document
stringlengths 37
3.16k
| summary
stringlengths 36
296
| id
stringlengths 8
8
|
|---|---|---|
The 25-year-old has an ankle injury and missed the final Test of the recent series against Pakistan.
It has been suggested that bowler Steven Finn would also miss the tour with a foot injury but he has said he still hopes to be involved.
Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Chris Jordan and Mark Footitt are options to replace Wood in the 17-man squad.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad will be England's frontline pace bowlers in the squad, which will be announced on Thursday morning.
The tour gets under way on 15 December with a warm-up game against a South African Invitational XI and runs through to 21 February 2016.
England will play four Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20s.
All-rounder Ben Stokes is understood to have recovered sufficiently from a "collar bone joint injury" and should be fit for the tour.
The 24-year-old suffered the injury fielding in the final Test of the 2-0 series defeat by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates this month.
|
England pace bowler Mark Wood looks set to miss this winter's tour of South Africa because of injury.
|
34861759
|
An estimated 30,000 runners took to the city's streets with both the 10k event and half-marathon taking place on Sunday.
Haile Gebrselassie was forced to abandon the defence of his title won in last year's half-marathon event.
The Ethiopian pulled up at the roadside with breathing problems 20 minutes after starting.
He told the BBC: "I'm OK now, after I dropped out at 20 minutes I was struggling a bit with the breathing and I'm OK, not too bad actually."
Last year the 41-year-old set a new world age group record by completing the race in 61 minutes nine seconds.
The half-marathon was won by South African Stephen Mokoka with a time of 61 minutes 25 seconds.
Kenyan Edna Kiplagat was the first woman to finish, setting a new race record for the women's event in 67 minutes, 57 seconds.
Sean Fontana from Victoria Park ACC was first across the finish line in the 10k with a time of 31 minutes, three seconds.
Simon Lawson won the wheelchair race with a time of 29 minutes, 10 seconds.
After starting from George Square, the half-marathon runners passed through ÂBellahouston and Pollok parks then back to the city centre towards the finish at Glasgow Green.
On "Super Saturday" more than 3,000 people took part in a number of junior and family races. The run is described as Scotland's biggest mass participation event.
Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life said: "Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run.
"Whether this was their first time taking part in Scotland's premier celebration of running or the latest of many, the achievement of completing the course will live with them for the rest of their lives."
|
Thousands of people have been taking part in the Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run in Glasgow.
|
29496650
|
Media playback is not supported on this device
The Potters, who have finished ninth for the past three seasons, were beaten 4-1 by Crystal Palace on Sunday and are bottom of the table after five games.
"We have ambitions this season and if this run continues any longer we won't be able to achieve them," Hughes said.
"We need to turn this round very quickly. We haven't got going yet."
He added: "We've been ninth in the last three years, and we spoke about being better than that.
"Collectively we need to be better. We can't keep conceding easy goals like the first two."
Stoke failed to win any of their first six games last season but then won five of their next seven.
The former Wales boss was backed by his Palace counterpart Alan Pardew.
Some Eagles fans chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" at Hughes, something Pardew felt was unjust.
"This is an experienced manager with very, very good players," Pardew said.
"Mark will deal with that. I have no concerns for him because he's terrific. He's having a bit of downtime, but he'll be fine. I have heard those chants against me. I don't think it's right."
|
Stoke City boss Mark Hughes says his team's poor start in the Premier League could see them miss out on their pre-season targets.
|
37401960
|
They were discovered after the Stena Line ferry from Cherbourg to Rosslare docked on Thursday afternoon.
The four adults, two teenagers and two children are all safe and well.
It is understood they were in what is known as a "curtain container" which had come from the French port.
Three ambulances attended the scene and all eight were medically assessed and brought to hospital for check-ups but none of them needed further treatment.
It is understood there was one family of six and two other adults and most, if not all, said they were Kurdish refugees.
They have been brought to Dublin where their claims for asylum will be processed.
Earlier this year, authorities at Rosslare Europort discovered 14 people hidden in the back of a lorry, which also arrived from France.
All 14 people, including one juvenile, were found inside a refrigerated trailer unit.
They did not need medical intervention either.
|
Eight people have been found in a container which arrived on a ferry into Rosslare Europort in County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland.
|
40677155
|
But he has confirmed that he will not be looking for a return to Motherwell after Ian Baraclough's exit there.
"That might be one of interest to me," the 51-year-old told Sky Sports News when asked about the Tannadice job.
"I won't be returning to Motherwell. I had my time there and I loved my time there, but it's not something I will be revisiting."
McCall, who was Motherwell boss for four years until 2014, thought it would be difficult to match his achievements at Fir Park of reaching the Champions League qualifiers, making a Scottish Cup final and finishing as runners-up to Celtic twice.
He stressed that he was concentrating on preparing for next week's European Championship qualifiers with Poland and Gibraltar as part of Scotland manager Gordon Strachan's coaching team.
However, of United, who parted with Jackie McNamara this week, he said: "They are a bigger club in terms of the fanbase and certainly have a bigger budget - third biggest in Scotland, I think.
"They have a good history, been in a couple of cup finals of late, and should be challenging for a European spot."
Meanwhile, Inverness Caledonian Thistle chairman Kenny Cameron issued a statement in response to a newspaper report suggesting that manager John Hughes was a target for their Scottish Premiership rivals.
Hughes himself told BBC Scotland this week that he is enjoying his spell at Caledonian Thistle.
However, he has been frustrated by budget restrictions this season as he looked to replace players who have left this summer and it is thought he could be tempted by a move to Tannadice.
"We can confirm that there has been no approach from any club regarding John Hughes," said his chairman.
"Since joining the club in late 2013, when Terry Butcher moved on, John's leadership has been inspirational and we are all looking forward to continued success together this season and beyond.
"Speculation like this can often be disruptive, but thankfully at the club we are well used to handling this and everybody remains fully focused on the first local derby game of the season this weekend, which is sure to be an exciting affair."
United chairman Stephen Thompson revealed on Tuesday that he had already spoken to some out-of-work bosses but did not rule out paying compensation.
There had been contact between the club and their former defender, Steven Pressley, but the former Falkirk and Coventry City boss has ruled himself out, saying he wants to find another club in England.
|
Former Rangers manager Stuart McCall has admitted he might be interested in the vacancy at Dundee United.
|
34409892
|
Mazembe - who won the home leg of their play-off 2-0 last weekend - held off Kabylie's challenge to continue the defence of their crown.
There was a big shock in Abidjan as former African Champions League winners, Asec Mimosas, were knocked out by CF Mounana of Gabon.
Mimosas went into their home leg needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, but despite fielding a side including the likes of Burkina Faso star Aristide Bancé, the match ended 0-0 with Mounana going through 2-1 on aggregate.
Also on Sunday, Platinum Stars of South Africa squeezed past another Ivorian side AS Tanda to progress 5-4 on penalties after their tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate.
The South Africans went into their home leg in Rustenburg trailing 2-0 overall, but fought back to take the tie to spot-kicks and book their place in the group phase.
It was much more straightforward for another South African side, SuperSport United, who overwhelmed Liberia's Barrack Young Controllers 5-0 in Pretoria.
A hat-trick from Jeremy Brockie helped SuperSport United take the tie 6-1 on aggregate.
Sudan's Al Hilal Obeid defeated Ports Authority of the Gambia 3-0 at home to progress 4-1 on aggregate.
Confederation Cup fixtures:
First leg:
Sunday:
Second legs:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Also on Sunday, Nigerian side Rivers United secured a 2-0 home win over Rwanda's Rayon Sports in the only remaining first leg of the play-offs.
The match had been delayed due to the commemoration of the Rwanda genocide.
On Saturday, nine teams booked their place in the newly expanded group phase of the Confederation Cup, including Mbabane Swallows, whose 4-3 aggregate win over Congolese side AC Leopards made them the first club from Swaziland to reach the group stage.
CS Sfaxien of Tunisia became the first side to reach this year's Confederation Cup group phase with a victory over Rail Kadiogo on Friday.
The draw for the group phase will be held on will be on 26 April 2017 in Cairo.
|
The African Confederation Cup holders, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, booked their place in the group phase of this year's tournament with a 0-0 draw away to JS Kabylie in Algeria on Sunday.
|
39615282
|
In April, the authority launched a search for organisations to run the sites, which include Wales' only working windmill and a Victorian prison.
The council said budget cuts had forced it to give up the attractions.
Only one organisation has so far expressed interest.
Beaumaris courthouse and gaol, and Melin Llynnon and its ancient roundhouses, near Llanddeusant, are currently run by the council's museums and culture service.
Anglesey's head of learning, Delyth Molyneux, said: "Given the significant financial pressures faced and the fact that these sites don't form part of a statutory service, there's a real possibility that they will have to be mothballed or closed altogether if no one else can be found to run them."
Politicians had expressed concerns the courthouse and gaol could be sold to developers.
Beaumaris town councillor Jason Zalot said a sub-committee had been set up to look into running the Beaumaris gaol and courthouse.
"It's a massive undertaking for us. But bear in mind the town council have already taken over the management of the toilets.
"We have proven that we can work hand in the hand with the council."
Llynnon is currently closed and both Beaumaris courthouse and goal are open on weekends and during upcoming half term holiday.
Council leader Ieuan Williams said the council would do its best to support "interested parties" in order to ensure a smooth handover "as the success of these attractions is very important to us".
|
Some of north Wales' most important heritage sites could close if no-one is found to take them over, Anglesey council has warned.
|
37718387
|
The 19-year-old follows Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero in winning the award for Europe's best player aged under 21.
Rashford and Sanches' club team-mate Kingsley Coman also made the podium.
Portugal international Sanches will receive the award at a ceremony in Monte Carlo on Monday.
The prize, voted for by journalists across Europe, was established by Italian newspaper Tuttosport in 2003, who revealed this year's winner on their front page.
Sanches has played eight games for the German champions this season, having joined in the summer for £27.5m, and has 11 caps for Portugal.
At Euro 2016 - then aged 18 - he became the youngest player to feature in a European Championship-winning side and won the Young Player of the Tournament award.
|
Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches has won the European Golden Boy award, beating Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford.
|
37750868
|
The 56-year-old was sacked by Chester in April after a run of just one win in 10 put the club in a relegation fight.
Southport relieved Andy Bishop of his duties on Saturday with the side lying second from bottom in the table.
Ex-Kidderminster boss Burr takes over a side that has picked up four points from their first eight league matches of the season, suffering six defeats.
|
National League side Southport have named former Chester boss Steve Burr as their new manager.
|
37310698
|
Media playback is unsupported on your device
17 June 2015 Last updated at 20:43 BST
Evans was announced as Jeremy Clarkson's replacement on Tuesday.
McCarthy, who lives in Mountnessing, told the BBC he hoped the Stig would return in the new format.
|
The "original Stig", Essex-based Perry McCarthy, has backed new Top Gear presenter Chris Evans to create "something special" when the show returns.
|
33167694
|
Bridgend County Borough Council apologised following complaints after the new system was introduced on 5 June.
But residents said bags of rubbish are still being left on the street by contractor Kier.
The council said collections were getting back to normal again.
A stream of complaints has continued to appear on social media, with some residents saying rubbish - including bags of nappies - have not been picked up for more than two weeks.
Even First Minister Carwyn Jones took to Twitter to complain his collection was late.
Gareth Davies, from Brynmenin, said: "It's absolute chaos. We've had loads of delays - at one point there were ripped up bin bags everywhere in the street.
"We had the last collection yesterday on time but for some reason they didn't pick up all the purple nappy bags so now they are left out on the street."
Stuart Vaughan, from Newton in Porthcawl, said the situation was "ridiculous".
"In my street the collection is supposed to be on Friday. They turned up three days late but only picked up from half the houses.
"The rest of the street had to wait until the following Friday for their collection."
"Recycling has been left out on Porthcawl High Street for the past two weekends," he added.
"It's absolutely disgusting. It's a resort - the council should be promoting it not leaving rubbish on the street."
The new scheme aims to recycle almost all rubbish, with different coloured sacks for cardboard, paper, plastics and nappies and caddies for glass and food waste.
Homes with fewer than five occupants are limited to throwing out two bags of non-recyclable waste every fortnight.
But Mr Davies filmed refuse collectors throwing pre-sorted recycling altogether in the back of a bin lorry at a friend's house in the Broadlands area.
He said: "Why are they asking people to separate their rubbish but then it all gets chucked in together anyway? It's very frustrating."
A spokesman for Bridgend council said: "Kier put a number of short-term measures in place to deal with the backlog and help them get up to speed on collections, including bringing in extra staff and vehicles and working across the weekend.
"A few residents questioned why recycling was temporarily collected in some areas using a refuse truck, but Kier had made separate arrangements for this to be re-sorted.
"Despite issues experienced in the first few weeks of the scheme, collections are getting back to normal again.
"The new system is being carefully monitored and evaluated, and further changes will be made over the next few weeks to ensure that it has bedded in properly and is running efficiently."
|
Bridgend's new recycling scheme is still in "absolute chaos" more than three weeks after it was introduced, residents have claimed.
|
40433311
|
Media playback is not supported on this device
The Hartlepool fighter, celebrating her 21st birthday, secured a 17-15 victory.
She told BBC Sport: "I was only 12 when I walked into a boxing ring, I loved it ever since and now I'm world champion."
Earlier, Nicola Adams had to settle for flyweight silver after being outpointed 14-10 by China's Ren Cancan.
This was Savannah Marshall's second successive world final appearance after taking a silver medal as an 18-year-old at Barbados in 2010.
Marshall, who had qualified for the Olympics on Friday, nudged 7-5 ahead at the halfway stage but had to hold on through a tough third round when an excellent uppercut from Vystropova gave her a bloody nose.
With Marshall still holding her two-point advantage heading into the final round, Vystropova came on strong again but a neat combination in the dying seconds from the Briton helped edge her to an historic win.
"It hasn't even sunk in that I'm going to the Olympics yet. It's crazy," Marshall added.
Leeds boxer Adams started slowly in her bout against Cancan, who she had also lost to Ren in the 2010 final in Bridgetown, and trailed by two points after the first round.
Although Adams enjoyed increasing success with her right hand in the remaining three rounds, Ren scored consistently to stay ahead.
The 29-year-old was unhappy with the judges' verdict and told BBC Sport: "I thought the scoring was a bit wrong, but that's boxing for you. "
I believe I won it but didn't get the decision."
Media playback is not supported on this device
The Yorkshire fighter is now aiming for revenge at this summer's London Olympics, having secured her place in the Great Britain Olympic squad by reached the semi-finals in Qinhuangdao.
"This hasn't dented my confidence. It's been a great experience and I've had an amazing time," added Adams.
"I qualified for the Olympics and that's what I came to do. In London, it'll be on my own turf so the score will be different then.
"I'll be going for gold. I'll get a bit fitter and have a bit more technical ability."
Women's boxing will feature at the Olympics for the first time at London 2012.
|
British middleweight Savannah Marshall won the gold medal at the Women's World Boxing Championships in China, after defeating Azebaijan's Elena Vystropova in the final in Qinhuangdao.
|
18128391
|
The RMT revealed it had received a legal challenge just hours before the start of a three-day walkout.
Southern said in a statement it was "considering all possible options to stop the strike and that includes a legal challenge".
Talks aimed at averting the strikes over changes to the role of conductors ended without agreement last week.
The RMT said it intended to continue with the planned action but was examining the paperwork.
In a message to union members, RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The dispute is not over and the strike action... is definitely on.
