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Tama, who was made a railway official eight years ago, was credited with putting the rail firm back on track financially after drawing in thousands of tourists. Her custom-made cap and jacket made her a familiar sight at Kishi station. The 16-year-old cat died of heart failure on 22 June. Dozens of company officials and fans turned out for Tama's Shinto-style funeral on Sunday, where was elevated to the status of a goddess. The Shinto religion, practiced by many in Japan, has a variety of gods including animals. During the ceremony, officials thanked the feline celebrity for saving the station by attracting tourists from around the world. The president of Wakayama Electric Railway, Mitsunobu Kojima, also gave her the special title of "honorary permanent stationmaster", AP reports. He said Tama had contributed an estimated 1.1 billion yen ($8.9m; £5.7m) to the local economy. "She was affectionate with people and hard-working," one local resident said. Outside the station, bouquets of flowers, canned tuna and other gifts were left by many of Tama's thousands of fans. Since 2007, Tama has been quietly welcoming and sending off railway travellers at the station in Wakayama Prefecture. At the time, the local railway line was almost bankrupt and the station was unmanned but Tama's celebrity status helped to bring the company back from the brink of financial ruin. The governor of Wakayama Prefecture, Yoshinobu Nisaka, said it was important the practice of using feline staff at the railway station was maintained. Another cat, called Nitama, has since become an apprentice station-master. | A @placeholder funeral has been held for a Japanese cat who became an international star when she was made a station master in western Japan . | mock | special | professional | lavish | lone | 3 |
Property consultants Knight Frank said the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals increased by 6,340 to 193,490 worldwide in 2016, making up for a similar decline the year before. Researchers put the turnaround down to strong performances on stock markets. The report counted individuals with more than $30m (£24.2m) in net assets. Last year saw political surprises and economic uncertainties from the UK's Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump, but many developed economies still performed well. Stock markets in the US and UK also hit record highs in the final weeks of the year. "There may be widespread uncertainty, but there are also strong fundamentals in many economies, with signs of real progress being made around regulation and policy which will help economic growth to flourish in some places," said Andrew Amoils, head of research at New World Wealth, the research company which provided the data for the report. Knight Frank said it expected the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals around the globe to grow by 43% over the next decade, but suggested wide variations between regions and countries. The number of ultra-wealthy is expected to increase slightly more quickly in the US than in the UK over the next ten years, but the rest of Europe is set to see only 12% growth. However the biggest rise - 91% - is due to take place across Asia. By 2026 Asia will have almost caught up with the US: the region is set to boast just 7,068 fewer super-rich individuals than in the US in ten years' time. Currently the US ultra-wealthy headcount is 27,020 ahead of Asia's. The researchers also found Asian cities, including Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing would eclipse current concentrations of wealth such as in San Francisco, as their wealthy populations rose. Several African countries including Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania were also predicted to see big increases in their wealthy populations. | The UK will boast 30 % more super rich individuals in 10 years ' time , @placeholder it ahead of other European countries , a report has found . | ranking | admits | dominates | prompting | keeping | 4 |
Isle of Wight Council received none of a £300m fund to help councils hardest hit by cuts. Island MP Andrew Turner told the House of Commons the council's future was "not secure". Communities Secretary Greg Clark said he would visit the island and consider its special circumstances. The Independent-run Isle of Wight Council faces a predicted budget gap of about £32m over the next four years. Council leader Jonathan Bacon previously said he was "incensed" at not being included in "transitional" funding for councils hardest hit by cuts announced in February and, without special consideration, the council would "simply not be able to provide statutory services in the future". Conservative Andrew Turner told MPs on Wednesday: "The future of the Isle of Wight Council beyond this year was not secure. Money is in short supply but when there is not so much to go round it is then that resources must be shared most fully." Mr Clark blamed a funding formula inherited from the Labour government which the coalition could not agree to change. "This government is determined to build a fair settlement for local government and the review will consider the costs associated with being separated from the mainland," he said. Welcoming the secretary of state's comments, Mr Bacon said he was concerned there were no timescales to completing this review. "I cannot see any way the council can set a lawful, balanced budget for 2017/18 based on the current planned funding allocations from government. "Public services on the island are under increasing and unique pressure, due to increasing demands for our services, increasing burdens imposed by government and a raft of other limitations that being an island brings," he said. | The government has agreed to review funding for the Isle of Wight following warnings its council may not be able to provide @placeholder services in future . | widespread | existing | greater | essential | such | 3 |
It's reported he had the idea at 2pm and after a whirl of speculation, and a few changes of venue, tickets went on sale for Koko in Camden at 7pm. Crowds waited hours in the cold before Kanye eventually took to the stage about 1.20am. He was joined by Skepta, JME, Novelist, Vic Mensa, Meridian Dan, Raekwon and Cyhi. Radio 1's Clara Amfo was there and said: "It was ridiculous, there were hordes of people outside, it was crazy." Fans were let inside the venue at around 12.45am and before Kanye eventually started more than half an hour later. Grimmy was upset he was not able to make it - he had to "get up and do the radio [Radio1 breakfast show]". He did say he was a fan of how spontaneous it was though, adding: "I love that it was like, panic, it's exciting it's tonight." Clara told Grimmy that Kanye "smashed it". "He's like trolling the UK right now and I totally fell for it." In addition to playing some classics like Jesus Walks and Clique, he also previewed his new track with Vic Mensa. 1Xtra's Mistajam was also there, writing on Twitter: "Tonight will go down in history." Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube | Kanye West has been joined on stage by an all - star line - up at a @placeholder gig in London . | secret | regular | summer | dementia | special | 0 |
The club received £1m in transfer income after the sales of Nadir Ciftci, John Souttar and Ryan McGowan. But United's revenue fell by 21% to £4.61m through reduced prize money and match-day attendance income. The club say they expect to make £1.5m in cost-savings this season as they bid for promotion from Championship. Administrative costs rose during the period by more than a third to £1.8m. The board say these were mostly football-related as the club took steps to avoid relegation. United sacked two managers in that time, parting company with Jackie McNamara and Mixu Paatelainen respectively. The Terrors are currently second in the Championship table, seven points behind league leaders Hibernian. A club statement read: "The latest annual accounts show the adverse economic effect of a season of poor football results which led to eventual relegation. "Revenue dropped by 21% to £4.61m through reduced prize money and the associated drop in match attendance income related to sitting at the foot of the Premiership from October 2015 through to the season end in May 2016. "Broadcast revenue was also down as the club featured in fewer live televised cup games." | Dundee United have reported annual @placeholder of £ 1.55 m , following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership last season . | earnings | losses | debt | approval | income | 1 |
About 30,000 people have reached the final stage of the challenge - roughly 5% of those who entered - but so far no one has successfully completed it. GCHQ director Robert Hannigan, who set the string of teasers, offered a clue: "It's not as abstract as you think." The deadline for entries is 31 January. Answers will be revealed in February. The first puzzle, which was printed inside the agency's card of a traditional nativity scene and on its website, is a "nonogram" - a complex grid-shading puzzle. When completed correctly, it creates a Quick Response, or QR, code which can be scanned to reveal a website link to the next challenge. Nearly 600,000 people have successfully completed the nonogram stage of the puzzle so far. Those who enjoyed the challenge are asked to make a donation to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). Robert Hannigan, director of GCHQ, said he was delighted so many people had tried the puzzle and made a donation. But he said: "With a few days to go no-one has cracked it all yet, so my one and only clue is: it's not as abstract as you think. "What I hope the stages of the puzzle show is that to deliver our mission and keep Britain safe, we need people from all backgrounds, with all skills, who look at problems from every angle." Aspiring codebreakers can have a go on the GCHQ website, and have until midnight on Sunday to complete the challenge. | A series of @placeholder puzzles set by spy agency GCHQ on its Christmas card has yet to be cracked two days before the deadline . | secret | controversial | cryptic | seven | historic | 2 |
Some of Leicestershire County Council's assets, which total around £360m, will be sold over the next four years. Last year, all the authority's care homes and Quorn Hall, which had been used as an outdoor education centre, were sold for almost £7m. Bosses said the plans were "ambitious and challenging" but deliverable. The council's Corporate Asset Management Plan aims to help make savings of £82m by 2019 and to make energy savings by improving buildings. Liz Carter, strategic property manager, said: "It is a very ambitious list [of assets]. It is very challenging but I'm putting it forward because I believe we can deliver it." Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for property, said the plan showed how land and buildings could be used "more effectively to generate capital receipts, save money and provide better facilities". He said other proposals included: Leader of the opposition Labour group, Robert Sharp, said there was a risk of assets being sold below their market rate and those of real value to the community being sold. "We will scrutinise all such proposals to check that residents are not being short changed," he said. The council said all proceeds would be re-invested in the council's capital programme which pays for items such as roads and buildings. | A local authority has @placeholder " ambitious " plans to sell off £ 28 m worth of its properties and land to help raise funds . | advised | approved | condemned | admitted | proposed | 1 |
Mr Lee denies accepting 30 million won ($27,700; £18,600) in illegal campaign funds from businessman Sung Wan-jong. A note left by Sung, who died in an apparent suicide earlier this month, listed eight figures he claimed to have bribed, including Mr Lee. President Park Geun-hye has called for a "thorough investigation". She is due to decide on his resignation after she returns from Peru where she is on a state visit. Under South Korean law, politicians cannot accept more than 100,000 won in contributions. Mr Lee had denied knowing Sung, the boss of a construction company, very well, but media reports have suggested otherwise. Sung, who was himself under investigation for corruption, was found earlier this month hanging from a tree by his tie. Sung told a local newspaper before his death that he gave 30 million won to Mr Lee in 2013 when he was seeking re-election for parliament. He was about to be questioned by authorities over allegations that he embezzled company money to bribe politicians. An opposition party has called for Mr Lee's impeachment. Referring to Mr Lee's resignation, Ms Park said in a written statement: "I find it regrettable. I also feel sympathy for the agony of the prime minister." Yonhap reported that she would decide on whether to accept Mr Lee's resignation by next week. Mr Lee filled the number two position of prime minister after a protracted hunt for a candidate to replace his predecessor, Chung Hong-won. Mr Chung resigned shortly after the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014 that killed more than 300 people. He was kept on for several months as Ms Park looked for a successor. Two candidates withdrew their candidacies after being accused of wrongdoing, before the job went to Mr Lee. | South Korea 's Prime Minister Lee Wan - koo has @placeholder to resign after facing accusations of accepting bribes , just two months into his post . | promised | dismissed | offered | managed | admitted | 2 |
The scene envisaged was the stand at a home match involving Borussia Munchen Gladbach. All is going grand until some particularly enthusiastic fan opens up with a chant of "Give us a B….." Nicola Sturgeon essayed a very different version of that challenge today when she advised delegates that the big theme of her speech was a word beginning with I. No, not that one, she swiftly told the packed hall. The word she had in mind was "inclusion". Ms Sturgeon then deftly contrived to deploy that word in a range of ways. Firstly, she sought to contrast the Scottish government and Scotland with what she characterised as the emerging xenophobia of the UK Conservative administration. It is a dichotomy which sundry speakers - including the FM in her Thursday address - have sought to project. It is, needless to say, challenged by said UKG. Secondly, she turned it into a policy function. Her voice close to breaking, her countenance close to tears, she referred to audience members in the front row who had been through the care system. Too often, she said, the system was about stopping things - while she acknowledged the need for controls and safeguards. She described the problems which sometimes confront those in care while promising a full scale review of the system to enhance social inclusion. Then, more subtly, she deployed her I word with regard to Brexit and the prospect of indyref2. Those who supported independence, she said, must understand and respect those who took a different view. In our live coverage of the conference, journalistic colleagues offered the view that this was, at least in part, a rebuke to those within the wider independence movement who are perhaps somewhat blunt in their assessment of rival opinions, particularly on social media. Equally, though, Ms Sturgeon was setting out a strategy. Zeal alone, she was arguing, will not win the day. It would not overhaul the deficit which emerged in 2014 when independence was last put before the people in a referendum. It was important, she argued, to understand why people resisted the pitch. Stating the offer more vigorously and strenuously would not prove sufficient. To exemplify this, she told delegates that she felt on the day after the Brexit vote that part of her identity had been withdrawn. In a similar way, she urged her party to understand how those who felt a British identity in Scotland might have felt had the 2014 plebiscite produced a Yes vote. Not simply for sympathetic reasons. But strategically. | There are moments which try the @placeholder . One such , as I recall , was discussed recently in the estimable Herald Diary . The topic in question was a football match . | authority | opportunity | soul | same | lost | 2 |
George Orwell's 1945 novella Animal Farm is actually a dystopian allegory for the rise of Stalinism. In the novella, an animal revolution results in the rise of a corrupt elite. Twitter users responded with the trend #ShilpaShettyReviews - summarising books with guesswork from their titles. Shetty was reacting to Harry Potter's inclusion on the national school syllabus in India, and suggested other books she thinks should be included. "I think having books like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter as part of the syllabus is a great move because it cultivates imagination and creativity at a young age," she told the Times of India. "I think books like Little Women would also encourage respect towards women at a young age." "Even a book like Animal Farm should be included as it will teach the little ones to love and care for animals," she added. The quote has since been removed from the online version of the article, but social media users have already shared photographs of the print edition. Shilpa Shetty is also well-known in Britain for her appearance, and eventual win, on Celebrity Big Brother. She was the subject of a race row which prompted international reaction. The television programme Big Brother is named after the antagonistic national leader from another George Orwell novel, 1984. Shetty has yet to respond to her latest trend-setting activity. | Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is trending on Indian social media for her @placeholder reviews , after suggesting Animal Farm be used to teach children about caring for animals . | literary | famous | favourable | negative | professional | 0 |
The Prisoner Ombudsman said earlier diagnosis would not have saved him. However, it found measures to extend his life expectancy and reduce his distress through earlier palliative care could have been provided. The man, known as Mr H, was released at the end of July 2014 because of his condition, and died in September 2014. The ombudsman's investigation found that some of Mr H's care had been very good, and several prison officers and nurses had shown compassion for him while he was in Maghaberry jail. It said that he was not always compliant with the care that was offered and it was possible that his attempts to manipulate his prescribed medication did not assist his diagnosis. Treatment was also delayed when he did not attend a hospital accident and emergency department, it found. However, the ombudsman also found that care plans were not initiated when Mr H became dehydrated and malnourished. It has made 15 recommendations for improvement, which have been accepted by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and the Northern Ireland Prison Service. The trust, which looks after healthcare in Northern Ireland prisons, said it was committed to implementing improvements as a result of the lessons learned from all investigations. The Prison Service said it was determined to use this report to strengthen systems already in operation throughout Northern Ireland's jails. Prisoner Ombudsman Tom McGonigle said: "This report again highlights the need for someone to actively take charge and manage the first line clinical care of patients in prison, where families are less able to assist or advocate on their behalf. "The fact that we also published a report last week which raised virtually identical issues, reaffirms the need for the prison healthcare reform project to provide improved diagnoses and better palliative care for the terminally ill." A solicitor for Mr H's family said the report "makes concerning reading". Katie McAllister of Madden and Finucane Solicitors said: "The family are considering all options at present, including the possibility of issuing proceedings for the negligent treatment of their son. She added: "We have to hope the prison will act in good faith and implement these changes. "We have seen similar recommendations in the past and the situation hasn't improved vastly, there are still major issues with prison health care." The prisoner's father said: "Our family welcomes the findings of the prisoner ombudsman report and we hope that the authorities can learn from the mistakes made in my son's case in order to prevent another family having to go through a similar ordeal." | Four @placeholder were missed to diagnose an inoperable brain tumour in a prisoner who died less than two months after he was released . | services | opportunities | powers | rounds | urging | 1 |
Lesley Dwyer joins as chief executive from a Queensland hospital where she rescued a service with similar issues. A global search was launched by Medway NHS Foundation Trust to find the right person to deliver a recovery plan. The trust was put into "special measures" in July 2013 after strong concerns about standards of care. It is hoped Ms Dwyer will begin her work as chief executive of the trust by the summer. 'Significant parallels' An unannounced inspection of Medway Maritime hospital in December said it remained inadequate despite some improvement. The Care Quality Commission said there was "still a long way to go" before the required standard was met in the A&E and theatre departments. Medway NHS Foundation Trust Chair Shena Winning said of the new appointment: "This is crucial to the delivery of our plan that Medway will become a stable, sustainable and significant provider of care in Kent over the next five years, delivering the high quality of care the people of Medway deserve. "There are significant parallels between the hospital Lesley is currently at and Medway. "She took over West Moreton as a failing hospital and quickly turned it around financially and operationally and it is now a sustainable, thriving service." | A former nurse and midwife from Australia has been recruited to turn around the Medway NHS trust which runs Kent 's @placeholder Maritime Hospital . | troubled | new | friendly | national | crucial | 0 |
