europe. It’s named after the monks who sailed over to St. Herbert’s Island to visit the saint and, when the sun breaks through the clouds, the scene is achingly beautiful.
Afterwards, we head south for an hour along one of the most picturesque roads in Britain to Coniston Water, the third largest lake in Cumbria at five miles long.
I’m here to savour the delights of the restored Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola, which has been picking up tourism attraction awards for its luxurious interior and knowledgeable staff.
It was the gondola that gave Ransome the idea for Captain Flint’s houseboat in Swallows And Amazons, and extracts from the novel regularly feature in a fascinating commentary, as the passenger boat makes its way around the lake.
In fact, Coniston’s Ruskin Museum has a black and white postcard of the gondola that Ransome sent to his illustrator, with changes to the outline to show how he wanted the houseboat to look.
After a cuppa at the aptly named Swallows And Amazons Tearoom, on the east side of Coniston lake, we start making our way home, but not before a stop to savour the view of Peel Island (the inspiration for Wild Cat Island).
A fifty-something New Zealand tourist and fan of Ransome’s writing is taking photographs alongside me, and reveals he’s always wanted to see the strip of land for himself “because the guy was a genius”.
As I bid my farewell, it dawns on me there is probably no greater example of the power and reach of the old rascal’s work.
Just like Peel Island, Swallows And Amazons is likely to be enjoyed for generations to come by people throughout the world.
TRAVEL FACTS
Chris Wiltshire from the Press Association was a guest of Cumbria Tourism and Visit England. To plan your own Swallows And Amazons adventure holiday, visit www.visitengland.com/swallowsandamazons and www.golakes.co.uk
Doubles at the Borrowdale Gates Hotel (www.borrowdale-gates.com; 01768 777 204) start from £95 per night half board.
Half-day sessions with Keswick Canoe And Bushcraft (www.keswickcanoeandbushcraft.co.uk) start from £25pp.


Call it divine intervention but I’m sure Saint Herbert is watching over me as I pass my first bushcraft test at one of Britain’s most heavenly destinations.


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.
They want firms a clear list of ingredients for the solutions like those used to regulate food such as peanut butter.
The demand follows the results of a trial that shows that the composition of these laboratory cultures influence the health of the resulting embryos and babies.
The trial found that they affected the numbers of viable embryos created, the rates of successful implantation in the womb, the pregnancy rates and the babies’ birthweights.
The findings were published in the journal Human Reproduction, together with a second paper that reviews what is currently known about embryo culture media.
The second paper concludes: “There is a strong case for demanding full transparency concerning the compositions of and scientific rationale behind the composition of embryo culture media”.
The journal’s editor-in-chief, Professor Hans Evers, called for “urgent action” by industry and regulators in the wake of the findings, saying that, just as with foods such as peanut butter, the exact composition of the culture media should be listed.
He said: “Floating an embryo for only a few days in a culture medium affects the birthweight of IVF children nine months later.
“Small differences in birthweight may reflect more subtle disturbances that only will manifest themselves later in life.
“As of today, not knowing the exact composition of their IVF culture media is no longer an option for clinical embryologists.”
Dr John Dumoulin, the IVF laboratory director at Maastricht University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, and his colleagues recruited 836 couples who were scheduled for IVF or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment at one of 10 IVF centres.
Dr Dumoulin said: “For the first time, by means of a large randomised controlled trial, we have shown that human embryos that are cultured in vivo are sensitive to their environment and that something is programmed into these embryos during those few days before transfer to the womb that still has an effect nine months later.
“This being the case, we must be aware that David Barker hypothesised that the environment in early life, from foetus to the first two years of life, can have a significant effect on long-term health.
“This means that we should be careful and we should no longer blindly accept new culture media, or other alterations in laboratory or clinical procedures, without first rigorously studying effectiveness and safety.”
In the second paper, a working group of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, led by Professor Arne Sunde, of the University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway, made the same recommendations.
Their research showed that culture media vary widely, their composition is usually unknown by the embryologists, doctors and patients, and figures about the influence of the media on outcomes are conflicting.
Prof Sunde said: “The key issue is that we must know the composition of the culture media we use, since it seems to induce differences in the make-up of the children born.
“We have no information about long-term consequences of this, but we cannot rule out that the composition of the culture media may affect the health of children as they grow up and become adults.”
At present, there is no uniform regulation of embryo culture media. In Europe, the majority of media approved for use carry the CE mark, but other non-CE media can still be used.
Prof Sunde added: “It is not obligatory to declare changes and the information we might get is far from sufficient.
“We want to know in detail what changes have been made and the scientific basis for the changes, including animal and human clinical data backing the change.”


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.


Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford grabbing gold in a 44-minute blitz at London 2012’s ‘Super Saturday’ has been hailed the nation’s favourite Olympic memory of all time.
The stunning evening of sport took ‘gold’ in the survey of 2,000 Brits, ahead of Usain Bolt’s golds in the 100m and 200m at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Danny Boyle’s epic opening ceremony, featuring David Beckham in a speedboat and James Bond and the ‘Queen’ parachuting into the stadium took bronze
Jessica Bridge, of Ladbrokes, said: “Super Saturday might have only lasted for 44 minutes but it’s an iconic memory that will be talked about for generations to come.
“Patriotic punters all over the country are hopeful Team GB will hit the ground running in Rio and pick up where they left off in London four years ago.”
Jessica Ennis-Hill came top of the charts in terms of popularity, with 20 per cent of Brits picking her as their favourite Team GB athlete - ahead of Mo Farah on 15 per cent and Andy Murray on seven per cent.
The men’s 100 metre final is the most eagerly-anticipated event in Rio, with the USA’s Justin Gatlin and Bolt’s Jamaican compatriot Yohan Blake all set to battle Bolt for gold.
And almost a third of people believe Team GB will equal 2012’s haul of 29 golds, according to the poll.
Jessica Bridge added: “Everyone has their own special memory of London 2012 and it’s provided a generation of young athletes with inspiration to follow their own dreams.
“It’s also hugely encouraging to see that 87 per cent of Brits think that Olympic athletes set a good example for kids, and stars like Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Tom Daley will surely be front and foremost in Rio, as they were in London.”
THE TOP 10 OLYMPIC MEMORIES
1. ‘Super Saturday’ at London 2012
2. Usain Bolt’s double gold at Beijing 2008
3. The London 2012 opening ceremony
4. Jesse Owens’ four gold medals in Berlin, 2936
5. The Jamaican Bobsleigh team’s appearance at the Calgary Winter Olympics
6. Steve Redgrage wins his fifth gold medal in Sydney in 2000
7. Michael Phelps takes eight golds in Beijing, 2008
8. Female athletes are allowed to compete for the first time in Paris, 1900
9. Athletes in wheelchairs allowed to compete in London in 1948
10. Dame Kelly Holmes wins double gold in Athens, 2004


Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford grabbing gold in a 44-minute blitz at London 2012’s ‘Super Saturday’ has been hailed the nation’s favourite Olympic memory of all time.


A TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.
The show, with the working title of The Modern Family, wants to talk to people who would like help resolving any issues they feel are getting in the way of co-parenting, or getting on with an ex-partner for the sake of their children.
Separation affects around a quarter of children in the UK, with the common belief being that being brought up by both parents after separation, where safe and possible, is in the best interests of a child.
“Breaking up with a spouse or partner is one of life’s biggest upheavals,” said a spokesperson for producers Pulse Films. “The difficult part is getting to the stage where separated parents are still able to do things for the sake of the child, like arrange a joint birthday party, or attend a parents’ evening together.”
So the team at Pulse want to film with separated mums and dads who may have moved on to other relationships, and are keen to sort out the issues with their ex for the sake of the children.
Francine Kaye, relationship expert, family mediator and author of Divorce Doctor said: “Kids don’t divorce, parents do. Paradoxically couples need to understand each other more during and after separation, than they did when they were together - in order to parent effectively.”
Working under the guidance of a trained therapist, anyone who has children with an ex and has difficulty with the complicated relationships this has created, can get more information by texting ‘FAMILY’ or call: 07983 640463 / 07555 242 993, by emailing: modernfamily@pulsefilms.co.uk, or by calling Janette Hodds or Lyttanya Shannon on 0207 426 5700.


A TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.


Sports fans are being urged to be on the lookout for scams in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Rio, which start on Friday.
Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, says it has already received nearly 50 reports of fraud relating to the games, with victims losing a total of £299,935 to criminals.
Most of the fraudulent activity has so far been related to ticket scams, either through people attempting to buy non-existent tickets or through lottery scams used to gather targets’ personal data.
Some victims believed they were securing last-minute ticket for the games in Brazil, only to find that the tickets did not exist and they have been left out of pocket. Action Fraud warns that people should always be wary of buying tickets at the last minute and should only go through authorised sellers, a list of which can be found here.
Director of Action Fraud, Pauline Smith said: “It is absolutely key that everyone is wary of the fraudsters who are clearly using an iconic sporting event to exploit innocent victims.If people are thinking about buying last minute tickets, they should be particularly careful about where they buy them and it is crucial that they check the genuine seller list published by the Olympic organisers.
Criminals have also been operating lottery scams to gather banking and other details from victims. Targets have received emails or letters telling them they have won a trip to the Games along with a cash prize, courtesy of the event’s organisers.
Pauline Smith warned: “People who think they may have been lucky enough to have won tickets through a lottery should be wary and always protect themselves by asking simple questions around whether or not they have entered in the lottery in the first place.
“If you have not entered a lottery then you cannot have won it. Genuine lotteries thrive on publicity, if they ask you to keep your win a secret; it is likely to be a fraud.”