"Organise the picket lines and protests and continue to show your determination and solidarity in your fight for justice."
The strike is due to begin from one minute past midnight on Tuesday, causing fresh travel misery for passengers.
In talks last week, the RMT said the train operator had rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the dispute.
But Govia Thameslink CEO Charles Horton said the RMT counter-proposal "didn't come anywhere near our goals of modernising our train service for the benefit of passengers".
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT can confirm the receipt of a formal legal challenge from Southern Rail in the guards safety dispute.
"It is appalling that rather than sitting down with us at Acas today to seek a resolution the company has chosen to run to the courts under the cloak of the anti-union laws."
On Sunday, it emerged rail staff had been advised by union bosses to accept the new contracts.
The RMT said there was "no climb down" but it was their duty to protect staff against mass sackings.
A Southern spokesman said: "On Friday they told their conductor members to accept a deal and then tomorrow they plan to strike against it.
"It is a situation which will leave our passengers baffled and in that context we are presently considering all possible options to stop the strike.
"We have written to the RMT about the validity of the dispute in light of recent developments.
"We await their response and will consider all possible options to stop the strike and that includes a legal challenge."
|
Southern is taking legal action to try to stop a series of strikes from Tuesday, the RMT transport union said.
|
37606027
|
Cambridge Assessment, which owns OCR, hopes for "millions of questions", with the best appearing on exam papers in England within the next five years.
OCR would check all questions to see they are of the right standard.
But there are concerns these "crowdsourced" exam questions could give some pupils an unfair advantage.
Cambridge Assessment research director Tim Oates told the TES: "Really interesting questions which - put to children - encourage them to think hard, to integrate things, to understand things and challenge their ideas a bit, are really important.
"We don't think we should necessarily just commission those through asking a limited number of people.
"We want to know what questions teachers ask in the classroom and whether they were good for unlocking that bit of thinking or revealed that misconception."
Currently, exam papers are drawn up by exam committees made up of teachers with detailed knowledge of each subject.
Plans are at an early stage of development and would need to be approved by the exams regulator Ofqual in order to go ahead.
However, Mr Oates said: "I can see within three to five years' time we might be able to start doing some work [with crowdsourced questions] in formal examinations."
OCR said questions would have to go through technical and tough quality assurance processes before being used in a real exam.
The questions submitted by teachers would also be made available to other teachers online through a question bank, so that they could be used in the classroom.
School leaders and assessment experts have welcomed the idea of an online question bank for teachers.
Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The only potential weakness I can see in the system is, if I'm sending in questions and using the same questions in preparation for the examination, if they then turn up on the exam paper it advantages those youngsters because they're seeing a question they're familiar with.
"You're going to have to find a way of overcoming that."
But Mr Oates said schools already guessed exam questions and prepared pupils for likely questions using past papers.
He said the "crowdsourcing" approach would not create unfairness because there would be so many questions in the pool that teachers would have little incentive to drill pupils for any particular question.
OCR and Cambridge Assessment are already working on a project to crowdsource questions from computing teachers, which will be available to other teachers to use in classroom-based assessments.
|
Teachers are to be asked to submit challenging GCSE and A-level exam questions by a key exam board, the Times Educational Supplement reports.
|
37060508
|
Huw Lewis has set out new guidelines for universities who want to train new teachers in future as part of sweeping reform to the system.
In a speech in Cardiff, he announced a new two-year postgraduate course and greater subject specialism for primary school teachers.
Mr Lewis has already unveiled plans to extend education degrees to four years.
He eventually wants all teachers to be educated to masters level.
At the moment some universities work together in three teacher training centres in Wales.
But Mr Lewis said he had an open mind and universities outside Wales could end up training students.
New guidelines to "transform" the system follow an independent review in 2015 which found quality had "deteriorated".
Mr Lewis said it was his last major speaking event as minister "but the agenda does not stop" and was "vital".
"We will have a new teaching training system which is of such high quality and unquestioned rigour that it gives individuals a reason, in and of itself, for the very best people to get into teaching in the first place," he added.
Mr Lewis said teachers also wanted more professional support and challenge.
He said: "I have been clear that we must do more to accelerate improvement in initial teacher education provision across Wales.
"This is particularly important as we continue with our programme of radical education reform, focused on driving up standards across the board."
The 2015 review of teacher training coincided with a wide-ranging report into education in Wales.
Work to alter the curriculum is now under way after the government accepted the recommendations made by the Donaldson review, which will see computer programming and IT become as central to classroom teaching as literacy and numeracy.
The review recommended having six areas of learning and replacing the key stage system with a more seamless progression through school.
It is expected to be rolled out from 2021.
Geraint Davies of the NAS/UWT union gave a cautious welcome to the proposals and said he "fully appreciated the education system of the future will need student teachers of the highest possible calibre".
But he said future Welsh governments must ensure that the profession was an "attractive proposition for those students".
Conservative Shadow Education Minister Angela Burns said the proposals did not go far enough.
She wants a centre for education that will focus solely on initial teacher training and educational research.
|
Wales will have the "toughest" and the "best" teacher training system in the UK, the education minister has pledged.
|
35867031
|
The 48-year-old will work under new director of cricket Jimmy Adams and chairman of selectors Courtney Browne, both former Windies internationals.
Law had previously coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh's national sides.
"I am excited at the opportunity to contribute to what I think is an interesting time for West Indies," said Law, who takes over on 15 February.
"I think this assignment has come at an important time of my career."
West Indies had been without a full-time head coach since Phil Simmons was sacked in September.
Having also had time in charge of Bangladesh Premier League side Khulna Titans, Law becomes the third Australian to coach the Windies after Bennett King (2004-07) and John Dyson (2007-09).
While he only played one Test in 1995 - scoring 54 not out in his only innings - Law appeared in 54 one-day internationals between 1994 and 1999, and was a losing finalist in the 1996 World Cup.
As well as captaining Queensland to their first Sheffield Shield win in 1994-95, he was one of the leading batsmen in English county cricket in long stints with Essex and Lancashire, as well as having a brief spell at Derbyshire at the end of his career.
|
West Indies have appointed former Australia batsman Stuart Law as their new coach on a two-year contract.
|
38778297
|
The company agreed to pay $835m (£602m) - less than the $1.06bn a court in Kansas ordered it to pay in 2013.
Dow was hoping the Supreme Court would overturn the ruling, but the death of Justice Scalia left it evenly spilt between conservatives and liberals.
A split decision in the Supreme Court reverts to the lower court's ruling.
In a statement Dow said it settled because of the "increased likelihood for unfavourable outcomes".
The company said it still believed the original verdict was "fundamentally flawed," but felt settling was in the best interest of shareholders.
Last year, Dow announced plans to merge with competitor DuPont in a $130bn deal.
|
Dow Chemical agreed to settle a class action lawsuit after determining the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made victory less likely.
|
35673997
|
Construction on the £65m Bontnewydd road was due to start towards the end of this year.
The Welsh Government said it rejected suggestions of "huge delays" to the scheme.
Orders detailing the project were due to be published in the spring. They are now expected to be made public in August.
Arfon AM Sian Gwenllian has said she fears the construction work could be put back by up to a year.
"The orders were supposed to have been published at the beginning of this year, and they haven't been, and it's likely that this scheme will not proceed for at least another 12 months," she warned assembly members last week.
"I understand that the problem is a dispute as regards what to do about the bats."
The six-mile (10km) route will take the new road around the current bottlenecks between Bontnewydd and Caernarfon, linking with the Felinheli bypass.
The new road will cross two rivers, and requires seven bridges.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said on Tuesday: "In order to assure everyone that the most appropriate environmental mitigation measures are being implemented, some short additional surveys are having to be undertaken in the next few weeks."
Officials said they expected construction work to get under way in August or September in 2017.
Welsh Government documents had suggested the work should have started by the end of this year.
Peter Evans, the protected species officer for Natural Resources Wales, said the route passes close to a special area of conservation.
"There are concerns because this is a migration route for animals like the otter and the lesser horseshoe bat, which are protected species," he said.
"We are working with the developers at present to get more information about how bats use the land along the route."
|
Work on a major bypass in Gwynedd is facing delays as talks continue over protecting wildlife.
|
36585813
|
For many, it was a historic and poignant moment - topped off when the president posted a note into the wall, as many worshippers do with prayers and supplications.
Others, however, were more interested in just what the note said - and the internet quickly flooded with speculation as to its exact content.
And while they are certainly not a true reflection of what was written on the note, they certainly raise a few smiles...
|
Donald Trump has become the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall, placing his hand on Judaism's holiest prayer site.
|
40003636
|
The largest dinosaur on show at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham will be the 23m (75ft) Mamenchisaurus, which will be displayed "rearing up on its legs".
The massive plant eater would not fit into the hall at full length.
In 2011 the museum closed for several days to allow filming for the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises.
The museum will reopen on 30 June for the launch of the exhibition.
Curator Adam Smith said: "The collection will tell the story of how dinosaurs evolved into the birds and will feature some of the biggest dinosaur skeletons in existence."
The fossils, which arrived on Friday after a 50-day journey, will be erected by a team of six specially-trained technicians.
The Mamenchisaurus, a planting-eating sauropod similar to a brontosaurus, was found in Sichuan Province in south west China in the 1970s.
Some of the 23 exhibits, including the Gigantorapror, a birdlike dinosaur with a toothless beak, are considered "national treasures" in China.
The museum and the University of Nottingham have been working with Chinese authorities since 2011 to bring the exhibition to the UK.
Once open, the show will run until 29 October.
|
A natural history museum has closed to allow a "massive" exhibit of dinosaurs from China to be erected.
|
40204448
|
With a guide price of £125,000 the sale of Ynys Bach includes the attached Ynys Faelog boathouse - with planning permission to rebuild it.
But anyone interested in buying the island has been warned they would not be allowed to live on it.
It can be accessed through a pedestrian walkway from St Georges Road in Menai Bridge.
Agents Dafydd Hardy said it was an opportunity to buy something unique with fantastic views.
"It would suit a philanthropist with an interest in marine life or maybe an artist would like to sit there painting the Menai Strait," said Mr Hardy.
"I'm looking forward to selling it as it's really interesting."
The lot goes under the hammer on 27 June at 17:30 BST at The Anglesey Arms Hotel, Menai Bridge, Anglesey.
|
An island in the Menai Strait between Gwynedd and Anglesey is set to go under the hammer.
|
22901598
|
Research for the British Polling Council followed the widespread failure to predict May's majority Tory win.
Surveys did not accurately sample the UK population, and over-represented Labour voters, it says.
The BPC has recommended a series of changes, saying pollsters may wish to randomly select participants in future.
It says "probability sampling" may be a more accurate way of gauging voters' intentions than the current practice of recruiting people in advance to take part on the basis of their likely voting habits.
The majority of polls taken during the five-week general election campaign indicated the Conservatives and Labour, led by David Cameron and Ed Miliband respectively, were neck-and-neck.
This led to speculation that Labour could be the largest party in a hung parliament and could potentially have to rely on SNP support to govern.
However the Conservatives secured an overall majority for the first time since 1992, winning 99 more seats than Labour, their 6.5% margin of victory taking nearly all commentators by surprise.
The BPC, which represents the major survey bodies and issued an interim report into the findings in January, says the Tory win was not foreseen due to "systemic" errors.
The inquiry said unrepresentative sampling was the primary cause for the polling failures.
It cited the over-representation of Labour voters and under-representation of Tories, with Conservative voters apparently being harder to reach.
There was, it added, an over-reliance on more willing survey respondents and said that too few elderly people being polled could have also played a part.
It also said an inaccurate expectation of a hung parliament may have influenced the result of the election itself.
The report makes 12 recommendations to the way polls are conducted in future.
These include a call for measures to be taken to make sure samples are more representative, and a review into the way in which "don't know" voters are allocated in the results.
It says BPC members should state clearly which variables were used to weight data and detail the adjustments made in between polls.
BPC president John Curtice said the organisation will look to implement the report's recommendations on transparency but cannot compel members to comply with following a specific type of methodology.
But he said the BPC will issue a report ahead of the general election in 2020 detailing how companies have changed their sampling and weighting procedures.
"The BPC recognises that simply saying 'well okay, it's all fine, everybody go off and do their own thing' may not be thought of as an adequate response to what happened in 2015," Prof Curtice said.
Southampton University professor of research methodology Patrick Sturgis, who chaired the research for the BPC, said the report should not be used to "bash the polls".
He said "we still think that the polls are really the only show in town for forecasting election results".
|
Opinion polls before the 2015 election were among the most inaccurate since surveying began more than 70 years ago, an industry-wide review has suggested.
|
35931342
|
The price of US crude was up 56 cents to $44.67 a barrel, helping to lift shares in oil giant Chevron by 1.9%.
The Dow Jones rose 229.09 points to 16,600.05, while the S&P 500 added 25.06 points to 1,978.09. The Nasdaq was up by 54.76 points at 4,860.52.
Investors are expected to remain cautious ahead of Thursday's Federal Reserve meeting.
Analysts are still split over whether the Fed will decide to raise rates for the first time in nine years.
The latest economic data showed that US retail sales rose 0.2% last month, which was slightly below forecasts.
So-called core retail sales - which exclude cars, fuel, building materials and food services - were up 0.4% in August.
Separate figures showed that US manufacturing output fell by 0.5% in August, the sharpest decline since January 2014.
The drop was mostly caused by carmakers cutting back production, with car output down 6.4%, the biggest fall for three years.
|
(Close): US markets closed higher, with energy stocks leading the way following a rise in the price of oil.
|
34259384
|
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures showed an increase of 31,700 (0.6%) people over the year to the end of June 2016.
It said the increase was due to migration, with 31,700 more people moving to Scotland than leaving.
The number of deaths exceeded births by 800, while other changes resulted in an increase of 800 people.
These other changes included variations in the prison population and in the number of armed forces personnel stationed in Scotland.
The mid-year population estimate figures for 2016 show:
Scotland's population has increased by 6% since 1996 (when it was 5,092,190)
|
Scotland's population continued to increase last year, rising to a record 5,404,700.
|
39730739
|
If given the go-ahead, new premises would be built at the police headquarters site in Ripley.
Both organisations said the move would enable them to work better together and be more effective.
The costs would be met from police capital reserves and from the sale of the old fire service headquarters.
"Two of the current buildings on the site are more than 40-years-old and have increasing maintenance and heating costs," said police and crime commissioner Alan Charles.
"We have looked at all the options from repair and refurbishment to new build and it is clear that over the lifetime of the building the new build represents best value for the taxpayer.
"At the same time we are seeking to undertake a collaborative building project with the fire and rescue service, which will reduce costs still further."
He added: "Importantly, we are able to fund this from our capital reserves and it will not impact negatively on our current resources for frontline policing."
Other buildings will remain on the site.
The fire service said its share of the costs would be largely met through the sale of its 19th Century building in Littleover.
Additional funding would be sought from government transformation grants for "joint blue light" schemes.
|
The police and fire service in Derbyshire are considering plans to share headquarters in a bid to improve working practices and save money.
|
25969972
|
The X-Men star unveiled a plaque at the University of Huddersfield and watched a performance devised by drama students.
The site was previously known as the Milton building and is a Victorian former church.
The actor was born in nearby Mirfield, and was the university's chancellor for more than 10 years.
Sir Patrick said he was "very proud" of the honour.
The classically trained actor, known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films is currently on tour alongside fellow actor and friend Sir Ian McKellen in Harold Pinter's play No Man's Land.