The XH558 bomber - which will now make two flypast tours over the UK on October 10-11 - appeared near Biggleswade in Bedfordshire Dawn Sunrise, who lives near Bedford, said she grew up with the plane, which was piloted by her father for the RAF. "I'll be saying goodbye to a childhood friend," she said ahead of the event. "It's going to be very emotional." The plane saw action during the Falklands War but was withdrawn in 1984. Following its flight over the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Aerodrome, it will make two tours over the UK this weekend and a final flight later in the month before it is grounded and reserved for exhibitions. Ms Sunrise said she had a 50-year relationship with the plane due to her father, Sqn Ldr Peter Thomas. "Dad was assigned 558 as his plane," said Ms Sunrise, who at the time was based at Finningley, South Yorkshire. "It wasn't uncommon to see two or three in the air. "During class, if a Vulcan was flying over we used to have to put our pens down and fold our arms until it had gone - it was so loud, you couldn't continue with the class." Mr Thomas, who is now 89, is unable to make the event but did watch the plane in flight recently in Coventry, alongside his daughter. "When I saw her fly into the distance I had tears," Ms Sunrise said. "I was with dad, which was quite rare - I used to be on the ground watching him fly it, so to be standing next to him was quite a moment." Richard Clarke, of the Leicestershire-based Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said a lot of people shared Ms Sunrise's affinity with the "iconic" plane. "It's got a very, very strong emotional connection to the British public, which is manifested by the fact they turn out in their millions to see her," he said. "It's the shape, the power, the grace, and also that it's a British built, British flown aircraft and there aren't many things around like that in this day in age." | The UK 's last flying Vulcan made its final @placeholder public display flight on Sunday . | free | awaited | inspired | proved | confirmed | 4 |
Manpower's quarterly employment outlook survey, which tracks confidence in the jobs market, shows a general improvement since the last count. But the poll of 2,100 UK employers found that the same number of Scottish companies intended to contract their workforce as expand it. The Scottish government said the survey did not reflect "official figures". It added that Scotland was "leading the way in the jobs market". According to Manpower, all other parts of the UK reported more hiring than shedding of staff. The firm claims the fall in the oil price has hit the Scottish jobs market. However, the survey also highlighted confidence in the call centre sector, particularly in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Amanda White, operations manager at Manpower UK, said she expected current trends to continue. She added: "With skills shortages in the oil and gas industry well-known, it's important that employers track the skills required, in order to ensure growth for the long-term. "Among the gloom, there are some bright spots, such as the thriving customer service industry in Scotland, with Glasgow and Edinburgh both seeing demand for candidates with call centre experience. "The big Scottish cities are increasingly becoming known for their friendly and experienced call centre staff and skilled candidates in this field can feel positive about the jobs market this quarter." A Scottish government spokesman challenged the findings. He said: "Last year saw the fastest annual rate of growth since before the financial crisis, translating into real opportunities for business and added security for workers and families." The survey suggested skill shortages are at their worst in the north of England and in the health sector. The strongest figures for companies hiring over those expecting to shed workers are in London, South-West England and the East Midlands. Manpower also used the survey results to voice support for the UK retaining its membership of the European Union. The company said a withdrawal from the EU would threaten jobs and harm the economy by creating uncertainty and making it harder to recruit workers from overseas. The UK government has promised an in-out referendum on EU membership by the end of 2017. | Scotland is lagging behind the rest of the UK at job creation , according to a recruitment @placeholder survey . | independent | sector | consultancy | statistics | research | 2 |
A survey by the US-based organisation has revealed that the world's 20 best-paid models together earned $154m (£117m) for the year after 1 June 2015. Between them they boast close to 200 million Instagram followers. One of the biggest gainers is Kendall Jenner, whose earnings rose to $10m. "The highest-paid models list reflects the current lack of inclusion in fashion," Forbes staff writer Natalie Robehmed told the BBC. "Though catwalks and editorial shoots are making an effort to include people of colour, the majority of high-paying contracts still go to white models." Ms Robehmed said that although there are black supermodels such as Jordan Dunn and Joan Smalls, "high-paying fashion contracts still don't reflect the diversity of their consumers". She says that in the autumn 2016 catwalk shows, more than three-quarters of the models are white. The Forbes report cites a recent survey by FashionSpot, which examined 236 Spring 2016 print ads in the US. It revealed that: The Fashionspot report says that while "tentative progress has been made towards greater diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry, "it's a long road ahead and season to season, the numbers are ever fluctuating". The Forbes report points out that fashion agencies have increased efforts to promote transgender or plus-sized models. "But these women rarely secure the lucrative long-term deals that result in six-to-seven figure paydays." One of the biggest gainers this year was Kendall Jenner, whose earnings increased 150% to $10m in 2016. "She has leveraged her huge social presence of 64.4 million Instagram followers - more than anyone else on the list - into million-dollar deals with the likes of Estee Lauder and Calvin Klein, who likely see her social platforms as a new media buy," the report says. Source: Forbes BBC fashion Nearly a third of this year's ranking are new, Forbes says, with the debutantes including three Victoria's Secret lingerie models: Lily Aldridge, Jasmine Tookes and 20-year-old Taylor Hill, who is the youngest member to make the $4m cut-off. Victoria's Secret Angels comprise 30% of the highest-paid models list, thanks in part to their lucrative contracts with the underwear maker. "While there should be be many other barometers of success - number of Vogue covers, for example - it is earnings that reflect the value placed on models by advertisers, so it remains the most important metric," Ms Robehmed said. | Most of the world 's highest - paid models are overwhelmingly white and slim , reflecting a @placeholder lack of inclusion on catwalks and in advertisement campaigns , Forbes magazine has said . | powerful | simple | modest | widespread | serious | 4 |
The new real-time meters will only save consumers a small amount of money on their energy bills, the Science and Technology Committee said. The government must do more to convince people of the extra benefits that the system can bring, it said. These included a smarter energy grid and less pollution. The government wants every home and business to be offered a smart meter by the end of 2020. That requires 53 million meters to be fitted in more than 30 million premises over the next four years. The meters will measure gas and electricity use and automatically send meter readings to energy suppliers, ending manual meter readings. However, there have been mishaps during the major installation programme. The communication system that links meters to energy suppliers has been delayed. The committee also pointed out that there was an "unresolved" problem of early meters installed in the first phase of the rollout losing their "smart" function when the customer switches supplier. The committee's interim chairwoman, Tania Mathias, said: "The government has known for years that early smart meters can lose their smartness if the customer switches supplier. "Ministers merely have an 'ambition' to fix this by 2020. Taxpayers will be unimpressed with this situation, and timely action is needed. "The evidence shows that homeowners and businesses need to receive tailored advice about how they can benefit from smart metering. "The 'smartness' comes from what customers can do with them - fit and forget would be a wasted opportunity." She added that the government needed to do more to convince and reassure customers that the technology was safe from being hacked. A spokeswoman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "Smart meters will bring Britain's energy infrastructure into the 21st century - as the committee has made clear." Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Smart Energy GB, which is running the campaign for the rollout, said: "The committee has also emphasised the transformative effect smart meters will have, not only on how we buy and use energy as individual consumers, but on Britain's energy infrastructure as a whole." | The smart meters project @placeholder being a wasted opportunity for households if they are just fitted and forgotten , a committee of MPs has said . | risks | hopes | stops | remains | lost | 0 |
Pamela Clothier, 92, from Battle, in East Sussex, said her family were under the misapprehension she had agreed to sell her bungalow and had asked Age UK to clear it. She said the charity should have asked her before taking everything she owned. Age UK apologised for the "predicament" that Mrs Clothier had been "put in by her family". Mrs Clothier said she feels "almost nameless" after her possessions were taken. "I'm 92-years-old and I'm in a house which is almost empty," she said. "All the work that I've done, all the knitting and sewing that I've done and all the things that I've made have gone - it's just like I didn't exist. "I think they [charities] should be absolutely certain that the person holding the key and has a right to be doing what they're doing." Age UK's solicitors wrote to Mrs Clothier in November offering £1,000 compensation and asking her to agree not to talk to the press. A spokeswoman for the charity said: "We are sorry to hear the predicament that Mrs Clothier has been put in by her family, and as the basis of our charity is to help elderly people... in that spirit a goodwill offer was made to Mrs Clothier which she has accepted. "Mrs Clothier's family are satisfied with the way that Age UK East Sussex have acted in connection with Mrs Clothier and it is clear that this is an inter-family dispute and nothing to do with us." | A pensioner has been left @placeholder after her home was emptied by a charity when she went into hospital . | alive | disappointed | distraught | home | missing | 2 |
Myles Bradbury pleaded guilty to offences including sexual assault and the making of more than 16,000 indecent images at the city's crown court on Monday. His victims were as young as eight. The 41-year-old paediatric haematologist from Herringswell, Suffolk, had worked at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge since 2009 and dealt with hundreds of terminally ill children. One of those was Claire Yeoman's three-year-old son Declan, who was not named as a victim in court, but was treated by Dr Bradbury for 18 months. He battled leukaemia from 2011 to November 2012, when he died. Ms Yeoman, from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, said Bradbury was a huge part of their lives. "He was very straight-talking, to the point, very trustworthy because he said he would never sugar-coat anything," said Ms Yeoman, who has two other sons. "He was like God to our family. He was either the man that was going to fix our child or try the best to fix our child to the best of his abilities. "We had no doubts whatsoever in his ability. He was highly recommended. We trusted him all the way." Two days before Bradbury's arrest was publicised, the former nurse said she received a phone call from the hospital telling her what had happened. After he was charged in July, she said it brought back "the most horrendous memories". "It made me feel physically ill," she said. "You think 'was your child involved, could you have noticed anything, was there something you missed?' "So you go through every single day of his treatment and relive the whole memory of that 18 months that you'd tried to get over. "It's been a really horrible feeling of trust that's been broken. We thought he was everything to our family and all of a sudden he's this man that you don't even know anymore. "Whether much harm was involved [with Declan] or not I may never know, but if he's got those thoughts and images in his head, what goes through my head is did he think the same thoughts when he examined my son?" Ms Yeoman said she attended one of the early appearances in court to see Bradbury and get answers, but said when he looked at her he quickly turned away. "All I want is justice to be served for all those children that he has affected," said Ms Yeoman. "When you see how ill those children are and the effects the drugs and everything else have on them, for him to do things like that is just the lowest of the low." Addenbrooke's Hospital said it had contacted 800 families of the children it was aware of that Dr Bradbury saw. Since his guilty plea, it has received another 29 calls to its specialist helpline set up for people affected by the case, taking the total to 189 so far. Dr Keith McNeil, chief executive, said: "Our most abject and sincere apologies go out to any and all of our patients and their families who are affected by this in any way. "There is a very ancient and sacred trust that exists between a doctor and his patients, and quite frankly, it sickens me to think that trust has been breached." | Paedophile doctor Myles Bradbury was viewed as " God " by the family of one of his child cancer patients . As police appeal for more information , a mother has spoken of how the " sickening " abuse of trust may @placeholder her forever . | lose | committed | destroy | owes | haunt | 4 |
Ancient rocks from India suggest plants resembling red algae lived 1.6 billion years ago in what was then shallow sea. The discovery may overturn ideas of when relatively advanced life evolved, say scientists in Sweden. They identified parts of chloroplasts, structures within plant cells involved in photosynthesis. The earliest signs of life on Earth are at least 3.5 billion years old. The first single-celled microscopic life forms evolved into larger multi-cellular eukaryotic organisms (made up of cells containing a nucleus and other structures within a membrane). Therese Sallstedt of the Swedish Museum of Natural History discovered some of the fossils. She described them as "the oldest fossil plants that we know of on Earth in the form of 1.6 billion year old red algae". "They show us that advanced life in the form of eukaryotes (like plants, fungi and us humans/animals) have a much deeper history on Earth than what we previously have thought," she told BBC News. The scientists found thread-like fossils and more complex "fleshy" colonies in sedimentary rock from central India. Both have characteristics of modern red algae, a type of seaweed. Co-researcher Prof Stefan Bengtson of the Swedish Museum of Natural History added: "You cannot be 100% sure about material this ancient, as there is no DNA remaining, but the characters agree quite well with the morphology and structure of red algae." The oldest known red algae before the present discovery date back 1.2 billion years. The Indian fossils are 400 million years older, suggesting that the early branches of the tree of life began much earlier than previously thought. Claims of ancient life are always controversial. Without DNA evidence, confirmation must rest on whether more fossils can be found. There is also debate over whether red algae belong in the plant kingdom or in a class of their own. Modern red algae is perhaps best known for two commercial products - gelatinous texturing agents used in making ice cream - and nori - the seaweed used to wrap sushi. The research is published in the journal, PLOS Biology. Follow Helen on Twitter. | The @placeholder of plants may go back hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought , according to fossil evidence . | origins | expectations | future | age | effectiveness | 0 |
An international team is working on a £2m project to develop versatile robots to help look after older people in care homes or sheltered accommodation. The robots will offer support with everyday tasks, like taking tablets, as well as offering companionship. Academics say they could alleviate pressures on care homes and hospitals. Researchers from Middlesex University and the University of Bedfordshire will assist in building personal social robots, known as Pepper Robots, which can be pre-programmed to suit the person they are helping. It is hoped culturally sensitive robots will be developed within three years. The programme is being funded by the EU and the Japanese government. Prof Irena Papadopoulos, expert in trans-cultural nursing, said: "As people live longer, health systems are put under increasing pressure. "In the UK alone, 15,000 people are over 100 years of age and this figure will only increase. "Assistive, intelligent robots for older people could relieve pressures in hospitals and care homes as well as improving care delivery at home and promoting independent living for the elderly. "It is not a question of replacing human support but enhancing and complementing existing care." She added: "We are starting with care homes and with people who are semi-independent living in sheltered housing, but we do believe that in the future the robots would become acceptable for people to have in their own homes." Pepper Robots are manufactured by Softbank Robotics and already used in thousands of homes in Japan. Amit Humar Pandey, the company's chief scientist, said the firm wanted to create a world where robots co-exist with humans in harmony, for a smarter, healthier, safer and happier life. It is hoped the new robots will help improve the well-being of their charges by providing entertainment and enabling them to connect better, through smart appliances, with family and the outside world. They will communicate through speech and with gestures, be able to move independently and pick up signs the elderly person is unwell or in pain. Similar robots are already being used in hospitals in Japan to perform tasks such as lifting patients and serving food In the final year of the project, the robots will be tested at Advinia Healthcare care homes in the UK. The company's executive chairman Dr Sanjeev Kanoria said it was keen to revolutionise the care of the elderly by supporting hard-working care staff. "Robots can support care workers by helping to reduce errors in medication and assisting them with advanced technology to help vulnerable residents, live safer independent lives in care homes and at home." | Humanoid robots , with cultural awareness and a good bedside manner , could help solve the @placeholder over care for the elderly , academics say . | issue | crisis | uncertainty | opportunity | outlook | 1 |
The claim: Leave campaigners have suggested a British government outside the EU could spend billions of pounds on the NHS, schools and tax cuts. Reality Check verdict: If you add together all the different suggestions from leave campaigners about how Britain's contribution to the EU might otherwise be spent, they come to more than anyone thinks would be affordable. They are not actual spending commitments because none of the Leave campaigners can guarantee that any particular proposal for spending would happen following Brexit. They've compiled a list of quotes from Leave supporters and leaflets, which suggest spending the UK's EU budget contribution on other priorities. Some of the specific figures are ones that Leave campaigners have used themselves; others are estimates. In some cases, it looks like a stretch to get to the figure that Britain Stronger in Europe suggests. For example, they quote Vote Leave and John Redwood saying in general terms that taxes could be cut. But they cost for a figure of £7.9bn, the price of a 2p reduction to the basic rate of income tax. There's no evidence that any Leave campaigner has proposed that specific cut. And they've costed Vote Leave's vague proposal that "we could build new roads" at £1.52bn, based on the cost of increasing spending on the Road Investment Strategy by 50%. Again, there was no such specific proposal. They've also taken the suggestion on the side of the Vote Leave bus that the UK sends £350m a week to Brussels and that could be spent on the NHS instead, as an £18.2bn commitment. The UK Statistics Authority has also been critical of this claim, on the grounds that it ignores the rebate, which means that £350m a week is not sent to Brussels, and also that some of the contribution is already spent on other things in the UK. It's true that Leave supporters have made lots of different suggestions that, if added together, would not all be affordable. But none of the Leave campaigners can guarantee that any particular proposal for spending will happen following Brexit. And there's another point to keep in mind. The UK's contribution to the EU once the rebate has been taken into account is £14.4bn, some of which comes back to the UK to subsidise farmers, provide funding to depressed regions and pay for scientific research, for example. That looks like a large amount of money but it's only 2% of public spending. The total amount that future governments will have to spend will depend more on the state of the economy, because if leaving the EU makes any significant change to economic growth, that effect would dwarf any savings from budget contributions. Read more: The facts behind claims in the EU debate | Will Straw from Britain Stronger in Europe is @placeholder the Leave campaign of " fantasy economics " because , they say , supporters of Leave have made £ 110 bn of unfunded spending commitments . | urging | feeling | mourning | accusing | termed | 3 |