Rio Olympic scammers trick victims out of £300,000


Sports fans are being urged to be on the lookout for scams in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Rio, which start on Friday.


The guarantee by the Treasury that farming will continue to be financially supported by the British government up to 2020 in the wake of Brexit has given much needed clarity to farmers, and this is welcomed by the National Farmers Union (NFU).The news should mean that farmers can count on receiving financial aid for, amongst other things, agri-environmental schemes already in place, to take them through to their conclusion.
NFU president Meurig Raymond said he was extremely pleased to hear the news following his discussions with Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom, her department and the Treasury over recent weeks. He said this was good news for farmers and certainty in the short term now allows time for the industry and DEFRA to formulate a domestic agricultural policy that is fit for purpose.
Mr Raymond said: “ We’ve been emphasising to the government at all levels that the success of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector - food and drink - worth £108 billion to the UK economy, is underpinned by the farming sector. With the agricultural budget now retained and agri-environment agreements honoured, I am delighted that the Prime Minister and DEFRA have understood the importance of farming and food production.”

FARMING MATTERS: Guaranteed support for farmers following Brexit


The guarantee by the Treasury that farming will continue to be financially supported by the British government up to 2020 in the wake of Brexit has given much needed clarity to farmers, and this is welcomed by the National Farmers Union (NFU).The news should mean that farmers can count on receiving financial aid for, amongst other things, agri-environmental schemes already in place, to take them through to their conclusion.


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Are you a drill sergeant, a worshipper, a skipper or a teammate? Experts have identified four types of parent when it comes to teaching their children how to DRIVE.


I will be off to Weedon Park on Thursday (September 1)for my annual visit to Bucks County Show and I can’t wait because this year there is to be a pie competition and I have to say I am particularly partial to pastry.
Of course there is no guarantee I will be able to do anything more than just ‘look’ at the pies, but I’m rather hoping I might be allowed a tiny taste, all in the interests of my job of course, so that I am better able to accurately report on the excellence of the product for Bucks TV.
The other must-visit location will be the chocolate fountain, which I am hoping will be making a return visit. And ‘return visit’ is what I usually do, several times throughout the day, to scoff the strawberries smothered in melted chocolate.
True, this is an agricultural show, and this indeed is an agricultural column, so the focus should be on farming, but let’s be honest, without farming we wouldn’t have these delicious pies or chocolate and strawberries, so I’m not really going off point.
And of course I shall also enjoy looking at the prize winning cattle and sheep, watching the main ring attractions and sneaking at look at the beautiful horses and ponies.
So I hope the good weather continues and you manage to get along too. There is plenty of free parking at the showground, but you can also take the shuttle bus free of charge which is leaving at regular intervals from Station Way in Aylesbury throughout the day. For full details about the show, and to buy tickets in advance go to www.buckscountyshow.co.uk

FARMING MATTERS: Our columnist is looking forward to enjoying lots of food at Bucks County Show


I will be off to Weedon Park on Thursday (September 1)for my annual visit to Bucks County Show and I can’t wait because this year there is to be a pie competition and I have to say I am particularly partial to pastry.


Bucks County Show is a must-go-to event on many people’s calenders.
The annual show, on from 8am-6pm tomorrow (Thursday), brings together town and country in one amazing day of celebration and always pulls in the crowds come rain or shine.
With free buses running throughout the day from Station Way in Aylesbury to the showground at Weedon Park, visitors do not need a car to get there. But if you do drive, there is plenty of parking available.
The focus of the show has always been on the farm livestock and this year is no different, with 60 cattle classes including Aberdeen Angus, British Charolais, Hereford and Jersey as well as over 30 sheep classes including Texel, Wiltshire Horn and Berrichon.
The top quality horse show includes many qualifying classes to the Horse of the Year Show and this year there will be five rings with 80 classes.
The main ring entertainment will include the Royal Signals White Helmets Display Team and the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals, and around the ground there will be a chance to enjoy the Sheep Show, vintage tractors, marquees for home and garden, shopping and rural crafts.
The ever popular Food Hall and the recent addition of the Cookery Theatre will also be there, plus new for this year is a pie competition for commercial pie makers. Following judging, the pies will be available for public viewing from 11am.
Tickets (which include free parking)can be bought on the day, but are cheaper if bought in advance online at www.buckscountyshow.co.uk or from several locations in the county. Details are on the website.
On the day prices are £16 adult, £6 children aged five to 16 (under fives free), £13 OAP, £38 groups of two adults and two children.


Bucks County Show is a must-go-to event on many people’s calenders.