Other university buildings have been named after local historical figures such as factory reformer Richard Oastler and the Brontës.
|
Actor Sir Patrick Stewart has had a university building housing a drama department named after him.
|
37023453
|
The 33-year-old will move to Australia after helping Chiefs win the Premiership title for the first time by beating Wasps 23-20.
He is expected to have a spell in Japan with an as yet unnamed Top League side before joining Melbourne in January.
Parling won 29 England caps and also played three Tests for the British and Irish Lions in Australia in 2013.
Find out how to get into rugby union with our special guide.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to test myself in the Southern Hemisphere," he said.
"Hopefully I can add value to the Rebels, and help the team continue the great growth and profile of rugby in Victoria."
Parling began his career with Newcastle Falcons, and also had a six-year spell with Leicester Tigers where he won two Premiership titles, before joining Exeter in 2015.
"Geoff's signing is a strategic recruitment for the club as we look to evolve our squad and program for 2018 and beyond," Rebels chief executive Baden Stephenson told the club website.
"Geoff boasts a wealth of international and domestic experience in successful rugby programs so he will contribute to the strong leadership at the club, along with his world class lineout skills and hard running qualities which will complement our squad."
|
Exeter Chiefs lock Geoff Parling has signed to play for Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels for the 2018 season.
|
40170966
|
The fourth seed lost 10-6 to qualifier Michael Holt on Tuesday, becoming the fifth former champion to lose in the first round at the Crucible this year.
But Robertson, who won the UK Championship in December, said: "The season's been fantastic.
"I played great in the Masters, I played great in the Welsh Open - even at the China Open."
The 34-year-old added: "It's probably the best match I've played all season and got beat."
Robertson beat Liang Wenbo to win the UK Championship and then reached the final of the Welsh Open, losing to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Also this season, the Cambridge-based Australian was edged out by Judd Trump in a classic quarter-final at the Masters, but won the Champion of Champions event.
Media playback is not supported on this device
Robertson said he had played some of his best snooker leading up to his Crucible defeat, which he put down to a run of misfortune.
"I said coming into the World Championship that it's probably the best season I've had to date," the 2010 world champion said.
"I've played really well, but snooker's a funny game. It's very frustrating when you don't always get the right kind of rub - you watch tennis and know if you play better than the other guy, you win.
"But that's the game we play. It can create mini-upsets. I suppose if it was the top four players in the world getting to the semis, it'd be pretty boring."
Robertson continued: "Michael played a great match - nothing really went right for me.
"He's got to take credit for taking advantage, because even though he's coming to the table and the balls are all there, he still has to pot them."
Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news and reports on the BBC app.
|
Neil Robertson still feels he has had the best season of his career, despite a surprise World Championship exit.
|
36093178
|
The Ports had their drop out of the top division confirmed on Tuesday night when they lost 3-2 away to Ards.
The club had been bottom of the table all season after having 12 points deducted in a disciplinary case.
"The Premiership has lost one of its biggest clubs," said Currie who took over as Portadown manager in December.
The last time the Ports dropped out of the top division was in 2008 and was the result of an administrative blunder as they were too late in applying for a place in the new Premier League.
As well as losing 12 points before this season kicked-off, Portadown's first match of the campaign was awarded to Coleraine without being played as the Ports were suspended for not paying a fine.
That fine had been imposed after the County Armagh club was found guilty of making undisclosed payments to players. They were also barred from signing professional payers until June 2017.
Then in November the Shamrock Park club lost three more points for including midfielder Robert Garrett in a 3-1 win over Ards when he was suspended.
"The killer for me when I came to the club was not being able to sign pro players in January," said manager Currie.
"This club is still attractive to a number of players and we could have brought in four or five top players.
"We will get over it and move on. We will regroup and rebuild again. The club is coming together and there are going to be good times ahead.
"It has been difficult, throwing kids in at 15, 16 years of age and that is not ideal. But we have consistently had a number of players unavailable.
"Next season, we are going to be the big fish in the Championship and will be the cup final for the other teams.
"It is a tough league to win and we have got to get the right characters with the right mentality into the club."
Media playback is not supported on this device
|
Niall Currie has described the relegation of Portadown from the Premiership as a sad night for Irish League football.
|
39640064
|
Gen Martin Dempsey said the "vast majority" of documents taken by the ex-NSA contractor were military-related.
Since last year, news organisations have published dozens of stories based on the leaked intelligence documents.
Mr Snowden faces spying charges in the US but has been given asylum in Russia.
Gen Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told the House armed services committee on Thursday that a mitigation task force had been established to investigate the extent of Mr Snowden's theft and to determine how to overcome it.
"We're working our way through that which we believe he has exfiltrated," Gen Dempsey said. "And we have, I think, a fairly significant amount of knowledge in that regard.
"The vast majority of [the pilfered documents] were related to our military capabilities, operations, tactics, techniques and procedures."
Gen Dempsey said the "magnitude of this challenge" suggested the task force would need to run for about two years.
"I suspect it could cost billions of dollars to overcome the loss of security that has been imposed on us," he said.
Mr Snowden, a former technical contractor for the National Security Agency who fled from the US in June, faces espionage charges in the US.
|
It will take the US two years and possibly billions of dollars to overcome the harm done by Edward Snowden's intelligence leaks, the top-ranking US military officer has said.
|
26476079
|
Essex-based E2V created the imaging detectors used on the New Horizons probe in its historic flyby.
Chief engineer David Morris said the firm's two detectors would send back both colour and black and white images.
He said: "It will continue taking more images for the next couple of weeks, looking back at Pluto as it recedes."
One of the images to come back has shown an area of icy mountains on Pluto.
"These were completely unexpected for Pluto, which was why you heard all the 'oohs and ahhs' in the background from NASA.
"It was anticipated it would be icy, it was anticipated that it would be quite smooth with some craters but the formation of what are mountains was quite unexpected."
He said: "There was a certain nervousness that it could all have been for nothing.
"Getting the timing right and the image timing right was going to be crucial. It worked. I was excited and, of course, quite relieved. And very proud."
The team has had a 10-year wait to the see the results of their efforts.
Dr Paul Jerram, chief image sensor engineer at E2V, said: "To see that they have worked after their nine-and-a-half-year journey and have produced images that are way beyond anybody's expectations is amazing."
Mike Culley, of Southend Planitarium, said: "Pluto has been this distant tiny little dot and we've now got these incredible pictures.
"It has turned from a blob into a real world."
|
An engineer involved in the sensors for the space probe launched to study Pluto has told of the "nervous" wait for the first images to come back.
|
33562686
|
Their new contracts coincide with the duration of Mercedes' own current commitment to F1.
In common with the rest of the teams, Mercedes will begin negotiations for beyond 2020 with new owner Liberty Media during this year.
Wolff retains his 30% shareholding in the team and Lauda his 10% stake.
Team boss Wolff joined Mercedes from Williams in February 2013, and Lauda took up his position in late 2012.
The deals conclude a busy winter of off-track activity for Mercedes, who have dominated the sport since the advent of turbo hybrid engines in 2014 with three consecutive world title doubles.
Mercedes have signed Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate this season, with the Finn replacing world champion Nico Rosberg, who announced his retirement five days after winning the title last November.
Executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe is on gardening leave before his departure from Mercedes and is to join Williams in the coming weeks.
Lowe's position as technical boss has been taken by James Allison, who has been given the title technical director, a new role within the team as part of a slight re-alignment of responsibility at the head of the company.
Wolff has run the team with Lowe as his right-hand man since the departure of former team principal Ross Brawn at the end of 2013.
Dieter Zetsche, the chairman and chief executive officer of Mercedes' parent company Daimler, said: "In 2013, we restructured the management of the team with the clear goal of improving our performance.
"Since then, however, the results have exceeded our expectations. A key factor in this success has been the combination of Toto's entrepreneurial skills and Niki's experience.
"Their renewed commitment gives our programme important continuity for the next four years."
F1 has introduced major regulation changes for this season in an attempt to make the cars faster and more dramatic - and to give the sport greater appeal.
The cars are wider with bigger tyres and are expected to be between three and five seconds a lap faster than in 2016.
Mercedes' new F1 car will be revealed to the public on Thursday, before the start of pre-season testing three days later.
The first 2017 car to be unveiled will be that of Swiss team Sauber on Monday, followed by the Renault on Tuesday, Force India on Wednesday and Ferrari, McLaren and Williams on Friday.
|
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda have signed new deals to stay with the team until the end of 2020.
|
39021867
|
Mr Clark heads up the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
He was also appointed President of the Board of Trade before officials realised International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, should hold the title.
Mr Clark lasted just four days in the historic role.
Once officials realised the mistake, Mr Fox was formally appointed to the position at a meeting of the Privy Council.
A Whitehall source said: "The appointment was an error. The Privy Council meeting was held very quickly after the reshuffle and the final list of ministerial responsibilities had not been produced. The appointment was therefore corrected at the first opportunity."
The mistaken appointment was made days three days before Mrs May told Parliament in a written statement that Mr Fox's new department would "take on the responsibilities of UK Trade and Investment (and) the relevant trade functions of the former Department for Business Innovation and Skills".
The Board of Trade - which is still formally named "The Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations" - was established in the 17th Century by the King as a rival to Parliament to manage British trade, particularly in the American colonial plantations.
William Pitt created the job of president in 1786. After the board was folded into the modern-day Department of Trade and Industry in 1970, the historic board has met only once, in 1986, to mark its 200th anniversary.
Lord Heseltine chose to be known as President of the Board of Trade when he was appointed to John Major's cabinet in 1992, instead of Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
|
Cabinet minister Greg Clark was given the wrong job by mistake during the appointment of Theresa May's new government.
|
36869726
|
The 14-time Grand Slam title winner will therefore miss November's ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Nadal, 28, made his announcement after losing 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to Croatian teenager Borna Coric in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors on Friday.
"I'm not going to Paris and London - I'm not competitive enough," the nine-time French Open champion said.
"I am going to have surgery on 3 November."
Nadal had already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals event, so the Spaniard's withdrawal means the player ranked ninth in the final ATP Race to London rankings will make it through to the season-ending event at the O2 in Greenwich.
Britain's Andy Murray will compete in next week's Paris Masters, which is the final ranking event of the season.
The Scot, 27, currently lies in eighth position in the Race to London standings.
The Swiss Indoors in Basel was just the third tournament Nadal had played since Wimbledon following a wrist injury, and he revealed earlier this month that he was on a course of antibiotics for his appendix.
Coric, 17, showed no fear as he raced into a 5-0 lead against a wayward Nadal and held his nerve to secure a stunning victory.
Coric learned his tennis travelling between Zagreb and north London under the guidance of British coach Ryan Jones, although the pair have gone their separate ways in recent days.
The Croat goes on to face Belgian David Goffin in the semi-finals, with Ivo Karlovic up against Roger Federer, who beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.
|
Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will not play again this season and says he will undergo appendix surgery next month.
|
29755595
|
The action will take place on 25 January and 1 February and affect Neath Port Talbot Hospital, Morriston in Swansea and Princess of Wales in Bridgend.
Unison said non-emergency surgery was "likely to be severely disrupted".
The health board said it was fully committed to resolving concerns.
Unison said affected members at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board wanted "pay parity with colleagues doing the same job in other hospitals in Wales".
Earlier this month, 54 staff members voted in favour of taking the industrial action, with two voting no, the turnout for the ballot was 78.9%.
Mark Turner, Unison organiser for ABMU, added: "They are highly skilled technicians of many years training yet are treated as though they have just walked in off the street.
"They are extremely disappointed that after two years of discussions the health board continues to ignore their very reasonable claim in the hope they will go away."
The health board said all staff were valued and it had been working with the trade union to develop a new job description.
The board said the current service needed a workforce with a mixture of skills at different bands.
"We are sorry our continuing discussions with Unison have not been able to resolve our staff's concerns," a spokesman added.
"We remain fully committed to continuing our partnership work with Unison to resolve these concerns and have offered to involve ACAS to assist with this issue.
"In the meantime, we would like to reassure patients should strike action go ahead we will be working to ensure any disruption to services are minimal."
A similar dispute involving X-ray department workers has been resolved.
|
Staff in the sterilisation and disinfection units at some hospitals in south Wales will go on strike for two days over equal pay.
|
38655940
|
The former Scottish first minister will be in the Belgian capital to collect the first Coppieters Award.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond said last week that he would meet Mr Juncker ahead of the awards ceremony.
It comes as the Scottish government prepares to publish its proposals for keeping Scotland in the single market after Brexit.
Mr Salmond's successor as first minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon met Mr Juncker in Brussels in June.
Speaking at the time, Mr Juncker said Scotland had "won the right to be heard in Brussels" and that he would listen carefully to what Ms Sturgeon had to say.
But he stressed that he would not "interfere in an inner British process".
The request for a meeting with Mr Juncker was made by Mr Salmond, who will receive the Coppieters Award in recognition of his "dedication and advocacy for Scotland's right to redefine its political future among a European family of nations".
The Scottish government is exploring potential options for keeping Scotland in the European single market even if the UK as a whole leaves, with its proposals expected to be published next week.
The EU has previously said it will only negotiate a deal with the UK government once Article 50 is triggered and the formal process of leaving the EU begins.
The UK Chancellor, Philip Hammond, said earlier this month that a special Brexit deal for Scotland was "not realistic".
He also said he wanted to work closely with the Scottish government and the other devolved administrations in order to "secure the best possible deal" for all parts of the UK.
|
Alex Salmond is expected to meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels later.
|
38308250
|
Crews have been tackling the smouldering fires involving 3,000 tonnes of woodchip at South Wales Wood Recycling in Coity since last Monday.
Public health officials had advised nearby residents to keep doors and windows closed while the fire was burning.
The fire service said it was continuing to liaise with on-site management.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said Natural Resources Wales officials were also monitoring the situation.
|
A blaze at a wood recycling centre in Bridgend has finally been extinguished after burning for nearly a week.
|
37473761
|
State-owned Chinese insurer PICC Property and Casualty Company is buying the shares.
Deutsche announced earlier this year it would sell the stake as part of a plan to bolster its finances.
"As we execute on Deutsche Bank's strategic agenda, now is the right time for us to sell this investment," said chief executive John Cryan.
In October, the bank said it would be cutting 15,000 jobs and selling various businesses as it looked to stem losses.
Deutsche posted a €6bn (£4.4bn) loss for the third quarter.
|
Deutsche Bank has agreed a deal to sell its 20% stake in China's Hua Xia Bank for up to 25.7bn yuan ($4bn).
|
35190593
|
Two adult night herons and two recently fledged juveniles were photographed at a Somerset reserve by Graham Hall.
Mr Hall said he photographed the two birds from half a mile away to test his camera and was "blown away" when he realised they were night herons.
Somerset Wildlife Trust said it showed for the first time in recorded history that night herons have bred in the UK.
Black-crowned night herons are rare in the south of England, according to experts, with only around a dozen spotted in Somerset since the 1800s.
It is thought the adults either bred at the Somerset Wildlife Trust's Westhay Moor national nature reserve or the nearby Avalon Marshes site.
Mr Graham was getting ready to pack up at the reserve when his friend pointed out two birds roosting half a mile away in a tree.
"I thought that would be an interesting shot and a challenge for the camera," he added.
"We thought they were bitterns but when I zoomed in - blow me - they weren't bitterns.
"I've never seen a night heron in the wild before and two birds together can only mean one thing."