The results come from the biggest UK-wide scientific analysis of primary school children's activity. Many previous studies were based on survey results whereas this research, by University College London's Institute of Child Health, recorded the activity of 6,500 youngsters for a week. Each wore an accelerometer - a gadget which measures both the duration and intensity of exercise. The observation that children are not getting enough exercise is hardly new. But this research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, gives perhaps the most accurate picture yet of the scale of the problem at primary school level. It is especially concerning because children tend to do less exercise as they get older. If two-thirds of girls are not active enough at the age of seven, then that proportion will get even higher - unless action is taken. So how do you motivate children to be active? Clearly school sports are vital. But parental input is crucial. Seven year olds today face more distractions, more incentives to be sedentary, than any previous generation. For many of them, the computer tablet, apps or smart phones are a part of daily life. Sadly, many regard playing outside as a dull alternative to using their thumbs to control a computer game. From my experience there is limited value in telling them that they need to do exercise to be healthy - the concept of future heart, bone or weight problems cuts little ice with your average primary or secondary school child. Two things are crucial. First is making physical activity routine - part of daily life. Walking to school is one obvious example. Parents who set an example and do exercise tend to have more active children. The second is finding a sport or activity which engages your child. Getting children more involved in sport was one of the legacy aims of the 2012 Olympics. The Change4Life campaign is aimed at encouraging people of all ages to lead healthier, more active lives. Its motto, "Eat well, move more, live longer", pretty much sums up the aim of the campaign. It already has half a million members and is doing another recruitment drive linked to the start of the new school year. Using apps and email messages it encourages children to take several small steps that will help lead to a permanent improvement in their health. This includes breaking down the perhaps daunting task of being active for at least 60 minutes into 10 minute chunks, plus suggestions for games which will tempt kids away from their screen. From today's research such campaigns are vital if primary school children are to be motivated to lead an active life. | The UK is facing an inactivity time bomb . Research suggests half of seven year olds do n't get enough exercise . The @placeholder is even worse for girls . Whilst nearly two out of three boys do an hour 's physical activity a day , for girls it is around one in three . | outlook | crisis | risks | latest | issue | 0 |
He was found to have violated a judge's 2001 order that he cease detaining migrants who are not suspected of having committed a state crime. Judge Susan Bolton determined that by detaining those living in the US illegally, Mr Arpaio was acting as a de facto wing of the federal government. He faces up to six months in prison. However, lawyers say it is unlikely that he will ever serve time behind bars. Mr Arpaio, 85, had boasted of being "America's toughest sheriff" during his time as the elected lawman of Maricopa County, which includes the city of Phoenix. He rose to national prominence due to his tough stance against illegal immigration. However, a judge reminded him during his trial that only federal officers have jurisdiction over immigration. He had claimed that the judge's injunction in 2011, which he was found to have violated, was vague and unclearly worded. But a judge found on Monday that Mr Arpaio had understood the temporary injunction, which was later made permanent, and had deliberately violated it to score political points ahead of his re-election campaign in 2012. He was known during his tenure as sheriff for sweeps of undocumented immigrants in Hispanic communities, and for detaining Spanish-speakers under suspicion of being undocumented migrants. He also famously required his inmates to wear pink underpants and socks. Mr Arpaio, in a statement, insisted that the judge who issued the ruling was biased, and said he would appeal to have a jury hear his case. "Joe Arpaio is in this for the long haul, and he will continue his fight to vindicate himself, to prove his innocence, and to protect the public," a statement issued by him reads. | Joe Arpaio , the controversial former sheriff of Maricopa County , Arizona , has been found guilty of criminal @placeholder - a federal offence . | strife | contempt | identity | assault | hatred | 1 |
The city's petition for the creation of a .nyc domain name has been approved by net address regulator Icann. This "puts New York City at the forefront of the digital landscape," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. New York is one of the first cities in the world to be granted approval, which will make it easier for people to search for organisations and content. Applications to use the domain will open in late 2013, and in order to register, applicants must have a physical address in New York City. A website - www.mydotnyc.com - has been set up to help interested residents and businesses with the application process. Christine C. Quinn, a potential hopeful to succeed Mr Bloomberg as mayor, had pushed for the creation of domain in 2009 as speaker of the city's council. "With a new top-level domain name, New York won't just be the greatest city in the world — we'll also be the greatest city on the internet," said Ms Quinn. Mr Bloomberg has made expanding the city's burgeoning technology sector a signature part of his third term as mayor. Several other cities, such as London, and Paris, have already passed Icann's "initial evaluations." | New York City is to get its own domain name , @placeholder local businesses and residents to starting using .nyc. | overwhelming | offering | enabling | conducting | prompting | 2 |
The 29-year-old joined on Monday as a replacement for Peter Siddle, four days after his fellow Australian Test pace bowler was ruled out injured. "It was one of the easier contracts to pull together," Newell said. "It an easy place to sell. It's not hard to persuade people, we don't have to embellish." Newell says there were early indications that Siddle's back problem was serious, allowing more time to consider a replacement with the County Championship season starting in six weeks. The 51-year-old also said that batsman Michael Lumb, who faced Bird in Australia's Big Bash T20 competition, and Notts' former Australian limited-overs international David Hussey were key in convincing Bird to move to Trent Bridge for the opening 10 matches of the County Championship campaign. "They both put in a good word for Trent Bridge and Notts and how we do things," Newell told BBC Radio Nottingham. | Nottinghamshire 's late move to bring seamer Jackson Bird to Trent Bridge was made easy by the county 's @placeholder , says director of cricket Mick Newell . | fans | reputation | progress | failure | achievements | 1 |
Dorset Police took a call from the coastguard after the unidentified object was found on Highcliffe Beach at around 13:30 GMT. Photographs of the object have been sent to bomb disposal experts for guidance. Police say there is no risk to the public at this stage and are awaiting further information about the object. | A 400 m stretch of a Dorset beach has been cordoned off by police , after reports of a @placeholder unexploded bomb . | historical | potential | other | major | fresh | 1 |
Starting in Grimsby at what should have been a simple photo call with reality TV star Joey Essex, organisational issues meant no-one from a frustrated press pack - or UKIP's own team - was allowed on the planned boat tour. Then on to a fish market, where again press were asked to wait outside until the UKIP leader arrived to unveil a campaign poster criticising EU fishing quotas. At a public meeting at Grimsby Town Hall protesters meant Mr Farage was taken in a side door. The next planned event at a pub was cancelled after the landlord called 999 following another small protest. Then it was time for an ice cream in Skegness where Mr Farage met local businessmen. Most media were directed to the wrong location thanks to a postcode mishap, but the event otherwise passed smoothly. Local people seemed happy to see Mr Farage, albeit through the ice-cream parlour's locked glass doors. As he left through the kitchen at the back it was with a wave and smile to onlooking supporters, but an unguarded moment caught on camera seemed to suggest the campaign strain is starting to show. | It 's been a @placeholder day for Nigel Farage . | chaotic | great | successful | special | fresh | 0 |
Maradona used his hand to score against England in Argentina's 2-1 win in the World Cup quarter-finals 31 years ago. "Obviously I think about it whenever I show my support for the use of technology," Maradona told Fifa.com. "I thought about it and, sure, that goal wouldn't have stood." Maradona admitted he benefited from the lack of technology at a World Cup not once, but twice. "I'll tell you something else - at the 1990 World Cup I used my hand to clear the ball off the line [in a group game] against the Soviet Union," he said. "We were lucky because the referee didn't see it. You couldn't use technology back then, but it's a different story today." The 56-year-old added Geoff Hurst's controversial goal for England in the 1966 World Cup final would also have been ruled out had VARs been available. "England won the World Cup in '66 with a shot that didn't go over the line," he said. "There have been lots of incidents where World Cup history would have been different if technology had been used. It's time to change all that." World governing body Fifa has tested VARs at several tournaments in the run up to next year's World Cup in Russia, where the technology will be used. The system provides referees with the ability to use video to make rulings on goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity. Its use at the recent Confederations Cup was met with a mixed reception, with several contentious moments drawing criticism from some players and pundits. Fifa president Gianni Infantino described the system's use at the Confederations Cup as a "great success", but conceded work was needed on "the details" such as the speed of decisions. "People used to say that we'd waste a lot of time, that it would cause a lot of annoyance. But that's not the case," added Maradona, who coaches Al-Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. "Football can't fall behind. Given the rate at which technology is advancing and the fact that every sport uses it, how can we not think about using it in football?" | Diego Maradona has backed the use of video assistant referees ( VARs ) despite accepting his @placeholder ' Hand of God ' goal would not have stood had the technology existed in 1986 . | ancient | earlier | infamous | personal | adopted | 2 |
The Muslim Personal Law Board told the Supreme Court that men were "better at controlling emotions and unlikely to take a hasty decision". The board's explanation came after Muslim women complained about gender discrimination in divorce cases. Activists said the comments were "patriarchal, inhuman and unjust". The Supreme Court is hearing several petitions challenging what is known as the "instant triple talaq" where a Muslim man can divorce his wife in a matter of minutes by just uttering the word talaq (divorce) three times. "Their [the All India Muslim Personal Law Board or AIMPLB] stand that 'men have greater reasoning power compared to women' smacks of a medieval mindset and prejudice against women," the Mumbai-based Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA - Indian Muslim Women's Movement) and the All India Democratic Women's Association said in a joint statement. "Their justification of polygamy and triple talaq contravenes the constitution and indeed the principles of gender justice in Islam. Triple talaq is unilateral and arbitrary. Nowhere in the Islamic world is triple talaq legal. We oppose it and demand a ban on it forthwith," the statement added. The activists said the board should apologise to all women and ensure that their statements in the future were not derogatory to women. Muslims are India's largest minority community with a population of 155 million and their marriages and divorces are governed by the Muslim personal law, ostensibly based on the sharia. Women's groups and campaigners say the controversial practice of triple talaq is un-Koranic and must be declared unconstitutional. Most Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned triple talaq, but it thrives in India, they say. Islamic scholars too say the Koran clearly spells out how to issue a divorce - it has to be spread over three months which allows a couple time for reflection and reconciliation. Campaigners say men are now increasingly using text messages, Skype, WhatsApp or Facebook to pronounce divorce. But the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) says the divorce rate is still very low among Indian Muslims and that the issue is being blown out of proportion by forces inimical to Islam. | Women 's groups and activists in India have criticised an @placeholder Muslim group for saying that " men have greater power of decision making " . | ambitious | independent | anonymous | influential | unprecedented | 3 |
Dressage rider Chung Yoo-ra is the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, a close friend of former President Park Geun-hye who is on trial in Seoul for abuse of power and attempted fraud. She is alleged to have used that friendship to benefit her daughter. Ms Chung was arrested in Denmark in January. She initially appeared in court charged with overstaying her visa. Last month the public prosecutor ordered her extradition "for the purpose of prosecution in her home country". She is accused by the South Korean authorities of offences including involvement in economic crimes and exam fraud, which she denies, Danish TV reported. Ms Chung - who has a son aged almost two years old - has been in custody since her arrest in January. Her son is being looked after by social services, Nyheder TV said. She can now appeal to Denmark's high court following the Aalborg district court's decision. South Korean authorities had asked for Interpol's help in tracing Ms Chung, a former member of the national equestrian team, after she failed to return to answer questions about her role in the scandal. Part of the investigation into her mother's activities relates to a gift horse from South Korean conglomerate Samsung to Ms Choi, allegedly for Ms Chung's training. The prestigious Ewha Women's University in Seoul is also accused of giving Ms Chung a place - she has since left - because of her mother's connections. Read more: In March Ms Park became the country's first democratically-elected leader to be forced from office after judges upheld parliament's decision to impeach her. She and Ms Choi are now both on trial in cases that centre on allegations that Ms Park gave Ms Choi unauthorised access to government decisions and allowed her to exploit their close relationship to solicit money from corporations for foundations from which she benefitted. On Monday Ms Park was formally charged with bribery, coercion, abuse of power and leaking state secrets. She is currently in custody. Both women have apologised but deny committing criminal offences. | A Danish court has upheld an extradition order for the 20 - year - old daughter of the woman at the centre of South Korea 's @placeholder scandal . | best | domestic | worst | national | presidential | 4 |
The Easton Area School District had prevented youths from wearing bracelets emblazoned with "I (heart) Boobies!", alleging the words were lewd. Two students legally challenged the ban in 2010, citing freedom of speech. The US court's decision leaves in place an earlier ruling by a federal appeals court overturning the ban. "I am happy we won this case, because it's important that students have the right to stand up for a cause and try to make a difference. We just wanted to raise awareness about breast cancer," student Brianna Hawk said in an American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania statement following the Supreme Court decision. Brianna, along with Kayla Martinez, sued the school district after it banned seventh- and eighth-grade students from wearing the bracelets prior to national breast cancer awareness day in October 2010. The students refused to remove the bracelets - sold by the breast cancer awareness group Keep A Breast Foundation - and were reportedly given one-and-a-half day suspensions. In April 2011, a district court issued an injunction preventing the school from disciplining students as a result of wearing the bracelets. The Easton Area School District said it was "disappointed" following the Supreme Court decision on Monday. The decision "robs educators and school boards of the ability to strike a reasonable balance between a student's right to creative expression and school's obligation to maintain an environment focused on education and free from sexual entendre and vulgarity", according to a statement released by the school district to US media. | The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal which sought to ban students in Pennsylvania from wearing @placeholder breast cancer awareness bracelets . | popular | lost | mandatory | free | controversial | 4 |
Compared with 2014, it says the outlook for advanced countries is improving, but growth in emerging and developing economies is projected to be lower. It says there will be weaker prospects in 2015 for some oil-exporting nations. The IMF's World Economic Outlook said growth was likely to be 3.5% this year, in line with its January forecast. Despite the sluggish outlook for 2015, it said growth in emerging markets is expected to pick up in 2016, which will drive an increase in global growth next year to 3.8%. The outlook document is the IMF's bi-annual analysis and projections of economic developments. It also publishes further interim forecasts. It foresees varying fortunes for Brazil, Russia, Ukraine - all contracting this year - and India, which will experience growth of 7.5% this year and next. "The outlook for Brazil is affected by a drought, the tightening of macroeconomic policies, and weak private sector sentiment, related in part to the fallout from the Petrobras investigation," said the IMF, adding that the country's economy is projected to contract by 1% this year, more than two percentage points below the body's October 2014 forecast. "The growth forecasts for Russia reflect the economic impact of sharply lower oil prices and increased geopolitical tensions," it added. "For other emerging market commodity exporters, the impact of lower oil and other commodity prices on the terms of trade and real incomes is projected to take a toll on medium-term growth." Russia's economy is now expected to contract by 3.8% this year - a downward revision of 0.8 percentage points since January - and by 1.1% in 2016. It also says that neighbouring Ukraine's economy is expected to bottom out in 2015, "as activity stabilises with the beginning of reconstruction work", with the economy projected to contract by 5.5%. Inflation this year is forecast at 33.5%, reflecting currency depreciation. Meanwhile, the eurozone economy is projected to grow by 1.5% this year and 1.6% in 2016. UK growth is forecast as 2.7% for 2015, unchanged from the IMF's January forecast, and 2.3% next year, revised down by 0.1%. "In the United Kingdom, lower oil prices and improved financial market conditions are expected to support continued steady growth," said the IMF. There is no change to the forecast for China, namely a continued slowdown to 6.8% this year and 6.3% in 2016. The US is seen as growing by 3.1% in 2015 and 2016, down 0.5 and 0.2 percentage points on the previous forecasts. | The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) has warned that global growth remains @placeholder , with " uneven prospects " across the main countries and regions . | steady | offensive | moderate | declared | uneven | 2 |
Under the rebranding, Google will retain its best-known businesses, such as search, apps, YouTube and Android. Some of the newer entities, such as the investment and research divisions, the "smart-home" unit Nest, and the drone arm will be run under Alphabet. Google founder Larry Page said it would create a simpler structure for what had become a diverse group of businesses. "This new structure will allow us to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities we have inside of Google," he said in the blogpost. "Our company is operating well today, but we think we can make it cleaner and more accountable," he said. "The whole point is that Alphabet companies should have independence and develop their own brands." Mr Page will become chief executive of Alphabet, with senior vice president Sundar Pichai becoming CEO of Google. Mr Page's fellow Google co-founder Sergey Brin will become president of Alphabet, and Eric Schmidt, the current Google chairman, will be executive chairman of the holding company. Google's new chief financial officer, Ruth Porat, will hold the same title for both Google and Alphabet. BGC Partners' investment analyst Colin Gillis said the new structure should give investors greater clarity on strategy and how much Google was spending on new products. "There's been a lot of speculation about how much money they put into these other ventures," Mr Gillis told Bloomberg. "That will come to an end. This also gives them the structure to add in another business line if they were to acquire something. The mechanism is in place." The name Alphabet was chosen for two reasons, Mr Page said. It represents language, "the core of how we index with Google search", and because Alpha-bet means "investment return above benchmark, which we strive to do". | Google has unveiled a surprise @placeholder , creating a new parent company called Alphabet Inc. | restructuring | service | announcement | future | appeal | 0 |
The referendum was triggered by the Eurosceptic movement which used a new law designed to promote democracy to force a vote by gathering enough signatures on a petition. From the start, activists said this was a chance for voters in the country to express frustration at the EU, in particular what they see as its desire to expand despite democratic shortcomings. Although the turnout was only narrowly above the 30% required to validate the result it has been hailed as a significant Eurosceptic victory. One "No" campaigner at a results party in Amsterdam described it as a "slap in the face of the European monster". In the UK Brexit activists were quick to claim the result showed anti-EU sentiment is growing despite the fact two-thirds of Dutch voters chose not to participate. While a vote in the Netherlands may not widely shape public opinion in the UK, it will embolden those campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. They will argue this result proves public concern over sovereignty and accountability is shared beyond Britain. But Netherlands voters were not asked to simply pass judgement on the EU, and throughout the campaign those promoting a "Yes" vote were frustrated by what they saw as attempts by Eurosceptics to hijack a debate which should have been about relations between Ukraine, Russia and Europe. Some say the multiple layers to this referendum means the result cannot be seen as a true reflection of the scale of euroscepticism in the Netherlands. Nonetheless the country is traditionally a stronghold of European integration, and the rejection of this deal will rattle the nerves of European leaders who are already struggling to maintain unity in the face of economic instability and the migrant crisis. The impact of this on the Ukraine agreement is not yet clear. Although the referendum was not binding, Prime Minister Mark Rutte signalled the result would not be ignored and he would now open discussions with EU leaders about how to proceed. Whatever the practical consequences, this referendum will be perceived and paraded by Eurosceptics as a symbol of growing support for their movement - pertinent timing as the UK prepares to decide its future relationship with the EU. | Although officially the Netherlands has rejected a landmark deal between the EU and Ukraine , in reality the issues that @placeholder this campaign were much wider . | dominated | prompted | suggest | plagued | accompanied | 0 |
Less than five minutes into the match, Daly took out Leonardo Senatore in mid-air, becoming only the fifth England player to be sent off in a Test. A statement issued by World Rugby said the disciplinary committee had found that the Wasps wing "acted recklessly". Daly, 24, will miss Saturday's international against Australia. He was initially given a six-week ban, but the punishment was halved after the player acknowledged wrongdoing. He also apologised to Senatore, who took no further part in the match after the incident. England went on to win their 13th match in a row by beating Argentina 27-14, despite Daly's red card. Victory over Australia on Saturday would equal England's record of 14 consecutive wins, set under Sir Clive Woodward in 2003. For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter. | England 's Elliot Daly has been banned for three weeks for the @placeholder tackle which led to him being sent off in Saturday 's victory over Argentina . | annual | controversial | latest | best | dangerous | 4 |
HBO programming chief Casey Bloys made the announcement at the Television Critics Association's conference. The seventh season - made up of seven episodes instead of the usual 10 - is expected in summer next year, while the final season will be in 2018. Game of Thrones is based on novels written by George R R Martin. Now the programme has overtaken the source material, meaning producers are telling a story no-one has read before. Speaking on Saturday in Beverly Hills, California, Mr Bloys said the number of episodes for the final season was yet to be determined. "We'll take as many as the (producers) will give us," he said. Mr Bloys did not rule out a spin-off, saying that "we're open to it, (the producers) aren't opposed to it, but there's no concrete plans right now". Last year, Game of Thrones won a record 12 Emmy Awards for a series in a single year. The series has picked up 23 nominations - another record - ahead of this year's annual ceremony to be held in September. | Game of Thrones - the record - breaking @placeholder drama TV series - will end after its eighth season , American broadcaster HBO has confirmed . | crisis | french | national | special | fantasy | 4 |
For two years, travellers were told to stay away from the country for all but essential travel. The Foreign Office has now lifted the advice for the capital Tunis and major tourist resorts. Britons are still being warned to avoid parts of the south and interior, and the Algerian and Libyan borders. | The government has @placeholder its travel advice for Tunisia where 31 Britons died in a terror attack at a resort in Sousse in 2015 . | admitted | suspended | continued | defended | revised | 4 |
21 April 2017 Last updated at 08:38 BST Whizbee the Bee will be the official mascot of the World Para Athletics Championships, and Hero the Hedgehog is the official mascot of the IAAF World Championships. The pair were selected from over 4,000 entries to a competition run by the two events' organisers and CBBC's Blue Peter. Newsround spoke to the winning designer, seven-year-old Ellie from the West Midlands. | A hedgehog and a bee have been selected as the official mascots for this summer 's @placeholder athletics and para-athletics events in London . | major | international | famous | modern | beloved | 0 |
Tickets for the league leaders' final home game were offered for £15,000 a pair via an online re-sale website. The 7 May match against Everton, which could see the Foxes crowned champions, sold out in 90 minutes on Monday. "The club has a duty of care to its supporters and is working diligently to prevent ticket touting," a Leicester City club statement said. "As a result, a small number of season-ticket holders and members have this week received multi-year bans." The club said this prevents those responsible from attending Leicester games, as well as having their season tickets cancelled "without compensation". The Foxes are seven points clear of nearest rivals Tottenham and need three wins from their five remaining games to guarantee the title. They host West Ham and Swansea and visit Manchester United ahead of the game against Everton, before finishing the season away to Chelsea. | Leicester City have handed a number of season - ticket holders " multi - year " bans for re-selling tickets @placeholder . | early | respectively | indefinitely | illegally | abroad | 3 |
The club have been up for sale for most of the season, following the revelation of Morgan's intentions in September. But long-serving Moxey told BBC WM: "We don't just want to sell to anybody. "Many of our older fans remember when this club nearly went out of business. We don't want a return to those days." He continued: "Despite what many people think there are not many people around with tens of millions that want to buy a football club. So many clubs are up for sale. So few get sold. "It requires someone, who will continue to run the club in a sensible, positive way without risking its future. This is a very precious, national sporting institution that stands for so many positive things, with its fantastic history and what it means to the people." "You can end up like Eddie Davies at Bolton," warned Moxey. "He has invested £175m, is no longer the owner, is not getting that money back and has taken all sorts of stick since Bolton were relegated out of the Premier League and now have been again out of the Championship. It can be a thankless task." Wolves found that out themselves when they were relegated from the Premier League in 2012 - and ended up falling all the way through to League One in the space of a year. After 18 months of managerial turmoil, they then found the right man to lead them back to the Championship in head coach Kenny Jackett - and Moxey said it helped having such a supportive owner as Morgan, who took over from club legend Sir Jack Hayward in 2007. "When you have an owner, you need to cherish them," he added. "The good ones are so few and far between. The next owner has got to carry on or improve on what Sir Jack Hayward and Steve Morgan have done." Moxey was speaking at Wolves' press launch to announce the new club's main sponsors, The Money Shop, the nationwide money-lending firm. They have been associated with the city since 2001, and the club for seven years, as sponsors of the 'home end', the Sir Jack Hayward Stand. The company have signed a three-year deal to become the new name on Wolves' shirts next season, but Moxey insisted it is the only deal that has been done so far. "There's nothing further to report," he said. "Other than that we're having conversations. People might hear rumours of me speaking with this person or seeing me in a meeting with that person. But, of course that's going on. My job is to find a new owner." Jex Moxey was talking to BBC WM's Mike Taylor. | Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey says selling the Championship club on behalf of owner Steve Morgan is not @placeholder easy as there are so few of the right potential buyers out there . | proving | impose | declared | anticipating | disappointed | 0 |
The schools which will be upgraded are Applegrove in Forres, Millbank in Buckie, Seafield in Elgin and St Gerardine in Lossiemouth. Refurbishment will include new roof coverings, windows and doors, new toilets and modernised heating and electrical systems. Work will begin in the summer break, with completion slated for spring 2017. The programme is being funded by a £10m government grant, with the rest being provided by Moray Council. The work will be carried out by Galliford Try, the parent company of Morrison Construction, which recently undertook the £1.2m refurbishment work on the Elgin Town Hall and the construction of Moray's flood alleviation schemes. | Moray Council has awarded a £ 17 m contract for the refurbishment of four @placeholder schools . | local | major | special | high | primary | 4 |
Max Kelly, from Smiths Wood in the town, was arrested after a man had liquid - thought to be ammonia based cleaning fluid - thrown at him outside a pub in Dickens Heath on 18 July. Mr Kelly is due before Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 16 August. The victim's eyes were protected by glasses and he did not suffer any burning sensation. | A 23 - year - old man has been charged with @placeholder assault following an attack in Solihull . | historical | false | aggravated | common | armed | 3 |
Health committee chair Dai Lloyd said he would "ideally" have liked to see Vaughan Gething earlier because "we're talking winter preparedness". Tory Angela Burns said the delay would result in an "ineffectual" report. The Welsh Government said it was not possible to get an earlier date. The inquiry, by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, was launched to seek "assurance that the Welsh NHS is equipped to deal with pressures on unscheduled care services during the coming winter". Since the end of September three evidence sessions have been held with relevant bodies such as local health boards, the British Medical Association and Care Forum Wales. The last meeting was on Wednesday, four weeks before Mr Gething's scheduled appearance. Plaid Cymru AM Dr Lloyd said: "I was slightly disappointed and the committee was slightly disappointed that the health secretary couldn't turn up as part of the review until 17 November. "It was an issue of works pressure on his part and really we have no choice but to accept that. Asked if he would liked to have seen the minister earlier, he said: "Ideally, yes, because we're talking winter preparedness and mid-November is already in winter." Dr Lloyd added that most evidence suggested the pressure on the NHS was all year round and only in certain circumstances were there particular winter issues. Conservative health spokeswoman Ms Burns said the committee was "beginning to form a view, we've taken all of our witnesses, our interviews, and it would be nice now to go back to the minister with what we've found". "This enormous delay does mean that any report we produce is going to be pretty ineffectual for this time around, I think it's deeply regrettable," she said. A Welsh Government spokeswoman said it was not possible to get a date which suited both timetables, but the cabinet secretary was keen to appear in person rather than send a senior health official. "He would be happy to meet with opposition spokespeople at an earlier date to brief them," she said. | AMs conducting an inquiry into how @placeholder the Welsh NHS is for winter have said they are " disappointed " the health secretary will not appear before them until mid-November . | believes | hopes | prepared | affecting | becoming | 2 |
Its leader, Heinz Christian Strache, said the way postal votes were handled was among numerous irregularities. "We are not sore losers," he said. "This is about protecting the foundations of democracy." The party's candidate was defeated by the former Green Party leader by just under 31,000 votes. The filing of the challenge was confirmed by Christian Neuwirth, a spokesman for Austria's constitutional court. The court now has four weeks to respond. If it takes the full four weeks, its findings will come just two days before the poll winner, Alexander Van der Bellen, is due to be sworn in. Is Europe lurching to the far right? Europe's nationalist surge, country by country Is populism a threat to Europe's economies? The presidency is a largely ceremonial post, but a victory for the Freedom Party could have been a springboard for success in the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for 2018. Correspondents say the legal challenge threatens to renew divisions created by the vote, which split Austria and exposed, once again, deep differences in Europe over how to deal with the migrant crisis, the economy and how to balance national interests against those of the EU. Mr Van der Bellen was declared the winner of the election the day after voting, with 50.3% of the vote against Mr Hofer's 49.7% - despite preliminary results placing the Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer slightly ahead. But the Freedom Party is alleging numerous irregularities in its 150-page submission to the constitutional court. Mr Strache says he has filed evidence that postal ballots were illegally handled in 94 of 117 district election offices, reports said, suggesting that more than 570,000 ballots could have been affected by this. The party also claims it has evidence that under-16s and foreigners were allowed to vote. "The extent of irregularities is more than terrifying. That's why I feel obliged to challenge the result," Mr Strache told a news conference. "You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to have a bad gut feeling about this whole election. Without these irregularities Mr Hofer could have become president." The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna says that if the constitutional court accepts the evidence presented by Mr Strache, there could be several possible outcomes, including a partial recount or a fresh vote in affected areas. But the court will have to decide whether the law was broken and whether any possible breaches would have affected the outcome of the election. | Austria 's far - right Freedom Party has lodged a legal challenge to the result of last month 's presidential election , which it @placeholder by a tiny margin . | took | blamed | offers | prompted | lost | 4 |
The scheme allows people to subtly ask for help by going to the bar to "Ask for Angela" - alerting staff that they need help. A total of 25 Aberdeen venues have been taking part in the campaign. Unight Aberdeen, a partnership of 19 late-night venues in the city, said two women had been helped already. Lincolnshire County Council came up with the scheme. Hayley Child, who works as the sexual violence and abuse strategy co-ordinator for Lincolnshire and came up with the idea, said: "Angela was a play on the word (guardian) Angel." | A code word campaign for people feeling @placeholder on a date in Aberdeen is being hailed a success , just over a month after its launch . | lost | imposed | unsafe | offensive | awkward | 2 |
Jobs, voting rights and gun violence topped the concerns of many of those who marched to the Lincoln Memorial. Eric Holder, the first black US attorney general, said he and President Barack Obama would not be in office had it not been for the original marchers. Mr Obama will mark the event on the actual anniversary next week. Among those who addressed Saturday's rally was the mother of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager shot dead in Florida last year, whose killer was recently acquitted. "He's not just my son, he's all of our son and we have to fight for our children," Sabrina Fulton said. Earlier she told the BBC many young African Americans had been left afraid by the acquittal of neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. She called for a change to laws in many American states which allow the use of deadly force if a person feels seriously threatened. Saturday's event comes a few days before the actual anniversary of the original march on 28 August 1963. King, who was assassinated in 1968, led about 250,000 people to the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall and delivered his famous speech from its steps. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character." he said, in one of the most celebrated pieces of American oratory. Martin Luther King III, King's eldest son, told the marchers from the same steps on Saturday: "This is not the time for nostalgic commemoration nor is this the time for self-congratulatory celebration. "The task is not done. The journey is not complete. We can and we must do more." In his speech, Mr Holder said of the 1963 demonstrators: "They marched in spite of animosity, oppression and brutality because they believed in the greatness of what this nation could become and despaired of the founding promises not kept." The spirit of 1963, he said, now demanded equality for gay people, Latinos, women, the disabled and others. Organisers had hoped to gather some 100,000 people in Washington. The crowd was predominantly African American but included white Americans and others. Mr Obama, the first black US president, is due to commemorate the event on Wednesday with a speech from the same spot where King spoke. He will be joined by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, while churches and groups have been asked to ring bells at 15:00 (19:00 GMT) to mark the exact time King delivered his speech. | Thousands of people have attended a rally in Washington DC to mark 50 years since Martin Luther King 's famous I Have a Dream speech on @placeholder rights . | civil | improving | ongoing | modern | controversial | 0 |
Kudankulam plant Chief Superintendent MK Balaji said that the delay was due to public protests at the site which had disrupted building work. He said that the site had been subjected to a total blockade by protesters since 13 October. Protesters say the facility is unsafe and in an earthquake area. They fear a repeat of the disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant. But officials say it is in a low seismic activity area. The nearly $3bn plant - which has been either under design or construction for two decades - is equipped with two reactors built with Russian assistance. "Definitely there is a delay," Mr Balaji told BBC Tamil. "We have completed hot runs in August and are in the process of completing inspection work. But the the public agitation has disrupted our work." He said that there would be at least a "three to four months delay" in commissioning the first part of the plant, and because of that the second part was also likely to be behind schedule. Mr Balaji strongly denied media reports that Russian scientists at the plant were planning to go back home because of the continuing protests. He insisted that it was safe and that there was no possibility of a radiation leak, although still no decision has yet been taken on where to store nuclear waste. The government insists that no waste will be kept at Kudankulam. On Monday former Indian president and scientist APJ Abdul Kalam - on a visit to the plant - said that it was fully safe. He said it was equipped with "sophisticated safety features and there is no need to panic". Mr Kalam said that he was neither a mediator nor a government envoy, but "a technologist". "I support nuclear energy along with solar and wind power as it is a clean and green energy which is very much required for the country's rapid growth," he said. But protesters said they were disappointed with Mr Kalam's support for the plant. | Commissioning of a @placeholder planned nuclear plant in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been delayed by a few months , officials have told the BBC . | historic | fresh | controversial | rare | special | 2 |
They passed four resolutions, including two on connectivity guarantees, that will allow the €1.3bn (£940m) deal to proceed. Earlier this week, the European Commission cleared the way for the takeover. It said it is "conditional upon commitments offered by the parties". IAG, which owns BA and Iberia, will have to give up five daily slots at Gatwick to increase competition. The commission had expressed concerns that the takeover would lead to insufficient competition. It said that as it stood, the deal would have stopped "Aer Lingus from continuing to provide traffic to the long-haul flights of competing airlines on several routes". IAG has also entered into agreements with competing airlines that operate long-haul flights out of the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland committing Aer Lingus to providing them with connecting passengers. The approval comes after Ireland's low-cost carrier Ryanair on Friday accepted the bid by IAG for a near 30% stake in Aer Lingus. IAG's plans include building a new transatlantic hub at Dublin airport. Ryanair had attempted to buy Aer Lingus three times, the first time in 2006, just after Aer Lingus was floated on the stock market by the Irish government. The Irish government, which sold its 25% stake in Aer Lingus to IAG in May, recommended that Ryanair accept IAG's offer. The deal values Aer Lingus shares at around €2.50 (£1.87) per share. The passing of the resolutions on Thursday clears the way for the Irish government to sell its 25% stake. | Aer Lingus shareholders have given the green light for a takeover by International Airline Group ( IAG ) at an @placeholder general meeting . | extraordinary | international | upcoming | improved | unnamed | 0 |