Kevin Rylands, RSPB conservationist officer, said: "They are a native bird and in the past there have been some free-flying night herons around Edinburgh Zoo.
"But they have never bred here before in the wild so this is a first."
Roger Dickey, from the Somerset Ornithological Society, said it was "terribly exciting news".
"Night herons are one of southern England's rarer summer visitors.
"That they have decided to breed here for the first time on record confirms the Avalon Marshes' significance as one of the UK's most important breeding areas."
|
A pair of nocturnal herons has bred in the wild in the UK for the first time, conservationists have revealed.
|
40802437
|
The 25-year-old will join the Women's Super League One club following this summer's European Championships, for which Belgium have qualified.
The former FC Twente forward has scored four goals in 26 international games.
"Yana was brought to my attention after recently playing against Scotland," head coach Willie Kirk told the club website. "Her style of play suits us and she is a big personality."
|
Bristol City Women have signed Belgium striker Yana Daniels from Anderlecht.
|
40225619
|
The horse got stuck in the mud near the River Windrush, close to Willow Farm in Witney, Oxfordshire, at about 08:47 BST on Saturday.
Up to 10 firefighters helped with the rescue operation using specialist animal rescue equipment.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue said the horse was freed without injury with the assistance of a vet and the owner.
For more stories of pets and animals being rescued follow us on Pinterest
|
A horse which was trapped in mud on a riverbank had to be rescued by firefighters.
|
37815779
|
Sajjad Ahmad, 37, was the driver of a Mercedes which was involved in a collision with a van between Polmont and Linlithgow on Friday evening.
His death on Tuesday followed his wife, Saadia, 37, who died at the scene and their nine-year-old daughter, Ayesha, who died in hospital on Saturday.
Mark Hansen, 42, the driver of a white Vauxhall van, died at the scene.
The Ahmads' two sons remain in hospital.
The motorway was closed between Junctions 3 and 4 southbound until 04:00 on Saturday for a police investigation.
Sgt Scott Sneddon, of Police Scotland, said: "Our sincere condolences go to the Ahmad family, who have asked that their privacy be respected at this tragic time.
"Our inquiries continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding this collision, and I'd like to thank the witnesses who have so far come forward.
"Anyone who witnessed the collision, saw either of the vehicles shortly beforehand, or has any information about this and has not yet been in contact is urged to get in touch."
|
A fourth person has died following a serious crash on the M9 in West Lothian last week.
|
35483397
|
The 30-year-old has played 27 Tests for the Black Caps and had a spell with Lancashire this summer.
He took 32 Championship wickets for the Red Rose, including 6-66 on his debut against Nottinghamshire.
He will be replaced by Pakistan's Mohammad Amir at newly-promoted Essex midway through next summer.
Wagner also equalled a world record by taking five wickets in a six-ball first-class over, for Otago against Wellington in 2011.
|
Essex have signed New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner for the first half of the 2017 County Championship season and One-Day Cup.
|
38235233
|
About 850 Arriva drivers at depots in Castleford, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Wakefield in West Yorkshire, and Selby in North Yorkshire, are to walk out.
The strike is due to start at 03:00 GMT on Monday, said Unite the union.
Arriva said it wanted to "wholeheartedly apologise" to customers who could be affected by the industrial action.
More on this story and others from West Yorkshire
Nigel Featham, from Arriva Yorkshire and North East, said: "We have been working tirelessly over the last year with Unite to bring pay talks to an amicable conclusion.
"But despite our best efforts and multiple offers to increase pay and conditions we have received notification to strike."
Phil Bown, of Unite, said no further meetings were currently planned between the two sides.
"Strike action is not a step our members take lightly, but after nearly 12 months of circular talks they have become increasingly angry about being strung along by Arriva bosses," he added.
Limited Arriva bus services could operate during the strike. Yorkshire Tiger services would be unaffected, the company said.
|
Hundreds of bus drivers are set for a 24-hour strike in a row over pay and shifts, a union has announced.
|
37927040
|
They know this is the most unpredictable election for decades and if the polls are to be believed no party is assured of an overall majority.
But what about the non-scientific view - studying the bellwether seats? They're seats which lead or indicate a trend in voting - going Conservative when there is a Tory majority and Labour when it's the largest party, making them a good predictor of the election's outcome.
The term comes from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (a wether) leading his flock of sheep.
So it may be ancient terminology but the bellwether tradition still seems to hold true in Kent and Sussex.
In fact during the general election of 1970, the BBC declared that "Gravesend's 80,000-odd typical electors usually do vote the way Britain votes - they went Conservative in the 1950s, Labour by a whisker in '74 and Labour more generously in 1966".
Gravesend may have changed a lot in the 45 years since the election of 1970 but one thing which has stayed constant is that voters in the constituency generally vote the way the nation votes.
Simon Atkinson, from the polling company Ipsos Mori, explains why Gravesend is such a good predictor of election outcomes.
He told me: "Gravesham is just one of those places where it all seems to fit together - it may be the demographics, the people who live there, the way they think or behave kind of matches the population as a whole - so Gravesham, Dartford are some of the really interesting places to watch.
"What happens there may well give us a guide to what's going to happen everywhere else."
Dartford has reflected the overall result in every general election since 1964 and Gravesham (and its predecessor Gravesend) has voted for the winning party - or the one with the largest share of the vote - in every election since World War One, with just one exception: 2005 - when they voted Conservative but Labour won the election.
Sussex boasts several bellwether seats including Hove, which has backed the national winner in every election since 1979 - hitting the headlines during the Labour landslide of 1997.
Legend has it that Tony Blair turned to Cherie once Labour had won Hove and said that was the moment he knew he could win the rest of the country.
Hove is currently held by the Conservatives but, like several Sussex marginal seats, Labour are determined to win it back - and many voters are still undecided.
So when voters go to the polling station tomorrow we will find out if voters in the South East's bellwether seats really can predict the outcome of this most unpredictable election.
|
The polls open in just over 12 hours and the party leaders are all out criss-crossing the country fighting for every last vote.
|
32615431
|
The UK PM met outgoing US President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and four other European leaders in Berlin for talks.
Mr Obama urged them to work with his successor Donald Trump on the basis of shared "core values".
The PM also told Mrs Merkel that the UK's Brexit plans were "on track".
It came as the Supreme Court confirmed that Scotland and Wales's top legal advisers would be allowed to take part in an appeal hearing brought by the UK government against a ruling that it alone cannot trigger Article 50 - the formal process of leaving the EU - without a vote by MPs.
But BBC correspondent Jenny Hill said there were a number of issues on the agenda that took precedence over Brexit, including Syria, Russia's relationship with the West, international terrorism and climate change.
In a joint press conference with Chancellor Merkel on Friday, Mrs May said: "On Syria, looking at Aleppo, we are united in our condemnation of the atrocities that are taking place there.
"We agree on the need to keep up the pressure on Russia, including the possibility of sanctions on those who breach international humanitarian law."
US President-elect Mr Trump has criticised Nato and has spoken of his hopes of warmer relations between the US and Russia - but on Thursday Mr Obama warned him to stand up to Moscow if it deviated from US values.
Mr Obama has been on a farewell trip to Europe at the end of his two terms as US president. On Friday he met German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mrs May, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy in Berlin.
The White House said Mr Obama had "affirmed the importance of continued cooperation through multilateral institutions, including Nato" and "agreed on the necessity of working collectively to move the transatlantic agenda forward, particularly on bringing stabilisation to the Middle East and North Africa, as well as securing diplomatic resolution to the conflicts in Syria and eastern Ukraine.
On Brexit, Mrs May said: "Our work is on track, we do stand ready to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017.
"I want to see this as a smooth process, an orderly process, working towards a solution that is in the interests of both the UK but also in the interests of our European partners too."
The meeting comes as German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble told the Financial Times the UK may have to continue paying into EU budgets for more than a decade after it leaves the union.
He said Britain will "certainly have to fulfil its commitments" to the EU until its departure - and possibly after.
He added: "Possibly there will be some commitments that last beyond the exit… even, in part, to 2030."
|
Theresa May has said the US and Europe are "united" in condemning atrocities in Syria and has warned Russia of the possibility of more sanctions.
|
38018148
|
Police were first called to St James Boulevard in Newcastle just after midnight due to concerns for a man, 21, and an 18-year-old woman.
Her condition is described as potentially life-threatening.
An hour later, another couple, both 18, also had to be taken to hospital after becoming ill in the city centre.
Northumbria Police said a quantity of drugs, believed to be ecstasy, had been seized and inquiries were ongoing.
Det Inst Sally MacDonald said: "Taking illegal drugs is incredibly dangerous and the fact four people have been taken ill in just one evening is particularly worrying."
|
Four people had to be treated in hospital after taking what is thought to be ecstasy.
|
40143160
|
The performer then forgot to switch his microphone off as he was sick.
Ramsey was only a few minutes from the end of his show at Aberdeen Music Hall when he felt sick.
The comedian, who was performing in the Granite City as part of a UK-wide tour, had earlier warned his audience that he was unwell.
He told fans on his twitter: "As a lot of you will already know, I had to run off stage last night in Aberdeen and projectile vomit was all over the place. It was beyond grim."
As well as stand-up, Ramsey starred as Jack Pearson in BBC Two sitcom Hebburn, set near his home town of South Shields in north east England.
Ramsey has also appeared on the BBC's Live at the Apollo and is a regular panellist on Channel 4 series Celebrity Juice.
|
Stand-up comedian Chris Ramsey has apologised to his audience in Aberdeen after running off stage during his show to vomit.
|
35784084
|
Representatives from Highland Council along with Scottish economy secretary Keith Brown and UK minister Andrew Dunlop attended the event.
Announced in March last year, the deal involves direct funding and greater borrowing powers.
There has been criticism that the funding package will not benefit the wider Highland area.
The signing ceremony in Invergordon included an agreement to release £12.25m of funding on three projects.
These are the Science Skills Academy STEMD, which is a a network of "science rooms" to promote learning in science and engineering, and the University of the Highlands and Islands' School of Health, Social Care and Life Sciences.
Also, a land remediation project which aims to make vacant land at Inverness' Longman available to businesses.
Other spending planned at a later date includes about £15m to turn Inverness Castle from a criminal and civil courts building into a tourist attraction.
|
The £315m Inverness City Region Deal has been formally signed off in a ceremony in Invergordon.
|
38795507
|
The 24-year-old twisted an ankle in the warm-up and damaged a knee during her second-round defeat by American Alison Riske on Court 18.
Mladenovic said both players wanted to stop after only two games "in case something bad happened".
The All England Club said the courts were as "playable as per normal".
Temperatures have reached 30C at Wimbledon, with around 60 people treated by the St John Ambulance for heat-related symptoms on Thursday.
The Met Office is predicting highs of 26C on Friday and 23C on Saturday, but with more cloud cover on both days.
Mladenovic blamed the weather for making the courts too dry.
She said: "The colour of the court, the fact that there's no more grass, the fact that the baseline where we are running, it's very slippery. There's no grass.
"You kind of have to run light and be careful, not to push or press too much, too hard, which is strange to play on."
Mladenovic, who lost 2-6 6-4 6-4, added: "It's quite unique with your opponent, after two games, you both agree on stopping playing in a Slam.
"I'm just honestly very happy and blessed that I didn't injure myself that much."
An All England Club statement read: "The court preparation has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years.
"Grass is a natural surface and it is usual for the baselines to start to be showing signs of wear and tear four days into the Championships."
|
France's 12th seed Kristina Mladenovic complained about a "damaged" court at Wimbledon, claiming poor surfaces are the talk of the players' locker room.
|
40524607
|
This includes a "development bank" to support small businesses and a promise to bring fast broadband to everyone.
Leader Carwyn Jones said it was "an ambitious plan ... focused on the economy, growth and fairness".
He said the aim was "to build economic growth and security for everyone in Wales".
"Over the last few years the Welsh economy has punched above its weight with high profile inward investments coming through Aston Martin and TVR," Mr Jones said on Tuesday, launching the manifesto at a college in the south Wales valleys.
"Our manifesto today seeks to build on those firm foundations with big and bold new ideas such as a new development bank for Wales and tax cuts for all small businesses to help boost economic growth even further in the years to come."
Details: What is in the Welsh Labour manifesto?
Mr Jones added: "Today is about taking our country forward. We ask the people of Wales to join us once again on that journey."
The focus on the economy comes after he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph there was more he could do to "whip government into shape" in how it helps businesses.
Welsh Labour was left feeling shocked and bruised by 2015's general election result and the party says it's been in listening mode ever since.
It's been all over the country asking people what they want from Labour.
The product of that consultation is this manifesto.
There are plenty of attractive promises, such as increased free childcare, more apprenticeships and an extension of its school-building programme.
But perhaps the more interesting aspect is what's not in the manifesto.
While it commits the party to an M4 relief road, it doesn't give a specific route.
And there's a promise to cut the number of councils, but we're not told how many there will be.
So Labour is keeping its options open on some controversial topics, perhaps with an eye on post-election discussions with other parties.
|
Welsh Labour has launched its assembly election manifesto with a "plan for prosperity" the party says will "get the country moving".
|
36072144
|
The publication by German theologian Martin Luther, called On the Freedom of a Christian, dates back to 1520.
This was a year before he was excommunicated by the Pope for criticising the Catholic Church.
It includes around 50 notes written in red by Luther himself, indicating changes he wanted for a second edition.
The American who made the discovery, James Hirsten, said it gave an important insight into Luther's thinking at the time.
The annotated edition was found in The Humanist Library in Selestat, in the north-east of France.
Martin Luther launched the Reformation in Germany five centuries ago in response to what he said were excesses and abuses within the Church.
But his works, which also included Christian Liberty, To the Christian Nobility and On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, turned him against many of the major teachings of the Catholic Church.
After his excommunication by Pope Leo X in January 1521, Luther was declared an outlaw and a heretic by the Roman emperor at that time, Charles V.
He later went on to publish a complete translation of the bible into German, which contributed to the spread and development of the German language.
|
A first edition of one of the most important works of the man who inspired the Protestant Reformation has been discovered in a library in France.
|
32833955
|
It is the first meeting between the sides in the competition in more than five years.
"Over the next five or six weeks, I fully expect Rangers to have the league wrapped up, so they should be the confident team going into the game.
"For me right now, I would sway towards Rangers," Boyd said.
The last match between the sides was in last season's League Cup semi-final, with Celtic emerging as 2-0 victors.
Rangers appear to be a stronger proposition on the pitch now under manager Mark Warburton.
They are on course to seal promotion to Scotland's top flight at the end of the season, leading the Championship table by 12 points.
Boyd thinks the togetherness of the Rangers squad could give them the decisive edge over Celtic, who have faltered in recent weeks under Ronny Deila despite continuing to lead the Premiership.
"They've got that close-knit unit," said Boyd, who was impressed by the 4-0 win over Dundee.
"If you look at the way they performed on Saturday, it was excellent right from the word go.
"It's going to be close. I'm leaning towards Rangers in terms of the tight-knit group. They know exactly what they are doing.
"With a steady team, there's no chopping and changing. You are going to training all week fully expecting to play, whereas you look at Celtic - with the amount of bodies they've got going into training on a Monday morning expecting to play on a Saturday, they could field three or four teams."
Former Celtic striker Scott McDonald agrees that Rangers will provide Deila's men with a much sterner challenge than they did in the League Cup semi-final in February 2015.
"Rangers now you feel are much more ready for the challenge than they were 13 months ago," McDonald explained.