Speed restrictions have been put on lines in the Thames Valley area by Network Rail to protect track points. From midday to 20:00 BST there will be no direct trains between London Paddington and Henley-on-Thames or Bourne End. Passengers travelling to Henley Royal Regatta will have to take slower services to the event via Twyford. Network rail said additional services were being put on for the regatta, which attracts over 300,000 spectators each year. The speed restrictions are brought in when the air temperature reaches 30C (86F) as the rails can reach 50C (122F) resulting in a risk of buckling. Temperatures are set to hit 32C (90F) in parts of the Thames Valley, the Met Office said. | Rail travellers are facing a second day of @placeholder amid fears the tracks could buckle under the searing heat . | free | disruption | labor | special | mourning | 1 |
A variety of locations are being used to gather tents, blankets, food and clothing due to be sent to Calais. Over 400 people have pledged to help in Wrexham with groups collecting items in Newport, Cardiff and elsewhere. Organisers at The Lansdowne pub in Canton said they wanted to help after watching news reports. In Wrexham, Katie Wilkinson, 27, and friends set up a Facebook group, Wrexham to Calais Solidarity, calling for donated items. Three collection centres have been set up in the county borough due to the "overwhelming and inspiring" support. She said: "As the response has been so huge, we are now planning to go directly to the camp in Calais on the 19 September to join others from across the UK and Europe in a day of solidarity." Ariana Faris, a psychotherapist from Cardiff, is flying out to the Greek island Lesbos on Saturday with her sister, a midwife, to help refugees and migrants there. Explaining why they have decided to go, she said: "It was the thought that people on the island themselves are just gathering and offering what they can and that we too can do something." David Cameron has announced the UK is to provide resettlement to "thousands" more Syrian refugees. | Collection centres are being set up in Wales for donated items to help the thousands of migrants caught up in the @placeholder across Europe . | crisis | power | past | role | diaspora | 0 |
The U's edged out Peterborough 2-1 with an injury time-winning penalty from Chris Maguire at the Kassam Stadium. The win also came off the back of two consecutive defeats away from home. "I thought we made massive improvements in our performance," Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford. "We hadn't been doing enough to make the keeper work before." Oxford, who finished second last season in League Two to gain automatic promotion, have had to rebuild the squad following injuries and the sale of midfielders Kemar Roofe and Callum O'Dowda in pre-season. "We're a side at the moment who are still searching for that rhythm we had last season," Appleton added. "But I have to give the players credit for how they responded and the resilience they showed after conceding." | Oxford United manager Michael Appleton @placeholder there is more to come from his side after they secured their first victory in League One on Saturday . | announced | believes | hopes | admits | insisting | 1 |
Wiggins and Cavendish are among eight medallists from the 2016 Olympic Games to be involved, along with Dutch road race silver medallist Tom Dumoulin. Owain Doull, who won team pursuit gold with GB in Rio and was third in the 2015 Tour of Britain, will also race. The eight-day event concludes in London on 11 September. "The field for this year's Tour of Britain is without parallel, with star quality wherever you look among the teams," said race director Mick Bennett. Thirty-time Tour de France stage winner Cavendish will make his first appearance since winning omnium silver at the Olympics, in a field that also features omnium gold medallist and Team Sky rider Elia Viviani of Italy, as well as the Manxman's sprint rival Andre Greipel of Germany. Wiggins is joined by Dylan van Baarle as former Tour of Britain winners in the field. A total of 21 teams will take part, including 11 UCI World Tour outfits, the highest number to have competed in Britain since the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart. Seven British teams will compete, led by Team Sky and also including Team Wiggins and a Great Britain national team. The rider list also includes six current national road race champions, led by British champion Adam Blythe, who will ride for Great Britain. There are also six national time trial champions, including former UCI world hour record holders Alex Dowsett and Rohan Dennis and three-time world time trial champion Tony Martin. | Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish have been @placeholder among 126 riders for the 2016 Tour of Britain , which begins in Glasgow on Sunday . | blamed | approved | confirmed | chosen | welcomed | 2 |
Thames Valley Police said officers would be patrolling and speaking to locals in Marston Meadow. The 14-year-old was raped after being snatched on her way to school from the Banbury Road area of Summertown between 08:15 and 08:40 BST on Wednesday. Det Supt Chris Ward said they would continue "extensive CCTV inquiries". "We are taking every step necessary to ensure we have all the relevant information to bring the offenders to justice", he said. The force said it was not releasing any further details and was "trying to gather information as part of the wider ongoing investigation". Last week, the force asked drivers and cyclists who were travelling through the area on Wednesday to check head or dash camera footage in case they contained any clues. Descriptions of two men have been released by Thames Valley Police. The first offender was a white man who spoke with a northern accent. He was described by the girl as aged in his mid 20s, balding with shaven dark blonde hair and blue eyes. He was of medium build and about 6ft (1.82m) tall. Police said he was described as wearing black trousers and a hooded top with one pocket on the front and no drawstrings or logo. The second man was white, with brown gelled hair, the girl said. He was cleanly shaven and had brown eyes. He was aged in his late teens or early 20s and described as slightly smaller in build than the first offender. The teenager was found by a member of public at midday after knocking on doors to get help in Cavendish Drive, Marston. At a press conference on Thursday, it was said the girl was approached and possibly hugged, something that could have looked relatively innocent to witnesses. An Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said the authority had spoken to independent and state schools across the county to offer safety advice and support. | Police investigating the abduction and rape of a schoolgirl in Oxford say they are @placeholder on a city meadow as the attackers remain at large . | continuing | investigating | focusing | reporting | blamed | 2 |
Nonsuch Palace was painted by the Flemish artist Joris Hoefnagel in 1568. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has placed a temporary export bar on the watercolour in the hope a UK buyer can match the asking price of £1m. "We have very few paintings of the palace so I really hope we can find a buyer to keep this masterpiece here in Britain," he said. The piece is the oldest of six remaining depictions of the palace, considered to be one of the Renaissance period's most stunning buildings. Nonsuch Palace - named because no other palace could equal it - was built in 1538 for the Tudor king to celebrate the birth of his first legitimate son and mark his 30th year on the throne, It was intended to rival the opulent residences of French king Francis I. In 1670 Charles II gave the palace to his mistress, Barbara Villiers, who began to dismantle and sell parts of the building to pay off gambling debts. By 1690 the building had all but disappeared. The painting went for auction in 2010 but failed to meet its reserve price of £1.2m. The decision to defer the export licence follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), administered by Arts Council England. They made their recommendation on the grounds of its close association with our history and national life, its outstanding aesthetic importance and its outstanding significance for understanding the nature of English Renaissance architecture. The decision on the export licence application for the watercolour will be deferred until 31 May. | The earliest depiction of Henry VIII 's " @placeholder " palace in Surrey could leave the UK unless a buyer comes forward . | lost | forgotten | major | white | summer | 0 |
The case centres on the most deadly blaze on Black Saturday, on 7 February 2009, when wildfires swept across several areas in the state of Victoria. This fire, in the Kilmore East area north of Melbourne, killed 119 people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes. The plaintiffs say SPI Electricity failed to adequately maintain its power lines - claims the company denies. The case is expected to last at least nine months. There are about 10,000 plaintiffs, led by Carol Matthews, who lost her 22-year-old son in the fire. A 2009 Royal Commission found that the fire began when an electricity line failed between two poles. Contact between the live conductor and a cable stay supporting the pole caused arcing that ignited vegetation, the report said. The plaintiffs accuse SPI of failing to maintain its equipment adequately. "This fire was entirely preventable," their lawyer, Robert Richter, told the court. "With known and reasonable steps taken in time, SPI could and should have prevented it." He rejected SPI's stance that a lightning strike damaged the power line's infrastructure. The group are also suing maintenance firm Utility Services Corporation Limited over its inspections of the power line. A total of 173 people died in the Black Saturday fires. | Survivors of one of the biggest bushfires in Australian history are suing a power company for @placeholder . | assistance | money | concern | negligence | justice | 3 |
Competitors will have their trigger fingers at the ready to try to get Maserati Trofeos, a Bentley Continental and a Chevrolet Camaro to be the fastest on the track. Each will compete in a six car 10 lap race around a 28ft (8.55m) circuit. Similar heats have been held elsewhere in the UK and Europe. The final rounds are taking place at the English Martyrs Church Hall in Goring-by-Sea, and at Marquee Models in the Harvey Centre, Harlow. Last year, Australian Peter Dimmers was crowned world champion, with Ann Bird, from East Preston, in West Sussex, the runner-up. Ms Bird also won the event in Goring, with a time of 26.93 seconds. Mr Dimmers' time was 23.12 seconds, which was recorded in Australia. There were also heats in Singapore and Barbados during 2014. Anyone can turn up at Saturday's events - which are taking place between 11:00 and 16:00 GMT - and race as many times as they want. The winner of each has their time added to the leader board, with the fastest winning race time of the day then added to the world leader board. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest time each hour and to the overall winner and top under-16 racer of the day. Organiser and joint founder of Worthing HO Racing Andy Player said competitors would race on exactly the same Scalextric Digital layout as the other championship events and use the same Scalextric cars and controllers. | Fans of a @placeholder slot car racing game are vying to become this year 's Scalextric World Champion in heats taking place in West Sussex and Essex . | classic | controversial | prominent | special | popular | 0 |
Sterling's value has dropped due to uncertainty over the UK's future in the European Union. Export orders have risen at their fastest rate in 20 months, with sales into the Eurozone providing a better return than last year. The findings are contained in an analysis of local firms in March. This was when businesses continued to experience "a very strong start to the year." Retailers in border areas report having more southern shoppers, with a stronger euro giving them better value on visits to Northern Ireland. The bank surveys firms across different sectors on a monthly basis, monitoring things like new orders, employment and exports to give an overview of the economy. But some sectors are performing better than others. "Manufacturing continues to struggle," said Ulster Bank's chief economist Richard Ramsey. "It continues to report job losses, the only sector to do so, with March representing the seventh successive month of employment declines." | A weak pound has provided " a significant and @placeholder " boost to some Northern Ireland businesses , according to Ulster Bank . | brutal | unexpected | vital | substantial | offensive | 1 |
The images, taken in 1983, are on view at Salford Lads Club, outside which the group posed for sleeve art on their album The Queen Is Dead. Fanzine editor Colin Howe decided to loan his negatives to the club for an exhibition and a fund-raising booklet. He had discovered the pictures in his garage and mentioned them in passing while on a tour of the club. Mr Howe had written to the band's record label Rough Trade requesting an interview for his fanzine, The Portable Chatshow. He met and photographed the band when they played Liverpool Polytechnic on 22 October - their first appearance in the city on what was only their second tour. Leslie Holmes, project manager at Salford Lads Club said: "He offered them to us and we are delighted to put these rare photographs on show." "One of our first visitors today was Joyce Guillarduccci who is a visitor from Sao Paolo," he added. The club is one of most popular music landmarks with tourists in the UK owing to its association with the seminal Manchester group. The exhibition is running for two successive Saturdays at the club ending on 5 December. | Forgotten photographs of The Smiths have gone on display at the scene of the band 's most @placeholder photo shoot . | notorious | popular | potential | famous | prestigious | 3 |
In a statement, it said that the judiciary at the time had abandoned its role as protector of basic rights. "The time has come to ask for the forgiveness of victims... and of Chilean society," said the judges. More than 3,000 people were killed under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990. The statement by the National Association of Magistrates of the Judiciary comes a week before the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought General Pinochet to power. It said its members, and in particular the Supreme Court, had failed in its duty to protect victims of state abuse. The magistrates' association acknowledged that the Chilean judiciary could and should have done much more to safeguard the rights of those persecuted by the dictatorship. It said the judges had ignored the plight of victims who had demanded their intervention. Chilean courts rejected about 5,000 cases seeking help on locating missing loved ones abducted or killed by the authorities. Critics say their usual response was they had no information about their fate. Chile's current centre-right government has said the country will officially recognise the anniversary of the coup. President Sebastian Pinera said last month that the coup on 11 September 1973 was "a historical fact" and its 40th anniversary should be a time of "reflection." The announcement came after the conservative senator and former president of the Independent Democratic Union, Hernan Larrain, apologised for his party's actions. "I ask for forgiveness," he said. "This is my voice for reconciliation." | The body representing judges in Chile has made an @placeholder apology for the actions of its members under military rule in the 1970s and 1980s . | explicit | influential | unprecedented | adequate | emotional | 2 |
He opened the scoring from six yards out seconds after coming off the bench. The Colombian, back with Monaco after dreadful loan spells with Manchester United and Chelsea, has now scored nine goals in 11 appearances this season. Youngsters Thomas Lemar, who made his France debut earlier this week, and Gabriel Boschilia scored free-kicks to seal the win. Monaco go clear of local rivals Nice, who visit St Etienne on Sunday, on goal difference. Paris St-Germain, champions for the past four years, sit three points off the Cote d'Azur pair. The next game for Leonardo Jardim's Monaco is at home to Tottenham in the Champions League on Tuesday. Match ends, Lorient 0, Monaco 3. Second Half ends, Lorient 0, Monaco 3. Goal! Lorient 0, Monaco 3. Boschilia (Monaco) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner. Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Maxime Barthelme (Lorient). Offside, Lorient. Steven Moreira tries a through ball, but Majeed Waris is caught offside. Attempt missed. Majeed Waris (Lorient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Maxime Barthelme with a cross. Foul by Kamil Glik (Monaco). Majeed Waris (Lorient) wins a free kick on the left wing. Offside, Lorient. Wesley Lautoa tries a through ball, but Majeed Waris is caught offside. Substitution, Monaco. Boschilia replaces Bernardo Silva. Thomas Lemar (Monaco) wins a free kick on the left wing. Foul by Steven Moreira (Lorient). Attempt saved. Falcao (Monaco) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bernardo Silva with a cross. Attempt saved. Jérémie Aliadière (Lorient) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Majeed Waris. Bernardo Silva (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Cafú (Lorient). Attempt blocked. Jérémie Aliadière (Lorient) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Majeed Waris. Substitution, Monaco. Guido Carrillo replaces Valère Germain. Corner, Monaco. Conceded by Paul Delecroix. Substitution, Lorient. Maxime Barthelme replaces Francois Bellugou. Falcao (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Zargo Toure (Lorient). Attempt blocked. Wesley Lautoa (Lorient) header from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Arnold Mvuemba with a cross. Corner, Lorient. Conceded by Fabinho. Offside, Monaco. Bernardo Silva tries a through ball, but Benjamin Mendy is caught offside. Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Majeed Waris (Lorient). Foul by Benjamin Mendy (Monaco). Romain Philippoteaux (Lorient) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt missed. Tiemoué Bakayoko (Monaco) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Attempt missed. Majeed Waris (Lorient) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Arnold Mvuemba with a cross following a set piece situation. Substitution, Lorient. Romain Philippoteaux replaces Benjamin Moukandjo. Foul by Benjamin Mendy (Monaco). Steven Moreira (Lorient) wins a free kick on the right wing. Substitution, Lorient. Jérémie Aliadière replaces Sylvain Marveaux. Goal! Lorient 0, Monaco 2. Thomas Lemar (Monaco) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner. Tiemoué Bakayoko (Monaco) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Foul by Zargo Toure (Lorient). Attempt blocked. Majeed Waris (Lorient) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cafú. | Radamel Falcao @placeholder his brilliant season with a goal as Monaco beat Lorient to go top of Ligue 1. | continued | capped | believes | lost | admits | 0 |
Manga, 28, joined Cardiff in September 2014 from French club Lorient on a three-year deal and has played over 70 games. The Gabon international has been asked to take a pay cut to remain at the club and Warnock is pessimistic. "I can't see Bruno staying," Warnock said. "I haven't given up hope of signing him I just think it will be very difficult with his agent. "His agent was supposed to come last week but he didn't turn up and they're not making any overtures they want to stay. "I think we will regret it if he leaves." Manga, 28, played in Cardiff's 1-0 defeat at Championship play-off hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday on Good Friday. Warnock was disappointed with the result which saw them remain 14th in the table. "I don't know how they've come away with a win if I'm honest. It's really baffling me," Warnock said. "In the end they were the long ball merchants and I thought we tried to play some controlled stuff in the second half. "We couldn't get that goal and when we needed bravery at the end we didn't get it and we've ended up losing and a long trek back." | Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock @placeholder defender Bruno Manga could leave the Championship club at the end of the season . | announced | wants | denied | expects | admits | 4 |
The bank cited lower-than-expected inflationary pressures for the cut, from the previous rate of 2%. Data published last week showed inflation is at a record low - well below the target band of 2%-3%. Investors in Australia cheered the bank's move. The benchmark S&P ASX 200 jumped 2% to close at 5,353.80. "The board judged that prospects for sustainable growth in the economy, with inflation returning to target over time, would be improved by easing monetary policy at this meeting," said Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens in a statement. The rate cut comes hours ahead of the federal budget for 2016-17. Small tax cuts and increased spending on health, infrastructure and education have already been foreshadowed or announced to be part of the budget. It is also seen as an unofficial election campaign launch. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will dissolve parliament and call an early election on or before 11 May. Elsewhere in the region, other Asian stock markets were higher on Tuesday following positive trading sessions in the US and Europe on Monday. In South Korea, the Kospi index closed up 0.4% at 1,996.41. Trading in China restarted after a long weekend and the Shanghai Composite index closed up 54.32 points, or 1.85%, at 2,992.64. Investors shrugged off a private survey which indicated a mild contraction in China's manufacturing activity. The Caixin Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) came in at 49.4 in April, compared with 49.7 in March. A reading below 50 indicates a contraction. The PMI tracks activities in factories and workshops. The data differs from China's state figures released at the weekend, which showed a reading of 50.1 for April, compared with 50.2 in March. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng index fell 390.11 points, or 1.85%, to 20,676.94. Markets in Japan are shut for three days of national holidays and will re-open on Friday. | The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut its benchmark interest rate to a @placeholder low of 1.75 % , the first reduction since May 2015 . | temporary | historic | controversial | greater | fresh | 1 |
The Northern Ireland Secretary said EU rules do not permit part of a country remaining within the European Union. She was speaking ahead of a British Irish meeting to discuss the political way ahead after the referendum result. "The EU rules are very clear - membership is at member state level, it's a national question," she said. In Northern Ireland, the majority of voters (56%) voted for the UK to stay in the EU in last week's referendum. But overall, the UK electorate voted to give up its EU membership by 52% to 48%. "This decision has been made - the people of the UK have voted to leave the EU," Ms Villiers, who pushed for a Leave vote, said. "That decision is going to be respected, that's what the government will take forward." Ms Villiers is to host the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan to discuss the fallout from the EU referendum result. Northern Ireland Executive ministers have also been meeting to consider the implications of Brexit and the potential impact on their government departments. The politicians who are meeting at Stormont today are deeply divided about the issue. Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon travelled to Brussels on Wednesday to seek to protect her region's relationship with the EU. Gibraltar, which, like Scotland and Northern Ireland, voted to remain in the EU, has signalled it wishes to explore its options.. Both Sinn Féin and the SDLP have said they do not want to be "dragged out of the EU" on the basis of English votes. But First Minister Arlene Foster and and her Democratic Unionist Party campaigned for a Leave vote She said: "The campaign is over, the decision has been taken, and now it is our job to go ahead and to represent the people of Northern Ireland in terms of the negotiations that are going to take place now. "That's certainly my focus, to get the best deal for Northern Ireland in terms of the Brexit from the European Union," she said. | Northern Ireland can not maintain any kind of @placeholder status within the EU after the UK withdraws from the union , Theresa Villiers has said . | independent | sovereign | special | fair | diplomatic | 2 |
Some reports have suggested the prime minister, David Cameron, could call the vote in June. Ms Sturgeon said a "longer period" might be needed for a campaign for continued UK membership. The Conservative MSP, Alex Johnstone, said there would be "enough time" for people to make an informed decision. Mr Cameron is seeking to renegotiate the terms of UK membership with other EU leaders before calling the "in/out" referendum. At the weekend, he said he was "hopeful" of reaching a deal with other EU leaders in February and that the referendum "would follow". He has previously committed to holding the ballot before the end of 2017. Ms Sturgeon said she wanted the UK to remain in the EU, even though she believed a vote to leave could hasten another referendum on Scottish independence. She urged Mr Cameron to get away from "a very narrow focus" on renegotiation issues and "get out there" to make the case for continued membership. Otherwise she said he would lose ground to the leave campaign and be guilty of a "failure of leadership". A Downing Street source said the debate over the UK's future relationship with the EU could not properly begin until renegotiation was completed. Tory MSP Alex Johnstone said: "It's important that this [the EU referendum] is done quickly and that the referendum takes place as soon as we have a deal on the table. "There will be time, there will be opportunity for people to look at that deal and consider it. "But that can take a month or two months. It doesn't take two years. "It's certainly enough time for people to judge the deal and for people to make an informed decision," he said. A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "It's essential that as many people as possible have their say." | Scotland 's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was " @placeholder concerned " about the possibility of an early EU referendum . | radically | increasingly | gravely | particularly | genuinely | 1 |
The Air Force said Maj Gen Michael Carey's removal was for "behaviour during a temporary duty assignment". The sacking was not linked to the operation of the nuclear arsenal, which was safe, the officials insisted. On Wednesday the US Navy announced an admiral overseeing nuclear weapons forces had been sacked from the role. That was due to illegal gambling activities, officials said. Michael Carey is a two-star general in the 20th Air Force and was responsible for maintaining intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at three bases across the US - a total of 450 missiles. In a statement, the Air Force said Lt Gen James Kowalski, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, had made the decision. It read: "Kowalski made his decision based on information from an Inspector General investigation into Carey's behaviour during a temporary duty assignment. "The allegations are not related to operational readiness or the inspection results of any 20th AF unit, nor do they involve sexual misconduct." Gen Kowalski said: "It's unfortunate that I've had to relieve an officer who's had an otherwise distinctive career spanning 35 years of commendable service." Gen Kowalski oversees all Air Force nuclear weapons, including aircraft-delivered. The vice commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, Maj Gen Jack Weinstein, is temporarily replacing Gen Carey. The Air Force's biography of Gen Carey says he is in charge of 9,600 people at three operational wings and served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. It lists 13 major awards he has received. On Wednesday the Navy announced that Vice-Adm Tim Giardina had been removed as second-in-command of US Strategic Command. His job was to oversee the nation's nuclear weapons forces. He is accused of using counterfeit gambling chips in "a significant monetary amount" at an Iowa casino. Adm Giardina was demoted to a two-star admiral and is being reassigned pending outcome of an inquiry. The two sackings follow several other incidents affecting the US military's nuclear establishment. In August, a nuclear missile unit at Malstrom Air Force base in Montana failed a safety and security inspection, after which a senior security officer was relieved of duty. In May, it was reported that 17 officers in charge of maintaining nuclear missiles were sidelined over safety violations at Minot Air Force base in North Dakota. | The general in charge of the US Air Force 's long - range nuclear missiles has been sacked due to " @placeholder of trust and confidence " , officials have said . | loss | abuse | criticism | stay | conflicts | 0 |
1 May 2016 Last updated at 21:36 BST The BBC News website asked the independent Money Advice Service to deliver a calendar of month-by-month tips for those trying to keep their personal finances in order. Melanie Dowding, from the service, says there are three basic tips to keep holiday spending under control. Video Journalist: Kevin Peachey | Holidaymakers spend an average of £ 200 more than they expect on their @placeholder summer holiday , an advice service suggests . | annual | exclusive | normal | latest | national | 0 |
A government directive said they would be transferred to Thengar Char before being repatriated to Myanmar. Rights groups have raised strong objections to the plan, saying it amounts to a forced relocation. Thengar Char is engulfed by several feet of water at high tide, and has no roads or flood defences. It was formed about a decade ago by sediment from the River Meghna, and does not appear on most maps. The low-lying land is around 30km (18 miles) east of Hatiya island, which has a population of 600,000 - and nine hours' journey from the camps where the Rohingya have taken shelter. An official in the region told the AFP news agency Thengar Char was "only accessible during winter and is a haven for pirates". The official said trees had been planted in a bid to protect the land from flooding, but these efforts were at least a decade off completion. "It completely inundates during the monsoon," the official told AFP. "It's a terrible idea to send someone to live there." In Myanmar, the Rohingya are denied citizenship and treated as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. But in Bangladesh too they are unwanted - leaving them persecuted, impoverished and effectively stateless. Officials say an estimated 65,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh since October, fleeing violence in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine. Some 232,000 - both registered and unregistered - were already living in Bangladesh before that influx, many in refugee camps with poor facilities. Now the Bangladesh government has set up a committee of state officials to help identify and relocate undocumented Myanmar nationals. A push to attract tourists is being blamed in part for the proposal, which has the backing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Cox's Bazar, which houses 32,000 Rohingya in a squalid refugee colony, is home to the world's longest unbroken beach and Bangladesh's largest resort. Officials fear the presence of the Rohingya may put off would-be holidaymakers. | The Bangladesh government is moving to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees to a @placeholder island in the Bay of Bengal . | serious | vulnerable | popular | tropical | special | 1 |
This structure allowed them to rip through flesh and bones of larger animals, surviving as top predators for around 165 million years. The research, published in Scientific Reports, used microscopes to examine and analyse tooth slices. It revealed a crucial layered arrangement of tissue inside the teeth. Like a steak knife, dinosaur teeth have serrated edges designed to slice through meat. Teeth are made of tough tissue called dentine, surrounded by an outer coating of enamel. The researchers discovered a special arrangement of layers of dentine at the base of each serration in the tooth. "This helped to enlarge the serration on the inside the tooth," said Kirstin Brink, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Toronto Mississauga. "It also helped to strengthen it and prevented it from wearing away too quickly while the animal was eating." Unlike humans, dinosaurs could grow new teeth to replace lost ones. But this could take up to two years. Having an internal structure that protected the tooth meant these animals had a stronger and better bite. The team also examined "unerupted" teeth, which had not yet broken through the gums. Their structure was similar to older teeth, showing that it did not develop as a response to the dinosaurs chewing hard materials. "In general, meat-eating animals have less complex teeth than plant eaters as plant matter has to be chewed and ground up. It was surprising to find that theropods, which eat meat, had this complexity," Dr Brink told the BBC. The dinosaur teeth in the study ranged from 3-20cm in length, and were obtained from museum collections. Commenting on the study, Prof Paul Barrett from the Natural History Museum in London told BBC News: "This topic has not previously been examined with this level of detail. It shows how, at a microscopic level, the teeth are adapted for their job." | Scientists have discovered the unique internal structure of the serrated teeth @placeholder to carnivorous dinosaurs like T. rex and Allosaurus . | hopes | known | dedicated | belonging | relating | 3 |
The UN committee on the rights of the child said all children should receive a "truly inclusive education". The committee is composed of 18 members drawn from countries including Bahrain, Spain, Italy and Ethiopia. Their latest report explores how the UK is implementing the UN charter on the rights of the child. However, it includes a number of recommendations specific to Northern Ireland. It says that in Northern Ireland education, "segregation by religion persists", and calls for the executive to "actively promote a fully integrated education system and carefully monitor the provision of shared education". The report goes on to say that abortion should be decriminalised in Northern Ireland "in all circumstances" and that the executive should "review its legislation with a view to ensuring girls' access to safe abortion and post-abortion care services." It also recommends that children should be able to decide on their own not to attend religious worship in schools, rather than having to be withdrawn by their parents. Religious education and acts of collective worship are currently compulsory in Northern Ireland schools. Parents do have the option to withdraw their child from these on the grounds of conscience. The CEO of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), Tina Merron, welcomed the committee's support for integrated education. "This is a very welcome endorsement of the aims of the integrated education movement and represents recognition at the highest level that young people in Northern Ireland are largely growing up in a context of division and separation according to religious tradition," she said. "I am very pleased to see such a clear expression of support for education reform and would hope that it now becomes central in the new Executive mandate." Save the Children NI said another of the report's findings highlighted high levels of child poverty here. "We hope the NI Executive will take the UN Committee's recommendations seriously and implement them through the new Programme for Government," they said. The committee's full report makes almost 100 observations or recommendations in a number of areas including education, civil rights, care and mental health provision. However, the committee cannot compel UK governments to change legislation. | Unregulated transfer tests in Northern Ireland should be @placeholder , a United Nations ( UN ) committee has said . | reinstated | implemented | guaranteed | avoided | abolished | 4 |
In 2013, the Italian composer was reported as saying he wouldn't work with Tarantino because he "places music in his films without coherence". But the 87-year-old told the BBC he had no issues with how the director incorporated his older works into films like Kill Bill and Django Unchained. "On the contrary, I was very, very flattered," he said. "The fact that my music, which had been written for other films, could be adapted to the poetry of Quentin Tarantino's film-making was a great gift for me. "The only thing I criticised of Quentin Tarantino was a single scene in a single movie which, for me, was too violent and too ghastly. I couldn't watch it." Speaking through an interpreter, the maestro said his original comments had been mis-reported, adding: "People should pay a lot of attention when they write something down." The pair have now collaborated for the first time, with the Italian maestro penning the soundtrack for Tarantino's upcoming film The Hateful Eight. It marks the first time the composer has scored a Western since his career-defining work with Sergio Leone on films such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly; and Once Upon a Time in the West. It is also a first for Tarantino - who has never commissioned a full orchestral score for one of his films before, preferring to rely on old soundtracks and classic pop records. Morricone says it was Tarantino's dense script that persuaded him to work on the project. "It was this thick," he says, indicating a document several times thicker than War and Peace. "He actually came to Rome just to convince me, to my house. "It was very easy for me to say yes because the script was very, very relevant and interesting and full of detail." The Hateful Eight, which is released in January, reunites Tarantino with several of his regular players - Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern - as well as newcomers Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demian Bichir and Channing Tatum. Set roughly a decade after the US Civil War, it finds an eclectic group of law-keepers, outlaws, mercenaries, bounty hunters and fugitives trapped in a stagecoach waypoint by a massive snowstorm. As the plot unfurls, they begin to wonder whether they'll make it out alive. The score's key movement is a seven-minute suite called L'Ultima Diligenza per Red Rock - a piece of which Morricone is particularly proud. "The main instruments introducing this piece are the bassoon, the contra-bassoon and the tuba," he says. "And this is very strange because I have never done that in the past. "The sound these instruments produce can express the drama, the rage, the despair and the irony that are the main themes of Tarantino's story. They are a healthy, bodily sound. They also express a criticism towards the leading characters of the film." A sinister, brooding passage of music, it will form the centrepiece of the composer's world tour next year, celebrating his 60 years in the film industry. Despite his age - and the lingering pain from a back injury he sustained last year - Morricone says he is "looking forward" to the concerts, and finds playing themes from films such as The Mission, Cinema Paradiso and A Fistful of Dollars an "incredibly gratifying experience". The composer has scored more than 500 films, sold more than 70 million albums, scored a top 10 single in the UK (with Chi Mai in 1982) and received an honorary Oscar - but he has no intention of resting on his laurels. "I've been working for many years and the sum of all these experiences led me always to improve, to do better," he says. "Every piece of work I do adds something to my experience and my style, and brings something new." And had he been able to stomach the violence in Tarantino's latest movie? "The fact I don't like those sequences is not a problem. It's a question of my personal sensitivity," he says. "I would go to the extent to say that maybe he can afford to include those violent sequences because it's part of his poetry. "The world can be a very cruel place and he has a wonderful way of describing this cruelty." The Hateful Eight is out in the UK on 8 January. Morricone's soundtrack will be released by Decca on 18 December. | Ennio Morricone has @placeholder criticising Quentin Tarantino over his use of music . | existed | welcomed | defended | blamed | denied | 4 |
On 9 September 2015 the Queen will have ruled for more than 63 years and 216 days. She'll have overtaken the record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, more than a century ago. The silver coin features the new picture of the Queen that was unveiled earlier this year. | A @placeholder £ 20 coin is being made to commemorate the Queen becoming Britain 's longest reigning monarch . | silver | special | major | further | second | 1 |
Amtrak's plans include expanding high-speed trains between Washington DC and Boston. The vice president said "America needs to go big on infrastructure" investment. Rail infrastructure in the US lags many other developed countries, particularly in terms of high-speed trains. The new trains, which Amtrak expects to begin running in 2021, will have initial speeds of up to 160mph, but will be capable of speeds up to 186mph. "We need these kinds of investments to keep this region - and our whole country - moving, and to create new jobs," said Mr Biden. America's Northeast corridor, which includes Washington, New York City, and Boston is one of the country's busiest route networks. Amtrak recorded 11.7 million riders along that route in 2015 - its highest number on record. "The Northeast corridor is a national economic engine that carries a workforce contributing $50bn annually to the national GDP," said New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. | US vice president Joe Biden has announced plans to lend railway operator Amtrak $ 2.45 bn ( £ 1.86 bn ) to expand services and make @placeholder . | commitments | prestige | power | upgrades | reserves | 3 |
Passengers have suffered months of delays, cancellations and a reduced timetable due to staff shortages and strike action by conductors. Asked if he would remove the rail franchise, he said he would look "very carefully at what the position is". Mr Grayling warned: "This has got to improve quickly". Southern and the RMT union are in dispute about plans for drivers, rather than guards, to open and close carriage doors. Mr Grayling told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend he had been in the job 36 hours and had already had meetings about Southern. He said he would hold further meetings on Monday. "This is right at the top of my agenda. This needs to be sorted," he added. Southern is one of four railways operated jointly under a government management contract by Govia Thameslink (GTR). Rail minister Claire Perry resigned last week after telling MPs she could not remove the franchise as the company was not in breach of contractual agreements. Last Monday, Southern axed 341 of its 2,242 weekday trains to try to provide a more reliable, temporary timetable. Fifteen services have since been reinstated, including five serving Mr Grayling's Surrey constituency of Epsom and Ewell. GTR insisted the trains were chosen before his appointment. David Hodge, the leader of Surrey County Council and a Southern commuter, said he understood the anger of passengers and businesses and urged all sides to "put their heads together" for a solution. | New Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said @placeholder the Southern trains dispute is " top of his priority list " . | believes | declared | admits | resolving | dismissed | 3 |