"Under Warburton, they've come on leaps and bounds and the football they've played at times has been very entertaining."
The Motherwell frontman believes the return of Scottish football's most famous rivalry is great for the game.
"Without being disrespectful to all the games in the leagues and the derbies, this is the one," said McDonald.
"It's rated as one of the best derbies in the world. So to have it back on the map again is fantastic for Scottish football.
"It really needs it within the game. We're hoping for a great spectacle.
"It certainly puts it back on the map. It's a chance for both teams to sort of stamp their authority on next season, psychologically you could say, and see where Rangers are really and if they have narrowed the gap from 13 months ago or not."
|
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has backed his old side to come out on top against Celtic in next month's Scottish Cup semi-final.
|
35748340
|
Maylis de Kerangal is the first French author to win the £30,000 award, which honours books of any genre that has a central theme of health or medicine.
It is the first translated text to win and only the second novel to win in the award's history.
Head judge Val McDermid called it "compelling, original and ambitious".
Described as "a heart-breaking and gripping story of life-saving medical science" it follows the story of Simon Limbeau's heart.
He heads out on a surfing trip with two friends but they crash their van on the way home and he is left brain dead but with a beating heart.
His family then face the tough decision whether to donate his heart.
The book depicts the "24-hour whirlwind of trauma and death, life and hope" and ends when the heart starts to beat in the body of someone else.
This year's Chair of Judges, Val McDermid, announced the winner at a ceremony at the Wellcome Collection in London on Monday.
"Mend the Living is a metaphorical and lyrical exploration of the journey of one heart and two bodies," she said.
"Over 24 hours we travel from trauma to hope, discovering both the humane aspect of organ donation and the internal dramas of those affected by it.
"Compelling, original and ambitious, this novel illuminates what it is to be human."
Mend the Living is de Kerangal's fifth novel. She has won previous awards in France for her novel Birth of a Bridge and her novella Tangente vers l'est.
It was translated by Jessica Moore, an award-winning translator, songwriter and poet based in Montreal.
The book has already been adapted into a film by French film director Katell Quillevere, which will open in UK cinemas from 28 April.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
|
Mend the Living, a "heart-breaking" novel about 24 hours in the life of a heart that is transplanted, has won the Wellcome Book Prize.
|
39691637
|
He said the Nord Stream pipeline would reduce Russia's dependence on Ukrainian pipelines, which were shut during gas disputes between Moscow and Kiev.
"Technical gas", needed to build up pressure, was released on Tuesday.
It is expected German consumers will begin receiving Russian gas through the new pipeline in a few weeks.
The official launch of Nord Stream will be marked with a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Germany in November.
Nord Stream, a twin pipeline, was built at a cost of $12.5bn (£7.7bn; 8.8bn euros) and is 1,224km (761 miles) long, running from Vyborg in north-west Russia to Sassnitz in north-east Germany.
It should be able to move 55bn cu m of gas a year by 2013, after the completion of the second pipeline.
Mr Putin, visiting Vyborg, said Ukraine had been "taking advantage", and that relations between the two countries would now become "more civilised".
At present, 80% of Russia's gas exports to the EU flow through pipelines across Ukrainian soil.
Apart from Nord Stream, Russia has been planning another pipeline, South Stream, which will run from southern Russia to Bulgaria under the Black Sea.
The project is expected to pipe 63bn cu m of gas to central and southern Europe annually.
In another project to pipe ex-Soviet gas westwards, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria have agreed to construct a 3,900km pipeline called Nabucco.
It is expected to pump up to 31bn cubic metres of gas annually from the Caspian and the Middle East across Turkey and into Europe.
|
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has pressed the start button to open a pipeline carrying natural gas directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
|
14803065
|
There are concerns the report will not be released before the 2015 election.
Some MPs have blamed hold-ups on a reluctance to release correspondence between Mr Blair and President Bush.
But the ex-Labour prime minister said he was not blocking any documents and publication would allow him "restate" the case for the 2003 invasion.
The inquiry, which is examining the UK's participation in the military action against Saddam Hussein and its aftermath, began in 2009 and its last public hearings took place in 2011.
Although the inquiry team, led by Sir John Chilcot, has never set a target date or deadline for publication, it is generally accepted that the timetable for publication has slipped on several occasions.
David Cameron has said he hopes the report will be released before the end of the year.
Mr Blair, who appeared in person twice before the inquiry to justify his decision to take the UK to war, said he had an interest in the report being published as quickly as possible.
"It is certainly not me who is holding it up," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "The sooner it is published the better, from my perspective, as it allows me to make the arguments."
In its last update, in November, the inquiry said making progress was dependent on the "satisfactory completion" of discussions about the disclosure of private material, including 25 notes from Mr Blair to President Bush and more than 130 records of conversations between either Mr Blair or Gordon Brown and the former US president.
Asked about this, Mr Blair said the inquiry has had the documents in its possession "for a long period of time".
"Obviously there are whole load of issues to do with confidentiality that have to be resolved - as far as I am concerned the government is resolving them."
The former Labour leader was asked whether he believed the US government was responsible for the apparent hold-up.
"I do not know what the reason for the delay is because I am not in charge of the inquiry and I am not in charge of the government. All I can tell you is it is not from me and I resent the suggestions that it is.
"I have as much interest as anyone seeing the inquiry publish its findings and to be able to go out and, frankly, restate my case and defend my position."
The final decision about the publication of UK documents will be taken by Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heyward. MPs have said they may call him to a Commons committee hearing to explain the state of affairs.
|
Tony Blair has said he wants the Iraq Inquiry report to be published as soon as possible and "resents" claims he is to blame for its slow progress.
|
27585261
|
Belle Gibson gained fame in Australia after she claimed to have beaten cancer using natural remedies rather than medical intervention.
She launched a successful app and cookbook, but later admitted the diagnosis was made up.
Consumer Affairs Victoria is aiming to prosecute Ms Gibson for allegedly breaking Australian consumer law.
The regulator said it had conducted an in-depth investigation of Ms Gibson's activities and had applied to Australia's Federal Court for leave to pursue legal action.
Ms Gibson's claims to have cured her cancer with Ayurvedic medicine, oxygen therapy and a gluten and refined sugar-free diet propelled her to prominence.
She capitalised on her fame with a successful app and a cookbook, both called The Whole Pantry, and promised to deliver a share of the profits to several charities.
But the money allegedly never reached the charities and cracks began to appear in Ms Gibson's story.
She later admitted to the Australian Women's Weekly magazine that none of her claims was true.
Attempting to justify her behaviour, she told the magazine: "If I don't have an answer, then I will sort of theorise it myself and come up with one. I think that's an easy thing to often revert to if you don't know what the answer is."
Ms Gibson's publisher, Penguin Australia, has already agreed to pay A$30,000 ($22,200; £15,300) to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund as a penalty for releasing The Whole Pantry, which was not fact checked.
|
An Australian blogger and author who faked terminal brain cancer faces legal action over her deception.
|
36195825
|
He has played 12 games since arriving in October on non-contract terms.
"It's down to the club to put something on the table in January and we can take it from there," 29-year-old Gerrard told BBC Radio Shropshire.
"If somebody wants a player badly enough, those funds can miraculously appear from out of the blue."
The cousin of former Liverpool and England skipper Steven Gerrard, he was released by Huddersfield Town in the summer, having made only 10 appearances in 2014-15.
He is grateful for the opportunity given to him by Town boss Micky Mellon, who has warned that he will not spend money the club does not have.
"It's the first time I've strung a consecutive amount of games together in about a year and a bit," said Gerrard. "I'm just concentrating on each and every 90 minutes that I can get under my belt.
"For a player who has played whole seasons, last year was a bitter blow to my career. But it's done now. I'll be glad to see the back of 2015, and look forward to a promising 2016. I'm here to play.
"I'm here to do what I can for the team and help them get to a nice solid base. I can see myself staying here, but obviously there's a lot to be talked about and figures to be spoken about before that can happen."
|
Shrewsbury Town defender Anthony Gerrard hopes that talks can take place next month with a view to him signing a full-time contract at the club.
|
35200357
|
"Swachh Bharat is an oxymoron," says stand-up comedian Sanjay Rajoura, referring to PM Narendra Modi's Clean India campaign. "Just like good Taliban. Just like intelligent Rahul Gandhi. Just like happy marriage."
The audience applauds with loud cheers and clapping.
Besides Rajoura, Aisi Taisi Democracy comprises writer-lyricist Varun Grover and singer-musician Rahul Ram.
The men say their 90-minute show - a mix of stand-up comedy, storytelling and songs parodying popular Bollywood numbers - reflects the "bizarre experience" of Indian life and offers a "nuanced critique" of its democracy.
The group, which debuted last year, has just kicked off its second season with a show in Gurgaon and performances planned for Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and Delhi over the next month.
There are no holy cows for the performers - they make fun of the recent ban on porn sites, health food fads and fashionable diets, the craze for selfies and Mr Modi's controversial monogrammed suit.
"We are a bizarre country with a million prejudices - a country that would be really sad if it was not this funny," says Grover, adding that their intent is to "expose our darkest secrets as a nation" through irreverent political humour and songs.
"We do lots of political content in this atmosphere where people are always ready to take offence, so it's really encouraging to see people applaud," he adds.
"It's a very political show," says Ram. "We get inspired by events taking place around us all the time in this amazing democracy."
As he breaks into song on what is sometimes described as the schizophrenic India-Pakistan relationship, many in the audience join in, clapping and singing.
"They say the enemy lives across the border, but when I look closely, he looks just like me," the lyrics say.
Political satire has been growing more popular in recent years, with UnRealTimes, FakingNews and spoofs on elections trying to tickle India's funny bones. However, most stand-up comedy shows stick to poking fun at regional differences, accents, marital issues and families.
"Comedy that relies on ethnic differences is limited and limiting. It's true that politics is a minefield but it's a never-ending source of inspiration. So I don't think we would ever run out of inspiration," says Ram.
Grover says the group comments on people's choices, "rather than what they are born with, like their caste, colour or religion".
"We talk about the choices they have been making and these choices make them vulnerable to comedy."
|
At a nightclub in Gurgaon, an upscale suburb of the Indian capital Delhi, about 100 people are watching the popular political satire show, Aisi Taisi Democracy, which translates from the Hindi as Democracy Be Damned.
|
33984587
|
Ironbridge Power Station, in Shropshire, opened in 1969 and became one of the UK's largest plants.
The power station was switched off on Friday afternoon, when it reached its 20,000 hours limit of generation under an EU directive.
About 130 workers are at the site, some of whom will be kept on until 2017 to help with the decommissioning process.
Updates on this story and more from Shropshire
Former engineer Mike Smith pressed the button to end production.
Mr Smith, who started at the station when it first opened and retired from Ironbridge in 1992, said it was "a great honour" to have been involved with the plant.
"Obviously many people will have mixed emotions today, but I'm proud to have contributed to the success of a power station which has been at the cornerstone of energy generation and has supported the careers of many members of staff for so many years," he said.
A mosaic designed and created by pupils from St Martin's Modern School in Oswestry in 1966, which was displayed in the main conference room, will be returned to the school.
No further decisions on the future of the site will be made until the decommissioning process is completed in 2017.
E-On chief executive Tony Cocker thanked workers at Ironbridge for keeping the power station operational for decades.
"The closure of such an iconic plant will of course be tinged with sadness having played such an important role in the community," he said.
"Our continued focus will be supporting those colleagues who are directly affected by today's closure."
|
An historic power station has stopped generating electricity after more than 45 years of energy production.
|
34876922
|
The Virgin East Coast driver sheltered next to his cab just three seconds before the high-speed train passed.
The 3 August incident happened 12 miles (19.7km) north of York station.
A report said it was the result of a lack of "clear understanding" between the driver and a trainee signaller over whether a line blockage was in place.
Live updates and more from across North Yorkshire
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch report said the driver was attempting to carry out tests on the 07.55 BST Inverness to London King's Cross train when it experienced a loss of power at Kyle Beck, near Tollerton.
It said the driver contacted the signaller - a trainee working under the guidance of an experienced colleague - to request trains on the adjacent lines be stopped in order to carry out the checks.
After communicating the request, the signaller said he would call the driver back to confirm the line blockage.
But, the report found, the driver stepped down from his cab before receiving the confirmation.
A CCTV image taken from the front of the passing train showed the driver sheltering next to his vehicle. The driver was unhurt.
"It is possible the driver may not have heard what the trainee signaller said or that he had misunderstood what he was being told," the report said.
"The driver and the trainee signaller did not reach a clear understanding about stopping trains on the adjacent lines and the driver subsequently alighted from the driving cab of his train, incorrectly believing it was safe to do so."
|
A train driver narrowly avoided being hit by a second train travelling at 105mph (169km/h) when he was investigating a power failure.
|
37824107
|
The 22-year-old just beat team-mate Scott Quinn in a finger-tip finish as Great Britain claimed a one-two in the SB14 100 metres breaststroke.
Moores, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire, trains in Swansea and is funded by Disability Sport Wales.
"I can't believe it, I'm so glad about moving to Swansea," he said.
"The whole team down there have just picked me up and moved me forward."
His gold came on a day when Paralympics GB overtook their medal haul from London 2012 - making Rio their most successful games.
Great Britain's tally includes golds for Welsh athletes Aled Sion Davies,Rob Davies,Hollie Arnold and Rachel Morris.
Wheelchair basketball player Phil Pratt, of Cardiff, helped GB to a 22-6 win over Australia in the quarter-finals.
GB face Spain in the semi-finals on Thursday, 15 June with Turkey and United States contesting the other game.
|
Swansea-based swimmer Aaron Moores was among nine Paralaympics GB gold-medallists on day seven of the Rio games.
|
37369604
|
Some 2.1 million Audis affected worldwide include 1.42 million in western Europe, with 577,000 in Germany, and almost 13,000 in the US.
Czech-based Skoda said 1.2 million of its cars were involved, but has yet to give a country or model breakdown.
Separately, German prosecutors started a probe against VW's former boss.
Former chief executive Martin Winterkorn will be investigated over "allegations of fraud in the sale of cars with manipulated emissions data," German authorities said on Monday.
The Audi models affected include the A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5 models, a spokesman told the Reuters news agency.
VW said last week that 11 million cars within the group could be affected.
The scandal was revealed after the US Environmental Protection Agency found that some diesel cars were fitted with devices that could detect when the engine was being tested and could change the car's performance to improve results.
The German company apologised for breaching consumers' trust, and on Friday announced that Matthias Mueller was replacing Martin Winterkorn as chief executive. Mr Mueller promised a "relentless" investigation to uncover what went wrong.
There were also unconfirmed reports on Monday that senior R&D heads working across the car group had been suspended. Reuters said the suspensions involved staff from the Audi, Porsche and the VW brands.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen shares continued to fall, closing down 7.3%. They are now down about a third since the scandal broke.
The scandal has badly tarnished VW's name, left it exposed to up to $18bn in US fines, and wiped a third off its stock market value in a week.
German authorities have demanded that VW set out a timeline by 7 October on how it will ensure its diesel cars meet national emission standards without using cheat technology.
There were widespread German media reports at the weekend that the government ignored warnings two years ago that VW was using the software. However, on Monday, a government spokesman denied this.
11 million
Vehicles affected worldwide
€6.5bn Set aside by VW
$18bn Potential fines
No. 1 Global carmaker in sales
I'm a VW owner - what should I do?
What next for VW?
Car emissions tests: Not fit for purpose?