In a report, the US-based group says that of 90 people abducted in mysterious circumstances last year, 21 were killed. Nine others, including two sons of opposition politicians, had disappeared. The Bangladesh government said it would act promptly on any solid evidence. In the report, entitled We Don't Have Him, Human Rights Watch also said there had been a number of suspicious deaths in custody. "Bangladesh security forces appear to have a free hand in detaining people, deciding on their guilt or innocence, and determining their punishment, including whether they have the right to be alive," said Brad Adams, the group's Asia director. "The disappearances are well documented and reported, yet the government persists in this abhorrent practice with no regard for the rule of law." Nineteen activists of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party have not been seen for three years; and several dozen people have suffered this fate since the Awami League came to power eight years ago. Human Rights Watch also says there is an "alarming" trend of people being secretly detained and then dying in suspicious circumstances, such as alleged gunfights which relatives believe were faked. Going on eyewitness testimony, the lobby group believes two police units have carried out most of the abuses. Human Rights Watch wants the authorities in Dhaka to investigate its findings, and those suspected of abuses to be prosecuted. "The Bangladesh government should immediately stop this widespread practice of enforced disappearances, order prompt, impartial, and independent investigations into these allegations, provide answers to families, and prosecute security forces responsible for such egregious rights violations," its report says. Bangladesh Information Minister Hassan Ul-Haq Inu told the BBC that if solid evidence was given, the authorities would look at it and respond very quickly. But he insisted that proper procedures were always followed with detainees. | The Bangladesh authorities have @placeholder detained hundreds of people since 2013 and held them in secret custody , Human Rights Watch says . | already | illegally | repeatedly | briefly | now | 1 |
It comes ahead of ba' day in Jedburgh on Thursday when the Uppies and Doonies do battle in the town. It is just one of a number of Borders towns where such contests are staged. The exhibition, Fraternity: Fellowship of the Ba', is at Jedburgh Royal British Legion from Wednesday until Saturday. The ba' games - which have taken place for centuries - see competitors fight for possession of a small ball which is hurled from one end of the town to the other. The exhibition looks at links with the French game of soule and contains photographs by Peter Holme and Olivier Got along with archive material. The Scots items will form the basis of a permanent collection for use with schools and other local groups in future. Exhibition organiser Hugh Hornby said there was a reason many of the games were played at this time of year. "The Shrove Tuesday tradition is very much that it is the one day of the year when ordinary people - particularly young men - have free rein to basically roam through the streets getting up to various kinds of mischief," he said. "This tradition goes all the way back to at least the Norman conquests in Britain. "The whole idea, I suppose, is that if there is one day in the year when people are allowed to misbehave then it is expected that for the rest of the year they will behave themselves and not cause too many problems." | A new exhibition is examining the story of the @placeholder Borders ba ' games and their links with a similar handball game in France . | best | southern | historic | popular | ruling | 2 |
The woman was allegedly subjected to abuse over a number of years. Two reports have been published into how the Health Service Executive (HSE) handled the claims. The HSE has apologised for the failings in care. It said disciplinary proceedings would begin immediately into staff implicated in the failings. The woman, known only as Grace, was a resident in a foster home in the south-east of the Republic of Ireland. She had evidence of bruising and showed signs of sexualised behaviour. Grace stayed in the home for 14 years after an allegation of sex abuse was made in relation to another resident. According to one of the reports, no one at the HSE looked into the reasons why she was not moved many years earlier. Mr Kenny told the Dáil (Irish parliament) that "the very least" the chamber could do was apologise to Grace and her family. He also said that the terms of reference for a commission of inquiry into abuse at a foster home in the south-east would be published next week. Mary-Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin's deputy leader, asked who in the HSE had been held responsible and whether arrests had been made in the criminal investigation. "It's not enough to produce shocking reports - we need accountability," said Ms McDonald. Mr Kenny replied that it was a criminal matter for the Republic's police commissioner to give details about but added that the government had agreed to set up a commission of investigation that will hear evidence in private. The taoiseach told the Dáil that the minister with responsibility for disabilities, Finian McGrath, would bring the investigation's terms of reference to the Irish cabinet next Tuesday. An interim report is expected within three months. | Irish health authorities ' handling of allegations that a woman with @placeholder disabilities was sexually abused while in a foster home are a " disgrace to us and our country " , Irish Prime Minster Enda Kenny has said . | hearing | negative | sophisticated | intellectual | immediate | 3 |
Acton, 25, was charged with "other contrary behaviour" after an incident in their defeat by Catalans on 1 July. The case was adjourned on 4 July for one week after Leigh requested more time to prepare for the hearing. He is accused of grabbing Greg Bird's shirt, lifting him and then pushing him to the floor as he lay injured. The secondary delay request was granted, provided Acton does not play for Leigh in Friday's match against Huddersfield. Acton has already missed a 50-10 defeat by Warrington after the case was adjourned the first time. He was charged with a Grade F offence, the most serious on the Rugby Football League's disciplinary scale, which carries a minimum ban of eight games if found guilty. Meanwhile, Warrington forward Ben Westwood has been given a three-match ban for a Grade D dangerous throw offence in their win over Leigh, and Salford centre Junior Sa'u will serve a one-match suspension after submitting an early guilty plea over a Grade B high tackle charge. | Leigh Centurions forward Jamie Acton 's disciplinary case has been delayed for a second time so his @placeholder representative can attend . | legal | estranged | latest | controversial | national | 0 |
However, they remain confident the Games, which start on 7 September, will go ahead as planned. Rio 2016 spokesman Mario Andrada said he hoped a new advertising push would help with ticket sales. Rio chiefs also remain in talks with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) over unpaid travel grants to national Paralympic bodies. Andrada said the organising committee had experienced poor initial sales for the Olympics, too, and he expected growing local interest to boost Paralympic sales "as we have seen with other hosts before". "We want to stage a very successful Paralympics, and we met our sponsors and broadcasters yesterday to confirm this," added Andrada. The IPC has cancelled a news conference planned for Thursday, when they had intended to give a progress report on the Paralympics funding crisis. | Rio 2016 organisers say just 12 % of @placeholder tickets for next month 's Paralympic Games have been sold so far . | available | major | personal | special | temporary | 0 |
Customers had until the end of October to register their fingerprints and photographs at their local bank. The bank says messages claiming to help reactivate registration are fraudulent and actually trying to get people's personal information. Huge sums are allegedly stolen from Nigerian banks as a result of forgery and illegal withdrawals. Customers who registered were given a Bank Verification Number (BVN) to use at cash machines, and for online and mobile transactions. Banks are using the verification number along with customers' biometric information to check they are genuine. Potentially millions of people could now be blocked from these services as less than half of Nigeria's 52 million bank account holders had registered on Friday, according to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spokesman Ibrahim Mu'azu. On Monday, he released a statement saying that "unscrupulous individuals" are trying to get people to reveal their personal details to use to defraud them. He wrote that an example message says: "Dear customer, due to the new BVN policy by the CBN your account has been deactivated and to reactivate, call……". He reminded customers that "neither the Central Bank of Nigeria and deposit money banks nor their employees or agents would ever call bank customers or send e-mail/text messages requesting for passwords, card details or personal identification number (PIN)". | Nigeria 's central bank has warned that fraudsters are taking advantage of a major crackdown on @placeholder bank accounts . | fake | controversial | social | free | foreign | 0 |
Advance fares between any two Scottish cities from £5 will be introduced, and the ScotRail 55+ concessionary scheme will be extended to those over 50. The Dutch operator Abellio will take over the franchise on 1 April. Their contract will run for 10 years, with a break clause allowing either side to end it in 2022. Transport Minister Derek Mackay said that the passenger benefits Abellio was introducing amounted to "a really remarkable offer." "The Scottish Government was clear that this franchise should be about more than delivering a rail service - it should be an enabler for growth and an important contributor to communities up and down the country," he added. The ScotRail franchise is the biggest single contract let by the Scottish Government and is worth just over £6bn. Several stations will undergo improvements, with enhanced online services and better integration with other forms of transport. ScotRail staff, who will all transfer to the new franchise, and subcontractors have both been guaranteed the living wage. Abellio has pledged to create at least 100 apprenticeships, and has committed to having no compulsory redundancies throughout the contract's period. Jeff Hoogesteger, CEO Abellio Group, said: "Under Abellio, ScotRail will not simply be a train operating company, but a passenger operating company. "This means it will play a truly strategic role in the long term development of the nation; providing jobs and support for small businesses in towns and cities across the country; supporting and boosting Scotland's leisure and tourism industries and connecting businesses and people by improving journey times and the capacity of Scotland's rail services." | The new ScotRail franchise will offer free rail travel to interviews for jobseekers , as well as a month 's @placeholder travel if they get the job . | upcoming | troubled | major | free | annual | 3 |
Alonso will miss the season-opening grand prix in Australia on Sunday as a result of the incident in Barcelona. Flavio Briatore claims the stories originated in Spain. "Everyone else wrote about it because it was almost funny," said the Italian, admitting that the crash was "very strange". Briatore said Alonso had "lost some memory" for "two or three days" but insisted the two-time world champion had not suffered long-lasting injury. "If Fernando had had problems, the doctors would have discovered them," said Briatore. "If he had passed out briefly, they would have seen. We did hours of tests with the leading specialists in Europe." In an interview with Sky Italia, Briatore said: Briatore, who has not been involved directly in F1 since being found guilty of involvement in Renault's attempt to fix the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, said he had seen video of the accident. Media playback is not supported on this device "The impact was not so hard," he said. "He crashes without any reason. We have to see if there was a steering problem." McLaren have already said they have found no evidence that Alonso's car suffered any kind of mechanical failure following the crash at Turn Three of Spain's Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 22 February, or that there was any irregularity in the energy recovery system. Briatore described the decision by doctors to advise Alonso to miss the first race in Australia this weekend to avoid the risk of a potentially dangerous second concussion as "logical". Reacting to speculation that Alonso suffered an electric shock, causing him to crash, Briatore responded: "I hope not. "But if there was an electrical problem they must say because it could happen to other drivers. "We have to know what has happened for everybody's peace of mind." Australian Grand Prix coverage details. | Fernando Alonso 's manager says reports the McLaren driver thought he was still a go - kart racer after being knocked out in a testing crash are " @placeholder " . | absurd | unfortunate | nonsense | disgrace | innocent | 2 |
Hong Kong uses traditional Chinese script as opposed to the mainland's simplified characters. The broadcaster, TVB, defended the move, saying Hong Kong is an international city. The city has seen tensions over the perceived growing influence of Beijing. The communications regulator said the complaints pertained to TVB's daily 40-minute Mandarin-language evening news programme. "This new arrangement will offer our viewers more choice and better serve different audience needs," a spokesman said in a statement. A commentary on the matter by the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece People's Daily called on Hong Kong to "not be so overly sensitive towards simplified script". "Bringing political implications into this fight over traditional and simplified script, and contaminating it with hostile feelings, only creates an inexplicable rivalry," it added. There is perhaps no issue more integral to the identity of Hong Kong people than their use of the Chinese language: spoken Cantonese with traditional written characters. That's why a move to change the written script used in a prime-time news bulletin, even if it is a Mandarin-language programme, has caused so much anger. Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo has written a protest letter to TVB. She admits the broadcaster hasn't violated any rules. But she says the move is part of an obvious plan to turn Hong Kong into a mainland Chinese city. "If you want to kill a city, the first thing you do is to kill the language," she tells me. She and other political activists believe if they do not protest the decision now, other television programmes may be next. The move comes amid growing tensions in the city, which saw widespread pro-democracy protests in 2014, over growing social and political influence from mainland China. Earlier this month violence erupted in the city's working-class neighbourhood of Mong Kok when authorities tried to clear illegal food hawkers, who are seen as an integral part of local culture. Several activists associated with the city's so-called localist movement have been arrested and charged with rioting this year. The movement champions greater autonomy for Hong Kong and protection against the perceived dilution of the city's identity. | Hong Kong officials received more than 10,000 complaints in three days after a @placeholder TV programme began subtitling output in the Chinese characters associated with mainland China . | rare | tense | temporary | controversial | popular | 4 |
Nurse Sarah Hardy said the 18-year-old's treatment had been "dreadful" and she had not had a mental health assessment over six months, Coventry North West MP Geoffrey Robinson stated. Mr Hunt said it was "not good enough" and he was "more than happy to meet". The trust said it had contacted the family to try and resolve the issue. Labour MP Mr Robinson read out a letter from Mrs Hardy, a nurse with 26 years' experience, in the Commons. "I'm somebody who works in the NHS so I understand the strains the service is under," it said. "But I also expect as a family who gave so much to society and still do, when it is our time of need, we can expect a service that meets our needs." Mr Hunt responded he would like "to try and look at the particular issue as to why she's having to wait so long". He told the Commons: "I mean, we owe a huge debt to people like that and what she is describing in terms of her own... daughter's treatment is just not satisfactory. It's not good enough." Mrs Hardy said later: "This is a staffing issue, this is a funding issue, this is an availability issue rather than an attack on the mental health teams. "By speaking out I want this to improve services for other people and I just want my daughter to get better." Simon Gilby, Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said staff worked hard to "respond promptly and appropriately" to referrals. The trust is trying to resolve "any wait for care" felt by the family, he said. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has agreed to meet a nurse whose daughter has tried to kill herself after failing to get the right treatment for @placeholder . | justice | future | safety | depression | bravery | 3 |
Mr Liu's family had been informed of the situation, medical staff in the north-eastern city of Shenyang said. The dissident was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May. He was imprisoned in 2009 on charges of inciting subversion against the state after he helped to write a petition calling for political reform in China. "Liu Xiaobo's liver function has worsened, his bilirubin levels are gradually rising," the hospital said in a statement. Bilirubin is produced by the liver, and high levels of it can indicate liver failure. A photograph showing the dissident looking frail was shared among friends and fellow activists on Thursday. He is standing beside his wife, Liu Xia. In an open letter to the authorities, his friends have asked to be allowed to visit him on a "humanitarian basis". "We feel this is deeply tragic and realise that Liu Xiaobo has few days left and fear he is near death," it says. "At this moment, we urgently need to go to visit him to bring to Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia their friends' care and well wishes." On Wednesday, China invited medical experts from the US and Germany to help treat Mr Liu. Authorities said the decision was made at the request of his family. The decision came ahead of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany. Diplomatic sources in Beijing say China has been nervous the issue might overshadow President Xi Jinping's appearance at the summit, Reuters reports. Mr Liu, who was a key leader in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, won the Nobel peace prize in 2010. His wife Liu Xia has been under house arrest since then - but she has never been charged. Mr Liu has three years left to serve of his sentence for "inciting subversion" after drafting Charter 08 - which called for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights in China. Amnesty International has said he should never have been jailed. | The Chinese hospital treating imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo for @placeholder liver cancer says his condition has worsened . | illegal | lost | advanced | developing | famous | 2 |
The travel firm reported increased demand for Spanish destinations, having taken "early actions" to move flights away from Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. It had also sold more long-haul trips to places such as the US and Cuba. The firm added that it was confident of delivering "improved results". In its latest trading statement, Thomas Cook said the winter session was finishing as expected, with 90% of its programme sold, 2% lower than at the same point in 2015. Average prices had increased by 2%, while total bookings were 3% lower than last year. The summer 2016 season was 40% sold, "with bookings below last year as we continue to prioritise margins over volumes". Chief executive Peter Fankhauser said: "Thomas Cook continues to operate in a volatile market environment. We know that customers want a summer holiday, but we can see that some are leaving it later to book this year as they consider their options." | Thomas Cook has said it continues to see a " volatile market environment " , with customers shunning @placeholder trouble spots and taking longer to make up their minds . | some | many | certain | potential | earned | 3 |
The 17-year-old's remains were found in a disturbed grave in All Saints' Church, Didcot, in December 2013. Failures to record information before her death meant she was not treated as a high priority when she went missing, the IPCC police watchdog said. Thames Valley Police said it would act on lessons learned. A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said while the force "could not have prevented her tragic death" it also failed to allocate enough staff to follow up earlier enquiries about Jayden. It was nearly a week before Jayden was identified as a high risk. Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire IPCC associate commissioner Guido Liguori said: "Jayden was clearly vulnerable when she came to police attention a number of times prior to her death. "If information about these interactions had been correctly recorded on police systems, Jayden would have been treated as a high priority when she later went missing. " The force has been urged by the IPCC to improve the recording of information on force computer systems. Ben Blakeley, 23, from Reading, the ex-boyfriend of the pregnant 17-year-old, was jailed for life in July last year for her murder. Three officers were disciplined over an inquiry into Jayden's disappearance in October. Two officers received a final written warning, the third a written warning. A civilian staff member was found to have "no case to answer" over the same investigation. Thames Valley Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: "We are determined... to act upon any lessons to be learnt. "Jayden's family continue to go through an incredibly difficult time, and I again offer my condolences to them." The force said the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's Board had commissioned a serious case review, combined with a domestic homicide review due to the circumstances of the case. Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury criticised the police for not issuing an apology following the report. "I'm angry because I feel if they had done their job and listened to what we were saying about their relationship, that she would still be here now. "We weren't taken that seriously. I'm glad that they've learnt from that lesson but it still doesn't make a difference for my Jayden." | Police errors had a @placeholder impact on the investigation into the disappearance of murdered teenager Jayden Parkinson , a report says . | temporary | critical | negative | detrimental | serious | 3 |
The Grade I-listed structure took three-and-a-half years to build at a cost of £8m. It was opened by the Queen on 8 September 1966. Despite being designed to last for 120 years, the bridge needed to be strengthened in the late 1980s because more traffic was using it than was originally expected. Following the morning procession, a celebration event was held attended by civil engineers who have worked on the bridge over the last 50 years. | A vintage car procession has taken place across the @placeholder Severn Bridge to mark 50 years since it opened . | traditional | famous | latest | original | controversial | 3 |
The main polling stations opened at the Syrian embassies in Beirut and Amman on Wednesday. The UN says 2.8 million Syrian refugees have fled to neighbouring countries. President Bashar al-Assad is widely expected to win a third seven-year term in office in the 3 June election, which has been branded a farce by the West. More than 160,000 people have died since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011. Thousands of Syrians have been flocking to their embassy in the hills overlooking Beirut. At the scene - Jim Muir, BBC News, Beirut The massive turnout for the expatriate Syrian vote at the embassy above Beirut produced scenes rarely observed at any embassy or polling station in the world. At times it turned into a rowdy support rally for the incumbent Bashar al-Assad, with none of the normal election decorum. As the only polling station available for the whole of Lebanon, and with probably 1.5m or more Syrians here, it was perhaps not surprising that the embassy was swamped. But the voting congestion brought much of Beirut to a halt, bringing home to many Lebanese how deeply embedded the Syrian crisis is here. The strength and assertiveness of the vote may have reflected an underlying feeling among many Syrians abroad that the tide is running in the regime's favour, and it is time to climb aboard. The opposition coalition welcomed President Obama's promises of more aid. But will it be enough to turn the tide, given Western reservations about the jihadi presence in rebel areas? Half of the one million Syrian refugees registered in Lebanon are believed to be of voting age. Embassy officials say they may extend the time for voting if large numbers are unable to take part. The poll in Jordan's capital Amman is being held days after the kingdom expelled the Syrian ambassador, Bahjat Suleiman, over what it called "repeated insults" against the country. Voting also started at embassies in several other countries including Russia, Malaysia and Sudan on Wednesday, according to Syria's state-run Sana news agency. The agency said the United Arab Emirates had banned Syrians there from voting, after similar moves by France, Germany and Belgium. Many other expatriates live in countries where Syrian embassies have been closed since 2011. This is the first time in decades that Syria is holding a presidential election with more than one candidate. However, the other two candidates are not widely known and have been unable to campaign on an equal footing with the president, correspondents say. Previous presidential terms have been called through a referendum with just one member of the Assad family on the ballot paper. | Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan are being given the chance to vote @placeholder in the presidential election due to be held next week . | first | early | freely | sometime | anywhere | 1 |
They are among a dozen regional words chosen for inclusion in 12 new poems on National Poetry Day on 28 September. One of the poems uses all 12 words, including "dimpsy" and "mardy", and will be read out on BBC radio. The Oxford English Dictionary will include some of the words for the first time in its next edition. Ginnel - which does already appear in the OED - is possibly the most widely-known of the words as it is regularly used by characters in Coronation Street, having long been a popular term in both Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. The words - which also include "gurt", a Bristolian version of great, - were chosen from thousands of recommendations by members of the public. People were invited to suggest words used in their area that may not be understood across the UK. They include: A poem by Isaiah Hull, a 19-year-old spoken word artist, will feature all 12 words. Poets Vidyan Ravinthiran, Dean Wilson, Liz Berry and Hollie McNish are also contributing. Some of the words, including "didlum", "bobowler" and "fam", have yet to be recognised in the Oxford English Dictionary. The dictionary's associate editor, Eleanor Maier, said the words were a reminder of the "breadth and vitality of the country's dialects". She said: "We were also able to identify and research a large number of new words for future inclusion in the OED, as well as gain valuable information about the currency of local words included in the first edition of the dictionary." Broadcaster and lexicographer Susie Dent, best known for her appearances in Dictionary Corner on Channel 4's Countdown, said the poems would "shine a light into a lexicon that's too often overlooked". She said: "Our local words and expressions are very much part of an oral tradition, and printed records are often hard to find. "The words reflect some of the verve and vibrancy of our local tongues. I'm probably not allowed to be biased, but Devon's 'dimpsy' has long been a favourite of mine." | What do a " ginnel " and a " twitten " have in common ? They are both local words meaning an alleyway - but are popularly used at @placeholder ends of England . | improving | all | opposite | other | extreme | 2 |
After leaving Cairo on 23 July, it touched back down in Abu Dhabi where it originally started from in March 2015. The 17-stage journey covered over 42,000km, crossing four continents, three seas and two oceans. The team set 19 official flight records during the global adventure, which they used to promote renewable energy. The pilots said it was an amazing adventure, despite sitting in a freezing cold cockpit for as long as five days and five nights at a time, not having enough room to stretch their arms, have a shower, or even go to the toilet properly. | The Solar Impulse 2 plane that 's powered entirely by the sun , has completed its @placeholder round - the - world journey . | second | quarterly | remaining | historic | annual | 3 |
Messi and his father Jorge, who manages his finances, were both convicted in 2016 of defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.6m) in taxes. Jorge Messi's jail term was reduced because he paid some of the taxes. In Spain, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation. The case will now return to the court in Barcelona that handed down the original judgement. Lionel Messi, a five-time world footballer of the year, has denied any involvement and told his trial in June 2016: "I only worried about playing football." But in its decision on Wednesday, the court said: "It defies logic to concede that someone who earns a large income does not know that he must pay taxes on it." Both men were originally convicted of three counts of fraud, for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay between 2007 and 2009, and were also given heavy fines. They were found guilty of resorting to fictitious companies to evade Spanish taxes on income from companies using Lionel Messi's image rights. Jorge Messi's jail term was reduced from 21 months to 15 by the Supreme Court to take into account the money he had since handed to the tax authorities. Lionel Messi's career in photos Messi statue unveiled in Buenos Aires Messi's high-profile trial is not the only one involving Barcelona stars and the Spanish government. Defender Javier Mascherano - also an Argentine - admitted to tax fraud, escaping a jail term with a one-year suspended sentence. Brazilian star Neymar is also facing allegations of corruption and fraud over his transfer to Barcelona in 2013 - a case which also involves his parents. Prosecutors allege the transfer cost much more than publicly declared, and that millions were concealed from authorities. And in the same week as Messi's sentence was upheld, former president of the club, Sandro Rosell, was arrested as part of a money-laundering investigation. | A 21 - month jail term handed down last year to Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi has been @placeholder by Spain 's Supreme Court , but he is unlikely to go to prison . | condemned | welcomed | blamed | inspired | confirmed | 4 |
Speaking to BBC Wales, he said the Northern Ireland process was "a bit slower than we thought". "I didn't think the process was going to last quite as long as that. But it did. It's 10, 15 years before things started changing," he said. "There are a few who don't like it, but we are literally talking about a few." Mr Murphy said a new generation of young people had no memory of the Troubles. "That was the idea - that we'd make life normal for people. That, I think, has worked," he said. Mr Murphy was Northern Ireland secretary in 2002 and earlier played a key role in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement as a deputy to Mo Mowlam. Also a former Welsh Secretary under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, he announced on Friday he would stand down from the House of Commons at the general election after 28 years as the MP for Torfaen. | Former Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy has said establishing @placeholder has taken longer than expected . | trust | issues | conditions | hopes | peace | 4 |
Police officers and firefighters attended the Quay, on the south bank of the River Clyde at about 19:00 on Friday. The area includes a cinema, casino, bingo hall and several restaurants. Police said later no evacuation of buildings had been necessary during the incident. | Large numbers of emergency service personnel were called to a @placeholder entertainment area in Glasgow after reports of a gas leak . | popular | rare | special | packed | private | 0 |
In a speech in Nairobi, he said his father's homeland had "come so far in just my lifetime". But he also said corruption, terrorism and tribal or ethnic division were threats to its future. "Kenya is at a crossroads, a moment filled with peril but enormous promise," he said. Young Kenyans nowadays did not have to serve a colonial master or leave the country - like his grandfather and father had had to, Mr Obama said. "Because of Kenya's progress, because of your potential, you can build your future right here, right now," he said to applause from a huge audience at a sports stadium in the capital, Nairobi. But he warned that despite the country's political stability, tribal and ethnic divisions could be stirred up. "A politics that's based on only tribe and ethnicity is doomed to tear a country apart. It is a failure - a failure of imagination," he said. However, he praised the country for emerging from the ethnic violence that erupted after the disputed 2007 election. President Obama also warned that the "cancer" of corruption was costing the country 250,000 jobs. And he condemned the repression of women - including female genital mutilation and forced marriage, which he said did not belong in the 21st Century - adding that the best use of development aid was to spend it on girls' education. He also urged Kenya to "embrace diversity", a clear reference to gay rights. Security has been tight for Mr Obama's two-day visit to Kenya. The trip, which began on Friday, is his first visit as president to the land where his father was born. Mr Obama has now flown to Ethiopia, the first US president to visit the country. He will also become the first US leader to address the 54-member African Union (AU) on Tuesday. AU Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma described the trip to Ethiopia as a "historic visit" that would "broaden and deepen the relationship between the AU and the US". On Saturday, Mr Obama praised Africa's economic and business potential in a speech at a business summit. He also visited a memorial for those killed in the 1998 US embassy bombing in Nairobi. After holding bilateral talks, President Obama and President Kenyatta said they were "united against terrorism". But they differed sharply in their positions on gay rights. While Mr Obama spoke strongly against discrimination, Mr Kenyatta said Kenya did not share the same values. | US President Barack Obama has praised Kenya 's economic and political advances , but also warned of @placeholder ahead . | far | reform | independence | challenges | days | 3 |
The study identified the postcodes across the UK with the best work-life balance. Factors considered included schools, access to green spaces, employment prospects, working hours, affordable housing and average commuting times. Coming out top in NI was BT65 covering Craigavon, Enniskeen, Drumgor and Tullygally. Another Craigavon postcode, BT64, also won the accolade in 2015. The research was carried out for the Royal Mail by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr). It analysed statistical data to reach its conclusions - researchers did not visit any of the areas and residents were not asked for their views. The new town of Craigavon was created in County Armagh in the 1960s, with its design owing much to modernist architecture and town planning. Its design has often drawn comparisons with Milton Keynes. Grants were offered to encourage people to relocate to Craigavon from Belfast. However, the town would later be criticised for being a "soulless" urban space notorious for its many roundabouts. The two postcodes adjacent to BT65 finished in the top five of the Royal Mail study - with BT64 (Craigavon-Lurgan) finishing third and BT66 (Lurgan) coming in at fourth. Rounding out the top five ion Northern Ireland were BT16, Dundonald, in second place and BT10, Finaghy in south Belfast, in fifth. Olga Murtagh, strategic director at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, said: "We are delighted to hear that three out of the top five places to live in Northern Ireland are in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough. "Craigavon residents are very well served by roads and infrastructure, an exceptional network of pedestrian and cycle routes, access to retail, entertainment and a quality mix of urban and rural spaces that are welcoming to all. "All of this is in addition to a wide range of services and facilities on their doorstep including an acute hospital, quality education and diverse leisure provision. "Craigavon's 'New Town' success - both as a residential area and as a base for industry - is down to the visionary planners who designed the area 52 years ago, and there is still scope to improve the form and function of this urban area through regeneration." | Craigavon is the most @placeholder place to live in Northern Ireland , according to a Royal Mail study . | famous | successful | dangerous | ambitious | desirable | 4 |
The Magpies started well, with Adam Campbell's early shot saved before Jon Stead's goal-bound strike was blocked. The Chairboys responded in the second half, with Paul Hayes' volley from 20 yards well saved by Scott Loach before Izale McLeod lobbed wide for the hosts. And Ryan Allsop denied Notts victory with a fine save from Haydn Hollis' header in injury time. Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth told BBC Three Counties Radio: Media playback is not supported on this device "We've come up against a new manager syndrome, he's changed five from Friday and I thought they were a lot stronger than they've looked in recent weeks. "I'm really proud, a clean sheet is fantastic, we've got the best defensive record in League Two and the most clean sheets in League Two. "I thought we should have had a penalty, although the referee is 100% confident he's given the right decision and it would have been harsh for us to have taken all three points." | Notts County ended a run of four @placeholder with a goalless draw against Wycombe Wanderers in League Two . | matches | losses | victories | progress | survival | 1 |
Kite Power Systems received the support from the Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise. The company currently employs a small team of five at the West Freugh air base near Stranraer where it is testing a small-scale prototype. The workforce could rise to 30 next year on the back of the latest investment. The company's technology uses two kites which turn spool drums to produce electricity. It announced £5m of investment last year and Dumfries firm Kellwood engineering is currently helping to build a larger demonstration model. It is hoped the workforce could eventually run to hundreds with each kite able to generate similar energy to a 100m wind turbine. KPS business development director David Ainsworth said the project had huge economic potential. "The cost of electricity from this technology could be half the cost of offshore wind using conventional wind turbines," he said. "The reason we can actually achieve those low costs is that the mass of the system is around 20% of that of a comparable horizontal axis wind turbine. "Capital cost is driven by mass, if you can get the mass down you can get the capital cost down." Economy Secretary Keith Brown said the technology showed "great promise". "Scotland has recently moved into the top group of EU nations as regards innovation performance, and the commercialisation of novel ideas - such as the technology being developed by Kite Power Systems - will help to drive us even further forward," he added. | A £ 2 m equity investment could see staff numbers rise @placeholder at a south of Scotland wind energy project . | annually | sharply | even | overwhelmingly | further | 1 |
It came after the company entered negotiations with the German firm ThyssenKrupp over a merger. Tata has put the sale of its Welsh operations on hold in the meantime. The meeting was organised as unions are increasingly frustrated with how the process is being handled. Alan Coombes of the Community Union said the meeting "went well" and it was "important to give people an opportunity to ask questions". Steelworker and union representative Mark Davies said: "We've given some information to the workforce but we can't answer all their questions. "We want to reassure the workforce the unions are doing all we can to fight for this business." On Wednesday, the management buy-out team Excalibur said it would remain in the bidding process. It said its objective was "to save jobs, protect threatened communities and preserve primary steel-making capacity in the United Kingdom". | About 100 Tata steelworkers gathered for a meeting in Port Talbot on Thursday evening to discuss the latest developments in the @placeholder to secure the future of the plant . | plans | business | efforts | failure | decision | 2 |
Peter Dawson said he was also surprised to hear Rory McIlroy say he "probably won't watch the golf" from Rio on TV. "Rory is entitled to his opinion but I found it disappointing," he said. McIlroy is one of a string of players who have pulled out of the Rio Games, citing concerns over the Zika virus. The world's top four - Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Northern Ireland's McIlroy - will all be missing after raising fears over the mosquito-borne virus, which has been linked to brain defects in newborn babies. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has said the withdrawals will be one of the factors taken into account when the roster of sports for the 2020 Games is confirmed next year. The Rio Games will see golf return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence. "We have a great competition, the players are going to have a wonderful experience and the withdrawals are restricted to players from only four countries," Dawson said. "I am very confident golf has a place in the Olympic programme and we will do everything we can to keep it there." The Olympics take place from 5 to 21 August, with the men's golf tournament running from 11 to 14 August. | The absence of top players from the Olympics " is n't going to help " golf 's case for @placeholder at future Games , the president of the International Golf Federation has said . | glory | playing | services | staying | qualifying | 3 |
Owner Steve Hayes has been actively trying to sell the club since October and four parties were interested back in February. But in a statement the High Wycombe-based outfit said they were seeking fresh interest following stalled talks. Hayes announced his desire to sell up after Wycombe District Council decided not to back plans for a new stadium. Wasps chairman Mark Rigby added: "London Wasps has a long and successful history and is one of the best known brands in the game, and the board is convinced that the right backer exists. "With a great squad in place and the excellent Dai Young at the helm, we believe we are set to make a strong impact next season. "Time is however short and we urgently need a new investor or consortium to back this belief." The statement said the board, after independent advice, could confirm that London Wasps Holdings Limited remained a going concern. Wasps are enduring a torrid domestic season. They have won just two of their last 12 Premiership fixtures and sit second from bottom in the table. In addition Hayes, who also owns League One football club Wycombe Wanderers, is currently The 50-year-old businessman was one of two men arrested in February as part of Operation Tuleta, the investigation running alongside Operation Weeting, which was set up to probe alleged law-breaking at News International. He is currently on bail until June, subject to further enquiries. | An ' @placeholder takeover ' of London Wasps has fallen through , the Premiership strugglers have confirmed . | official | rare | imminent | evil | independent | 2 |
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