VW boss Winterkorn's highs and lows
VW scandal explained
|
Audi and Skoda say they have a total of 3.3 million cars fitted with the software that allowed parent company Volkswagen to cheat US emissions tests.
|
34377443
|
Following an inspection, the officials decided that areas of the playing surface were unsafe.
No new date has yet been set for the game to be played.
|
Saturday's National League game between Dagenham & Redbridge and Bromley has been postponed because of a frozen pitch.
|
38620505
|
After a career of three decades, Mr Seck is one of Senegal's biggest stars.
His lawyers say he was the victim of a swindle and the money was paid to him by a producer as an advance for an upcoming tour.
A counterfeiting machine was allegedly found at the home of another man arrested with Mr Seck.
Both men were charged with circulating forged foreign currency, money laundering and conspiracy.
Africa news updates
The BBC's Laeila Adjovi in Dakar says after appearing in court on Tuesday, Mr Seck spent the night in Dakar central prison.
The singer was arrested and taken into custody on 27 May following an investigation into large transactions in foreign currencies, according to local media.
In court, he complained that he had been cheated of 85 million CFA francs ($144,000; £90,000) by one of the suspects of the investigation, according to the AFP news agency.
According to the local press, if he is convicted on all charges, 60-year-old Thione Seck could face a life sentence.
Mr Seck started out in Senegalese bands including Star Band and Orchestra Baobab, before becoming the lead singer of the band Raam Daan.
The BBC's Abdourahmane Dia in Dakar says Mr Seck's best known songs are Jongoma and Momy.
The star owns one of Dakar's best known night clubs, Penc Mi, where he and his son Wally Seck regularly perform, our correspondent says.
|
Senegalese singer Thione Seck has been charged with money laundering after fake banknotes worth millions of euros and dollars were found in his house.
|
32991233
|
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had wanted progress on the exit payment, citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland border issue by October.
The Daily Telegraph has reported this could now slip back to December.
But the Brexit department says next-stage talks are on course for October.
A spokesman for the Department for Exiting the EU said: "Negotiations to leave the EU are under way and we have already made good progress on a number of issues.
"As the secretary of state said, it is important that both sides demonstrate a dynamic and flexible approach to these negotiations.
"Government officials are working at pace and we are confident we will have made sufficient progress by October to advance the talks to the next phase.
"On the financial settlement, we have been clear that we recognise the UK has obligations to the EU and that the EU also has obligations to the UK."
The upbeat assessment followed a report in the Telegraph which said Mr Barnier had told a private meeting of ambassadors that the next phase of negotiations would be delayed by two months because of the wrangle over how much the UK owes the bloc.
The report said Mr Barnier had claimed the EU would not talk about trade or the UK's future relationship with Brussels until "sufficient progress" had been made on the other "divorce" issues.
European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva would not be drawn on what was said at the meeting with ambassadors.
At a press briefing in Brussels she said Mr Barnier had publicly acknowledged that "so far limited progress has been achieved in the negotiations" but EU officials were ready to work on the issues over the summer if the UK side provided further updates.
She said European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker was committed to engaging with the UK.
"President Juncker has asked, specifically, the task force on Article 50 to be ready every day throughout the coming weeks, throughout the month of August, to engage with our British counterparts should the UK wish to substantiate their position on some of the cases where it has not happened yet," she said.
"The commission stands ready - we are ready to work - and I cannot speculate beyond that on any timetable because that will depend on the pace of the progress being made."
|
Brexit Secretary David Davis is confident negotiations will continue as planned after reports that Brussels may delay trade talks because of a lack of progress on the "divorce" settlement.
|
40744566
|
Most of those infected were foreign construction workers, and all lived or worked within the same region of the country, said the health ministry.
None were known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently. Thirty-four people have fully recovered but seven are still in hospital.
Zika generally has mild effects but has been linked to severe birth defects.
It is suspected of causing a condition called microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with small heads.
Zika, which is spread by mosquitoes but can also be sexually transmitted, was declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization in February.
What you need to know
The mosquito menace
Epidemic 'will end in three years'
Singapore declared its first imported Zika case in May, a 48-year-old local who had travelled to Brazil, where the outbreak started.
On Saturday, it announced that a 37-year-old Malaysian woman had contracted the virus locally. She is the only confirmed female case so far.
Thirty-six of the 41 cases announced on Sunday were foreign workers who worked in the same construction site.
Work at the site has been halted after housekeeping was found to be "unsatisfactory with potential breeding habitats favourable to mosquito breeding".
The ministry said in a statement that it could not "rule out further community transmission, since more of those tested positive also live or work in other parts of Singapore".
"We expect to identify more positive cases," it added.
|
Singapore has confirmed 41 cases of the Zika virus which were locally transmitted.
|
37211647
|
The commitment to get rid of Canada's federal first-past-the-post electoral system was one of his primary election promises.
Opposition parties called the move "cynical and jaded".
Trudeau's Liberal government said the move was made because Canadians were undecided about what kind of voting system they would like to have instead.
"It has become evident that the broad support needed for a change of this magnitude, did not exist," said Minister of Democratic Institutions Karina Gould.
It was a major and surprise reversal for the Trudeau government, which has spent months consulting with Canadians on possible changes to how they elect their federal government, from ranked ballots to proportional representation and online or mandatory voting.
The first-past-the-post voting system, which is also used to elect the UK Parliament, tends to favour larger established parties. Under the system, whoever has the most votes wins their district, regardless of whether they win a majority.
In 2011, the UK voted against moving to an alternative voting system in a nationwide referendum.
In the 2015 election, the Liberals won a majority of seats in Parliament with just 40% of the vote.
During the campaign, before his party had secured its victory, Trudeau had promised that "2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system".
The change of heart has been described as "absolute cynicism" by members of the opposition.
"They're fearful of having a voting system that doesn't keep Liberals in power forever more," said NDP MP Nathan Cullen, who was on a cross-party committee charged with investigating what kind of voting system Canadians would prefer.
In December, the committee reported that Canadians want the government get rid of first-past-the-post, but did not recommend a specific system to replace it. The committee was divided on whether a referendum needed to be held in order to change the system.
Minister Gould cited this lack of direction as a sign that there was not broad consensus on the issue.
She also pointed to the results of an online government survey launched in December that was widely ridiculed on social media.
The survey did not ask if people wanted a referendum on electoral reform, and people accused it of being misleading and confusing.
"We took the time, we consulted and we listened," Minister Gould said. "There isn't a consensus on how to move forward."
|
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has broken his promise to change the country's voting system.
|
38831142
|
Highway police say they found more than 200 large pieces of meteorites hidden under the seats of a truck which they had stopped in a random check.
Three Argentines and a Paraguayan were arrested.
The province of Chaco is world famous for meteorites, which are protected under Argentine law.
Chaco contains an area known as "Campo del Cielo", or the "Field of Heaven".
It spreads out over an area of 1,300 sq km (500 sq miles) and is littered with meteorites which fell around 4,000 years ago.
The largest, named El Chaco, was discovered with a metal detector in 1967 and weighs 37 tonnes.
El Chaco is the second-biggest meteorite ever found - and it too aroused avarice among speculators and collectors.
In 1990, an Argentine highway police officer foiled a plot to steal it for sale to a private US collector.
|
Police in Argentina have arrested four men who appear to have been trying to steal more than a tonne of meteorites in the northern province of Chaco.
|
32949852
|
A Nepalese friend of Ryan Sean Davy said that the climber was being questioned by tourism officials.
He is due to appear in court on Wednesday where he is expected to receive a heavy fine.
Friends say Mr Davy has no cash, which is why he mostly travelled on foot.
"He is in good heart although worried about his finances and the scale of the punishment he will receive," Mr Davy's Nepalese friend Mohan Gyawali told the BBC.
US-based South African Mr Davy, 43, says he climbed alone to a height of 7,300m (24,000ft) before being found hiding in a cave by officials who confiscated his passport because he did not have a permit to climb Everest.
He has apologised but complained of being treated harshly by officials. It is extremely rare for someone to attempt climbing Everest by themselves.
The overwhelming majority of climbers only tackle the highest mountain in the world with the help of at least one guide and a well-equipped support team at base camp.
"I have no idea of the outcome regarding my Everest no-permit climb," Mr Davy posted on Facebook on Tuesday
Mr Gyawali said that the climber made his way back to Kathmandu using the same route from the base camp that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay followed in 1953 when they became the first people to climb the mountain. The route goes through the small mid-hill town of Jiri.
Nepal relies heavily on income generated from Everest expeditions and some believe the authorities will want to make an example out of Mr Davy to deter other climbers from dodging the permit fee.
Mr Davy said on Facebook: "Expedition companies have no time for wannabe Everesters with no money so someone turned me in."
The climber said he could expect to spend time in jail in addition to a fine of $22,000.
|
A man who tried to climb Everest in Nepal without paying the $11,000 permit fee has been arrested in Kathmandu after walking most of the 154km journey from the mountain's base camp.
|
39940772
|
The house and recording studio complex, where the pop star died in April, will open to the public after Chanhassen City Council in Minnesota approved plans to change its status.
Mayor Denny Laufenburger told The Star Tribune newspaper it would be a "big benefit for the community".
But local resident Shelia Claytor, one of 30 people to attend Monday's meeting, said it was "a rush job".
Paisley Park opened to the public for three days earlier this month as part of a temporary agreement with the city.
The museum's website said tours would begin again on Friday and bookings are being taken until December.
Tour dates for 2017 are expected to go on sale next month.
"Prince's museum is going to outlive us all," said Joel Weinshanker of Graceland Holdings, which is overseeing the museum.
The museum, which displays Prince's guitars, the Purple Rain motorcycle and his ashes in a decorative urn, is expected to attract 600,000 people a year.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram, or if you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
|
Prince's famous former home Paisley Park is to become a permanent museum.
|
37762482
|
De Luca, 32, has extended his contract with Wasps until the summer, when he will become director of rugby at Uppingham School in Rutland.
After starting his professional career at Edinburgh, De Luca featured for Border Reivers, Edinburgh again and Biarritz before joining Wasps in July.
Wasps are currently top of the Premiership.
Dai Young's side are second in their European Champions Cup pool - one point behind Connacht - ahead of their final pool fixture away to Zebre on Sunday.
"It has been an incredibly difficult decision to retire from the game at the end of the season, but one that was made easier after I met Uppingham School headmaster Richard Maloney and he shared with me his vision for the school," De Luca told the Wasps website.
Young said: "He is a model professional who has done really well each time he has pulled on the Wasps shirt. He has a great attitude and adds a lot to the squad through his international experience."
|
Former Scotland centre Nick de Luca will retire from professional rugby at the end of the season.
|
38654915
|
The denial comes after the Mail on Sunday reported that the former British prime minister met the president's son-in-law and key adviser, Jared Kushner, at the White House last week.
The paper claims the meetings were to discuss working for Mr Trump.
Mr Blair's office said the story was an "invention" and that he continues to work for peace "in a private capacity".
After he left Downing Street in 2007, Mr Blair took the role of Middle East envoy for the Quartet Group, made up of the European Union, US, Russia and United Nations.
His spokesman said: "Mr Blair has made no such 'pitch' to be the president's Middle East envoy.
"Neither has he had any discussions about taking such a role or any role working for the new president. He has been working on the peace process for 10 years.
"He continues to do so. He does so in a private capacity. He will continue to do it in that way. Period."
Mr Blair launched a campaign last month to try to persuade the British people to change their minds about leaving the European Union, following the Brexit referendum held last year.
|
Tony Blair has not pitched to become a Middle East envoy for US President Donald Trump, a spokesman has said.
|
39171814
|
Staff at the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary in Oban said the pair were "officially married" at a ceremony in 2011 after becoming inseparable.
They said Isla, who first came to the centre in 2008, died this week aged 14, after suffering stomach problems.
Lewis, who is 11, is now being monitored to ensure he is coping with the loss.
Aquarist Farrah Minchin, who works with the animal car team, said Isla's loss was a "massive blow" for the team.
She said: "Lewis and Isla arrived here at the centre together. Usually otters are quite solitary, they wouldn't normally pair-up for life, but when they arrived they very quickly became inseparable.
"They would groom each other, would look for each other and would sleep together."
Isla was taken to the vet earlier this week after the animal care team noticed she was not eating properly and thought something could be wrong with her teeth or mouth.
However, on closer inspection it was discovered that she had numerous health problems, including peritonitis and a shadow on her lung.
Vets decided not to operate due to her age and the decision was taken to end her life.
Ms Minchin said that since Isla's death on Wednesday, Lewis had been looking for his mate.
She said: "He was at a loss. He was expecting her to come back and kept looking for her.
"He's still swimming on his own side of the pool and not on Isla's, but he does seem to be getting used to things."
Because of his age and an otter's reputation for being aggressive, the animal handling team think it is unlikely Lewis will be paired with another otter.
However, Ms Minchin said that if the right "docile female" came along, Lewis could make a new friend.
Otters can live up to 21 years in captivity, but more generally survive for about nine years in the wild.
|
A North American River Otter named Lewis is said to be mourning the death of his "wife" Isla.
|
37056536
|
The Commonwealth Games silver medallist was bidding for her second Grand Prix crown in the space of six weeks.
"I don't think I played particularly badly, but just that extra little bit of tension, just not hitting convincingly enough," said Gilmour.
"I did everything I could to get that feeling back but she (Kjaersfeldt) was on form today."
Despite Gilmour winning a close first game 21-16, the Dane responded strongly by taking the second by the same scoreline.
When Gilmour led 13-10 in the decider, Scotland's hopes were high but fourth seed Kjaersfeldt turned the tables to lead 16-15, then move swiftly to 20-15 before clinching victory on her third match point.
She had beaten the top two seeds in Gilmour and Beatriz Corrales in the last 24 hours and she beat both players on the way to her first Scottish Open final appearance in 2011.
Top seed Gilmour, who last month won the Dutch Open Grand Prix as well as the Prague Open, had wanted to provide the perfect finish to the Championship.
"It's not lost on me that I'm 22 and could still have eight of these to do," she said. "I need to look at silver linings.
"I've got a long time in this game; this isn't the end for me. This isn't the end of the Scottish Open Trial. Everything right now is experience and a learning curve until I stop playing. I need to take this one on my chin.
"I landed a bit funny yesterday and brought back an old injury, but adrenaline is running through me right now so I don't feel a thing!"
Kjaersfeldt said: "I wasn't really that nervous. I knew all the pressure was on Kirsty coming into the match, so I was just relaxed and played my game.
"I'm really happy. It was my first Grand Prix win. It was a really good atmosphere. The crowd here are very knowledgeable about badminton and I always enjoy coming here."
Danish top seed Hans-Kristian Vittinghus defeated England's Rajiv Ouseph with a 21-19, 11-21, 21-16 victory to claim the men's title for Denmark for the first time since Peter Gade won in 1996.
Finals day got off to an unhappy start when Dutch player Iris Tabeling had to retire in the second game of the women's doubles with a suspected torn calf.
She and Samantha Barning were trailing 21-14, 14-11 when the injury occurred, handing victory to Japan's Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota.
Germany's Michael Fuchs and Johannes Schoettler downed England's Andrew Ellis and Peter Mills in winning 21-15, 21-18 in the men's doubles.
The mixed doubles went to Russia's sixth seeds Vitaly Durkin and Nina Vislova, who defeated France's third seeds Ronan Labar and Emilie Lefel.
|
Kirsty Gilmour was beaten in the Scottish Open final by Line Kjaersfeldt at Glasgow's Emirates Arena.
|
34896207
|
The Medway Queen took more than 7,000 trapped men from beaches in 1940.
Restoration work began last year with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.
The government said administrative errors had led to the suspension of EU funding and it was working to get payments released.
Restoration work on the ship's hull began in Bristol last April with money from a ??1.86m Heritage Lottery Grant.
Medway Council applied to the European Regional Development Fund for a grant to complete the restoration and bring the ship home.
The final stages of the project are being undertaken at a workshop in Gillingham by 16 people, including nine young apprentices whose jobs are now under threat, as there is only enough money until the end of April.
Peter Skinner, Labour MEP for the South East, said EU funding to all UK partners within the Interreg 2 Seas programme had been suspended after the UK government failed to meet the standards demanded by auditors.
He said the problems had nothing to do with the Medway Queen project.
"The Medway Queen has taken on local young people and is giving them practical work skills through apprenticeships.
"Through no fault of theirs funding has been suspended. That can't be right," Mr Skinner said.
"I've been pushing ministers; they need to find a solution. I have also demanded a meeting with the [European] commissioner. I want him on the case.
"The project is a great opportunity for the apprentices and they shouldn't be in danger of losing out because of some bureaucratic foul up."
In a statement, the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "This funding programme is run by a managing authority in Nord-Pas de Calais, France.
"Nevertheless, the department is very disappointed with the European Commission's decision to withhold payments to UK project partners and we are working intensively to get these payments released."
|
The restoration of a paddle steamer which rescued Allied troops during the Dunkirk evacuations is under threat after European funding was suspended.
|
17541380
|
Media playback is not supported on this device
Olsson, who lost to Reid in the final of last year's inaugural event, proved too strong for the Briton, prevailing 6-2 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.
The Scot, who won singles gold at the Rio Paralympics, will compete in the doubles with England's Alfie Hewett.
Hewett beat France's Nicolas Peifer 4-6 6-2 6-2 in his singles opener.
The 19-year-old will play Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez, who he beat to win his first Grand Slam title at the French Open last month, in the semi-final.
However fellow Britons Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley were beaten by Japanese second seed Yui Kamiji and Dutchwomen Diede De Groot respectively in the women's draw.
Media playback is not supported on this device
The wheelchair finals could be played on the 2,000-capacity court three this year.
Last year's were played on the far smaller court 17.
|
Gordon Reid's defence of his Wimbledon wheelchair singles title ended in the first round as he lost to Sweden's Stefan Olsson.
|
40597470
|
The two areas, which are currently car parks on Lord Street and Parade Street, occupy more than three acres.
Subject to planning, it is hoped the development will include leisure facilities, a hotel, shops and offices.
Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne said potential designs need to "set the standard for future development".
He added: "This is an opportunity to develop a prime area in Douglas fronting the inner harbour and marina and close to the main shopping streets."
|
The Manx government has invited developers to come forward with ideas to transform prominent quayside sites in Douglas.
|
30813599
|
The Milton Keynes-based 32-year-old was a 2012 bid ambassador and Games participant, but questioned its legacy.
"The country was so united in 2012 and everyone was going sport crazy, but it seems strange that no one's really capitalised on it," he told BBC Sport.
"Not only table tennis, but I'd like to see the other sports you don't see."
Figures released by Sport England show that while football, cycling, cricket and athletics have seen increased participation, badminton, bowls and basketball have experienced declining numbers.
Baggaley is England's most successful male table tennis player of all time at the Commonwealth Games, and believes the legacy of London 2012 has resulted in mixed fortunes for his sport.
"I think recreationally the 2012 legacy has been successful," he said. "My brother is a table tennis coach and he has masses of people coming to his sessions now.
"It's been incredible, but at the top level table tennis isn't seen. It needs big events on TV which will push it forward as a big sport."
Baggaley won the World Championship of Ping Pong earlier in 2015, and is ready to embark on the 2015-16 season with the Rio 2016 Olympics less than a year away.
"I've just come back from training in China. I feel sharp and I'm raring to go with the confidence of winning the Ping Pong tournament," he said.
"I want to give the 2016 Olympics a shot. I'll have to play the best table tennis of my life to see if I can get there.
"Age isn't really a concern as long as you're fit and healthy. I'm sharp, I feel fresh and I've been working physically hard."
|
London 2012 Olympic table tennis player Andrew Baggaley says it is "strange" that minority sports have not capitalised on the Games.
|
33929445
|
The government originally owned a 41% stake after ploughing £20bn into the bank during the 2008 financial crisis.
It started selling Lloyds shares in 2013, and the latest sale means it has now raised more than £8bn.
Last weekend, David Cameron said the Conservatives would offer up to £4bn of Lloyds shares to private investors if he won the general election.
The prime minister said it would "help us recover billions more to pay down the national debt". The Labour party said the Tories had announced the plans several times before.
In the latest sale, the government sold 742 million shares which, at Thursday's closing price, would have raised £586m for the Treasury. The actual total may be slightly lower as the government would have sold its shares throughout the day, during which Lloyds shares rose steadily in the afternoon to hit a closing high of 78.99 pence.
The sale means the government's shareholding has been reduced by another 1%, and is now down to 20.95%.
"Today's announcement shows the further progress made in returning Lloyds Banking Group to full private ownership and enabling the taxpayer to get their money back," a statement from Lloyds said.
"This reflects the hard work undertaken over the last four years to transform the group into a simple, low-risk and customer-focused bank that is committed to helping Britain prosper."
|
The government has sold more shares in Lloyds, raising about £586m and taking its stake in the bank to below 21%.
|
32444030
|
The 16-year-old was remanded in custody on Friday until a further appearance at Basildon Youth Court on 27 October.
As well as burglary, the boy, from Basildon, is accused of five counts of taking a motor vehicle without consent.
He also faces six counts of driving without insurance, three more of motor vehicle theft and one of making off without payment for fuel, police said.
|
A boy from Essex has been charged with 24 separate criminal offences including nine counts of burglary.
|
37739742
|
Media playback is not supported on this device
Richard and Peter Chambers, Rob Williams and Chris Bartley won Britain's third rowing medal, with defending champions Denmark taking bronze and Australia fourth.
Media playback is not supported on this device
The Chambers duo became the first British brothers to win an Olympic medal since Greg and Jonny Searle took bronze in the coxless four at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Richard Chambers said: "That was really, really brutal. We were just fighting, fighting through the whole thing to get ourselves back into contention.
"We struggled to keep with the pace of the other crews in the first quarter of the race but we dug our heels in and fought really hard."
Peter Chambers said: "We are gutted. We were unlucky to get a silver with those conditions. We're delighted with silver but we wanted to get gold.
"Fair play to the South Africans, they won that fair and square."
Williams said: "We wanted to win. We have to be happy to get a medal at our home Olympics. It's a shame we didn't win but what can you do? It's a shame."
The British quartet, who took bronze at last year's World Championships, arrived having won at the
They followed up an where they overhauled Australia in the final 250m, with the fastest time in the semi-finals to progress to the final.
They were slow out of the blocks and were down in fifth as Denmark took an early lead at 500m.
The British boat fought back and were close to level with Denmark and a resurgent South African crew as they entered the final 500m.
But they just missed out on the final push, getting pipped on the line by South Africa.
It was the first Olympic rowing gold for South Africa and the first medal of any kind for the Chambers brothers, Williams and Bartley.
|
Great Britain's lightweight men's four won silver as South Africa beat them to gold by just a quarter of a second in a thrilling final at Eton Dorney.
|
18911253
|
The new £59.5m distribution centre and regional offices are based at Capital Business Park in Wentloog.
Around 400 more jobs could be in the pipeline as the company plans to open new stores across south Wales.
Aldi is the UK's fifth largest supermarket with more than 700 stores and 29,000 employees.
A £4.5m Welsh Government grant helped support the new development.
Dan Oakenfull, managing director of new the hub, said: "South Wales and the south west of England continue to be areas of significant growth for us, and the new distribution centre will help support our immediate and future expansion across the regions."
Economy Secretary Ken Skates said the opening of the centre was a mark of confidence in the Welsh economy.
|
Supermarket chain Aldi has opened its new warehouse on the outskirts of Cardiff, creating 422 jobs.
|
39480435
|
Iain Stuart, 41, from Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire, worked for the oil field services company Halliburton.
The father-of -two was on board the Airbus EC225LP "Super Puma" when it crashed near Bergen on 29 April.
Mr Stuart's funeral will take place at Laurencekirk Parish Church before he is laid to rest at Laurencekirk Cemetery.
A statement from his family said he was "a good friend to many and will be greatly missed by all who knew him".
The maker of the helicopter that crashed has lifted its recommendation that the same type of aircraft be grounded worldwide.
Airbus Helicopters said initial evidence suggested no link with two previous incidents in Scotland involving Super Puma H225 helicopters.
The aircraft will remain grounded in the UK, however, as a Civil Aviation Authority flight ban remains in force.
In 2012, two EC225 Super Puma helicopters ditched into the North Sea in Scotland - one off Aberdeen and another off Shetland. Both incidents were blamed on gearbox problems and all passengers and crew were rescued.
EC225s in the UK were grounded following the incidents but given the go-ahead to resume flying in August 2013.
Later that same month a different model of Super Puma, the AS332 L2, crashed off Shetland, killing four people.
Super Pumas are responsible for many of the 140,000 helicopter passenger flights in the UK each year.
|
The funeral of a Scottish oil worker who died when a helicopter crashed in Norway killing 13 people is to take place on Friday.
|
36264579
|
Kante, 24, and Benalouane, 28, have both penned four-year deals and are the first signings by Claudio Ranieri.
The French midfielder helped Caen win promotion in 2013-14 and played 37 times in France's top flight last term.
Centre-back Benalouane is a former France Under-21 international but has opted to represent Tunisia.
Benalouane's move is subject to international clearance as well as Premier League and FA approval.
The double signing adds to new arrivals Robert Huth, Christian Fuchs and Shinji Okazaki at the Foxes, who finished 14th in the Premier League last season.
Leicester begin their Premier League season against Sunderland on Saturday.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.
|
Leicester City have signed Yohan Benalouane from Italian side Atalanta and N'Golo Kante from French club Caen for undisclosed fees.
|
33762524
|
Swiss-based Falcon Travel is to operate weekly charter flights from Zurich from May.
A 100-seater Fokker 100 aircraft will operate into Inverness until August. The service will also return in 2016 and 2017.
It marks a return to Inverness by Falcon, which previously operated flights between the two cities.
Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) said the new service could lead to a tourism boost worth almost £1m for the local economy.
Inverness Airport general manager Graeme Bell said: "We are delighted that Falcon Travel have committed to operate this service for three years.
"Inverness and the Highlands have a great deal to offer Swiss visitors and we will be working closely with Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism BID and other tourism agencies to ensure we make the most of this opportunity."
|
Charter flights from Switzerland's largest city to Inverness are set to make a return.
|
31944617
|
A record 35.6 million tweets were sent during the 90-minute game.
It also broke the tweets-per-minute record, when the fifth goal triggered 580,601 in one minute.
Six of the 10 top-trending topics on Twitter were references to the match, with #BrazilvsGermany taking the top spot.
Miroslav Klose was the most tweeted German player, followed by midfielder Toni Kroos. Julio Cesar, Oscar and Fred were the most tweeted Brazilian players.
The previous record for a sporting event on Twitter was held by another World Cup match, Brazil v Chile, which recorded 389,000 tweets per minute.
Previous to that the 2014 Superbowl held the record, with 382,000 tweets per minute.
Many of the tweets took a wry look at the routing of Brazil, with some pointing out that Germany were scoring faster than they could type 140 characters.
Tumblr pages dedicated to "sad Brazilians" sprang up during the game. Some faked images purporting to show Brazilians rioting were also posted.
There were also plenty of Photoshopped images doing the rounds.
Pictures of Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue crying and taking off into space were popular, as were images of people drinking 7Up.
A mock-up of Germany's goalkeeper sitting down and reading a book gained thousands of retweets.
|
Germany's 7-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup semi-finals has become the most discussed sports game on Twitter so far.
|
28226242
|
Thethe Dow Jones closed 0.4% higher at 18,332.43, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% at 2,139.53 while the tech-heavy Nasdaq jumped 0.5% to 5,193.49.
Analysts said the number of shares being traded was lower than normal.
Banks are reported to have put extra staff on duty in case of volatility.
"It doesn't take much in order to move the prices," said Peter Jankovskis, co-chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments.
Despite fears over the outcome of what is expected to be a tight race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, analysts said investors would be relieved that the long period of uncertainty had come to an end.
"No matter who is elected, it will end a tremendous divide and return focus to earnings and all the fundamentals that have been pushed to the sidelines in recent weeks," said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management.
The three main US stock indexes saw their strongest rise in over eight months on Monday after the FBI announced it would not press criminal charges against Clinton for her use of a private email server.
The most dramatic stock movement in the US was car hire firm Hertz, which fell over 20% after the company slashed its full-year profit forecast.
|
US shares have risen slightly, erasing earlier losses, but investors remain wary ahead of the US presidential election results.
|
37913646
|
It follows changes to the policy two years ago which regulators felt breached European rules.
Among other things, it says Google must tell users exactly what data is collected and with whom it is shared.
Google said it was working with regulators to "explain its privacy policy changes".
The dispute has been running since March 2012 when Google consolidated its 60 privacy policies into one and started combining data from YouTube, Gmail and Google Maps.
Users were given no means to opt out of the changes.
Although Google has not been directly accused of acting illegally, it has been accused of providing "incomplete and approximate" details raising "deep concerns about data protection and the respect of the European law".
Google did make some changes to its privacy policy in March this year, linking to individual services from its main privacy document.
"It has made some changes but our investigation won't end until we believe it is fully compliant," said a spokesman for the UK's information commissioner's office (ICO).
In a letter addressed to Google's chief executive Larry Page, the European Union's data protection working party wrote: "Google must meet its obligations with respect to the European and national data protection legal frameworks and has to determine the means to achieve these legal requirements."
A spokesman for Google told the Reuters news agency that it was looking forward to discussing the new guidelines.
"We have worked with different data protection authorities across Europe to explain our privacy policies," he said.
Regulators in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Britain and the Netherlands have launched investigations into Google's privacy policies and, in January, France fined Google 150,000 euros (£117,000) for failure to comply with its privacy rules.
"It is disappointing that two years of deliberation has led to the preparation of a document that is the equivalent of selling cucumbers to the gardener," said Anna Fielder, chairwoman of trustees at campaign group Privacy International.
"The guidelines are fundamental basics that Google should have implemented years ago, and the weakness of the language used in framing this will mean Google will do nothing to comply.
"These guidelines are doing nothing more than stating the obvious, and it is shameful that it took the Article 29 Working Party two years to come up with something that Google should already have been complying with," she said.
|
European data privacy regulators have put renewed pressure on Google to alter its privacy policy.
|
29381114
|
The letter, sent by various schools in England, says the tests do not assess what makes pupils "special and unique".
One, from Willesborough Junior School in Ashford, states: "The people who create these tests... do not know your laughter can brighten the darkest day."
The key stage two tests taking place this week assess maths, reading, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
It is widely claimed this year's Sats are more rigorous and led to some parents taking their children out of school in protest last week.
Headteacher Jennie King said the tests were "stressful" for children.
Ms King, whose letter was shared by 4,500 people on Facebook, said: "Not every child is going to be academic, there will be dancers, musicians and footballers.
"I firmly believe a child needs a good grounding in academic subjects, but the tests aren't the be-all and end-all. They are stressful for children.
"Children need to be outside riding their bikes, socialising and doing things that open them up culturally."
The letters to children have become increasingly popular with school headteachers. The idea is believed to have originated in the USA.
In 2014, Barrowford school in Nelson, Lancashire, sent out a similar letter. A year later the school was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted, with inspectors noting staff expectation of pupils' attainment was "not high enough".
A Department for Education spokesman said: "These tests should not be a cause of stress for pupils ‎- they simply help teachers make sure young children are learning to read, write and add up well.
"The truth is if they don't master literacy and numeracy early on, they risk being held behind and struggling for the rest of their lives - we are determined to prevent this by helping every child reach their full potential."
|
An inspiring letter sent out to pupils by several schools ahead of upcoming Sats tests has gone viral.
|
36247429
|
Paul Cahillane's 13th-minute penalty helped Laois lead 1-7 to 0-6 at half time and they were seven points ahead early in the second half.
Kieran McGeeney's side played their best football in the final quarter, Stefan Campbell and Micheal McKenna leading the charge.
They twice closed to within a point but were unable to find an equaliser.
With four Ulster derbies still to come in this division, newly-promoted Armagh now face a fight to avoid an immediate return to the third division.
In Saturday night's other Division Two fixture Derry won by a point away To Cavan.
Both sides were desperate for the points having lost their opening fixtures last weekend.
Paul Cahillane's confidently-struck penalty in the 13th minute put Laois ahead for the first time and they stayed in front for the rest of the game.
They had the benefit of a strong wind in the first half and held a four-point interval lead.
Three Campbell frees in the opening nine minutes had Armagh 0-3 to 0-1 ahead but Paul Cahillane's penalty, after Gary Walsh was tugged back in the square, was a momentum-changer.
Armagh made a lot of basic handling and passing errors, but Colm Watters had a great goal chance which was superbly tipped one-handed onto the crossbar by Laois goalkeeper Graham Brody in the 31st minute.
Laois piled the pressure on after the restart with points from Niall Donoher, Evan O'Carroll and another Cahillane free to move 1-10 to 0-6 ahead after 47 minutes.
Corner-back Shea Heffron popped up with Armagh's first score of the second half and after three points inside 90 seconds, two by McKenna and another by Campbell, who top-scored with 0-7, the comeback was on.
Donie Kingston's free stopped the rot but it was brief respite for Laois, with points from Niall Grimley, Campbell and Ethan Rafferty bringing Armagh to within a point.
Evan O'Carroll boomed over a '45' for Laois and the intensity began to fade out of Armagh's comeback, despite Campbell hitting two points late on.
Armagh: M McNeice; S Heffron (0-1), C Vernon, R McCaughey; S Forker, A Forker (0-1), M Shields; A Findon, S Sheridan; S Campbell (0-7, 4f), M McKenna (0-3), N McConville; C Watters, C O'Hanlon, G McParland (0-1, f)
Subs: E Rafferty (0-1) for McConville (HT), E McVerry for McParland (46), N Grimley (0-1) for Sheridan (50), J McElroy for S Forker (60), O MacIomhair for Watters (62), S Connell for McCaughey (68)
Laois: G Brody; R Kehoe, M Timmons, D Seale; D Strong, P Cotter, G Dillon; K Lillis, K Meaney; J Farrell, D Kingston (0-5, 3f), N Donoher (0-1); P Cahillane (1-2, pen, 2f), E O'Carroll (0-3, one '45'), G Walsh (0-1, f)
Subs: M Campion (0-1) for Meaney (17), A Farrell for Cotter (BC, 33), D O'Connor for Strong (52), D O'Reilly for Walsh (55), R O'Connor for Campion (58)
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
|
Armagh slipped to a second defeat in Division Two despite a brave second-half comeback at the Athletic Grounds.
|
35514651
|
Net profit for the year to the end of March rose 66% to €867m (£614m; $948m), slightly ahead of analysts' expectations.
The airline's "Always Getting Better" customer experience programme had attracted "millions of new customers to Ryanair", chief executive Michael O'Leary said.
Falling oil prices also led to a lower fuel bill.
"Our AGB programme is transforming our customer experience, our service, and the way we listen and respond to our customers," Mr O'Leary said.
"We have won substantial traffic and share gains in all markets."
Passenger traffic was up 11% to 90.6 million customers, while total revenue rose 12% to more than €5.6bn.
To cope with rising demand, Ryanair said it had ordered 183 Boeing 737-800 planes for delivery from 2014-18, and 200 Boeing 737 Max 200s from 2019-2023.
The new aircraft will be cheaper to finance and operate, with engines 18% more efficient than their predecessors, the company said.
Much of the growth in passenger numbers is being driven by its new Business Plus and Family Extra services, it added.
Who'd have thought it. Being nicer to customers has given Ryanair a big jump in profits, a big jump in passengers and much fuller planes.
By "being nicer" I don't just mean being more friendly. As one analyst told me, it's more concrete than that. They've got a better website. An app. They're not as draconian about their luggage rules, and you can pay more to secure a seat next to your family/friends etc.
Even by their standards, the double-digit rise in passenger numbers is big. And Ryanair has ambitious expansion plans too. With hundreds of new planes on order, they want to double the number of passengers within a decade or so.
Ryanair owns 29.8% of rival Irish airline, Aer Lingus, and has tried unsuccessfully to take over the firm in the past.
But Aer Lingus is now a takeover target for International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways and Iberia.
In February, the Irish government, which owns 25% of Aer Lingus, said it could not yet approve a £1bn offer from IAG for the carrier, because it wanted more clarity on guaranteeing jobs and more information on IAG's transatlantic plans.
Aer Lingus, however, has welcomed IAG's offer.
For its part, Ryanair said: "The Board of Ryanair will consider any offer (should we receive one) from IAG on its merits, if or when it is received."
Chief financial officer Neil Sorahan told the BBC that "there's nothing on the table at the moment".
|
Irish airline Ryanair has reported a big increase in full-year profits.
|
32880096
|
The crash happened on the New Road, at its junction with Legmoylan Road, and was reported to police shortly after 05:40 GMT on Wednesday.
The van driver was in his 40s but his name has not yet been released. No other vehicle was involved in the collision.
The road remains closed and diversions are in place.
|
A man has died after the van he was driving crashed in Silverbridge, County Armagh.
|
35484168
|
Crutchley, who will also lead Great Britain at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, replaces Jason Lee after he was named head coach of the women's squads.
"There will be new coaches coming in as well as a number of new players," Crutchley told BBC Radio Berkshire.
"Following a home Games the turnover of players will be significant, so the team will change on and off the pitch."
Crutchley will lead England in the European Championships this year and also in 2015, as well as in the Commonwealth Games, which Glasgow hosts in 2014. He will also coach the GB men in the Olympics, where they will be looking to improve on a fourth-placed finish at London 2012.
Previous head coach KLee took the team from 11th in the world to fourth, but Crutchley faces a huge challenge to improve on that.
Earlier this month Ben Hawes, Mark Pearn and Ken Forbes retired from the men's squad but despite failing to win a medal in London, funding from UK Sport has increased slightly thanks in part to the bronze medal won by the women's team.
The 42-year-old former international forward, who won 80 England caps and a bronze medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, will be at the helm when England play in the FIH Hockey World League semi-final competition that runs from 29 June to 7 July in Malaysia.
And Wirral-born Crutchley says he is excited about what he sees as a new era for the men's game.
"I will have a slightly different style to Jason [Lee]," he said,
"We've been looking at the next group of players since London. We are pretty aware of the talent coming through and are positive of getting them up to speed with international hockey relatively quickly.
"There has been a lot of interest in hockey after the Olympics and the challenge is to keep the momentum going.
"It will be challenging to stay at the top. We are ranked fourth in the world and I'm confident we can be competitive in Rio."
|
England's new men's hockey head coach Bobby Crutchley says there is likely to be a significant overhaul of the squad.
|
21616953
|
The A43 Corby relief road has been open for 12 months and has seen daily traffic levels rise from 8,000 to 11,300 since it opened last May.
But many lorries and cars are still taking the old road through Geddington.
Michael Clarke, from the county council highways department, said: "Old habits die hard and some sat-navs have still not been updated for the new route".
He is pleased more vehicles are now choosing to use the new road, which was expected to carry 25,000 vehicles a day.
Poor signage has also been blamed for the lack of cars.
"It's developing just like the M1 when it opened. It had little traffic at first but is now well used," Mr Clarke said.
"When the penny drops and drivers use the road they realise how quick it is."
He said the road formed part of plans for new roads which bypass the villages of Flore and Weedon near Daventry.
Mark Rowley, chair of Geddington Parish Council, said the road is making some difference to congestion in the village.
He wants the county council to do more to persuade local transport companies to use the new relief road.
Andrew Howard, managing director of a logistics firm at King's Cliffe, said his drivers were encouraged to use the road from the day it opened.
"It is faster and less stressful for our drivers. We made them aware of its advantages straight away," he said.
"It's a faster route to customers in the north of England."
|
Out of date sat-navs have been blamed for motorists' slow uptake of a new £35m road in Northamptonshire.
|
32881294
|
Revenues for the year to the end of March rose to $46.3bn, with the firm's mobile phone business contributing some $9.14bn of the total.
Its revenues have been helped by the purchase of Motorola in 2014, which has made it the world's third-largest smartphone maker.
However, net profits grew by just 1% to $829m, missing expectations.
Lenovo bought Motorola and IBM's low-end server unit last year in an attempt to diversify beyond the PC business.
The firm said it had been "another record year for Lenovo with a more diversified business", but put its poor net profit result down to increased operating expenses.
Lenovo said its mobile business, including Motorola, had "delivered record shipments and built a more globally balanced business".
The Beijing-based giant also said its market share in the global personal computer sector had grown to a record high of 20.9%.
|
China's Lenovo, the world's biggest personal computer maker, has reported a 20% rise in full-year revenues.
|
32822533
|
Edinburgh saw 794,792 passengers for the month, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%, and its 'busiest November ever'.
Glasgow's monthly figure of 618,583 was a rise of 7.7% on November 2014.
The figures suggest Edinburgh Airport will have its busiest year on record in 2015, while Glasgow Airport will be busier than in any year since 2008.
International traffic has been especially strong at Edinburgh, with annual growth of 22.5%.
Qatar Airways has expanded its service to Doha, and numbers are reported to be up on routes operated by easyJet, Ryanair, Etihad and Turkish Airlines.
Edinburgh Airport Chief Executive Gordon Dewar said: "These exceptionally strong figures represent our busiest-ever November; Edinburgh Airport has experienced passenger numbers levels in November - a quiet month in air travel - on a par with what many other regional airports do at the peak of summer.
"This tremendous achievement is a direct result of our commitment to increasing connectivity and choice and improving the passenger experience.
"This has been another record-breaking month and is a sure sign of the growing success of both Scotland and Edinburgh as a destination which emphasises our position as a key driver for Scotland's economic growth."
Glasgow's international traffic was up 12.2%, with new services to Budapest, Vilnius, Lublin and Berlin.
Domestic services have also expanded, with a new route to Exeter and extra capacity on flights to Gatwick and Stansted.
Glasgow's managing director Amanda McMillan said: "2015 has been a fantastic year in terms of passenger growth. Our November figures not only guarantee we will end the year on a high, they will ensure we are in a strong position as we prepare to enter 2016, the airport's 50th anniversary year.
"In addition to gearing up for the Christmas getaway, we have already seen a new service to Milan launch this month with easyJet and there is more to come before the end of the year.
"Later this month Blue Air and Wizz Air will both begin a new service to the Romanian capital of Bucharest and British Airways will start a new Saturday service to Salzburg for the ski season."
|
Passenger numbers grew significantly in November at Scottish airports, with the introduction of new international services.
|
35070486
|
Tourist attractions and community groups are among those to benefit from the funding.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has been granted £880,000, which bosses say will be used to reach wider audiences.
Birmingham-based One Dance UK will receive the highest investment of £3m, while British Ceramics Biennial in Stoke-on-Trent will receive £700,000.
In a move to fund more regional organisations, 25 new groups will receive funding between 2018 and 2022.
Some organisations have faced cuts to their funding but none have lost out completely.
The Royal Shakespeare Company has lost 3% of their previous investment but will still be granted just under £60m.
The Arts Council said in a statement it is pleased to be investing in projects that "will benefit local people".
The region will see an overall increase in spending of 8% with the annual sum paid to arts organisations rising from £49.6m to £53.5m.
The Lapworth Museum in Birmingham is one of the new organisations to benefit and has been granted £418, 984.
Director Jon Clatworthy said it's been a "fantastic year" for the museum which has just celebrated one year since its reopening as well as a nomination for Museum of the Year.
The geology museum will be using the investment to diversify its audience and develop digital technology in exhibitions.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-Upon-Avon is another receiving Arts Council funding for the first time.
Chief executive Diana Owen says the Trust will spend the money "directly on activities to reach out to more people than ever before".
Peter Knott, area director for Arts Council England said: "The Midlands already boasts a vibrant cultural scene with an international reputation for excellence and we look forward to seeing more great art and culture being enjoyed by more audiences in more places.
"Arts and culture plays a vital role in making the area a great place to live, work and study and we're pleased to be investing in projects which will benefit local people and their communities."
|
A total of £215m has been pledged to 76 arts organisations across the West Midlands by Arts Council England.
|
40417072
|
The Troop, by Canadian author Craig Davidson, was announced as the winner of the £2,000 prize on Wednesday night.
The award was set up to celebrate the life and work of horror writer James Herbert who died in March 2013.
Herbert's daughter Kerry, who was one of the judges, described the winning book as the "darkest of tales".
"My father would have chuckled in his chair; his fans will love it. And you'll never go camping again," she said.
"The Troop is a brilliant and terrifying classic that I am proud to champion as the first winner of the James Herbert Award for Horror Writing - it's now one of my favourite books."
The book was written by Davidson under the pseudonym of Nick Cutter. It tells the story of scoutmaster Tim Riggs and his troop of boy scouts who encounter an "emaciated stranger" on a camping trip in the Canadian wilderness.
The chair of judges, Tom Hunter, said: "The Troop is a perfect first winner, and the judges loved its tense plotting, detailed characterisation and above all the driving sense of fear that compels you to keep turning every horror-soaked page until the end."
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Davidson's other works include his first short story collection, Rust and Bone, which was adapted into a film by French director Jacques Audiard starring actress Marion Cotillard as a killer whale trainer.
Herbert was the author of 23 novels, including The Rats, The Fog, The Dark, The Survivor, The Magic Cottage, Haunted and Fluke.
|
A novel about a scout camping weekend that takes a scary twist has won the first James Herbert award for horror writing.
|
32160193
|
The decision to discontinue operations followed an "extensive review" of the business.
Renishaw said it had tried to find a collaboration or acquisition partner for the diagnostics unit but had not received any acceptable offers.
Renishaw Diagnostics (RDL) was spun off from Strathclyde University in Glasgow.
It develops technologies to detect infectious diseases in humans.
In a stock market announcement, Renishaw said: "We continue to look at opportunities for the sale of RDL assets and to support employees in finding alternative employment.
"We would like to express our thanks to the employees of RDL for their considerable efforts since the company was formed in 2007."
In a separate development, Ayrshire-based Lamar Group Ltd, which supplied materials and products to the UK printed circuit board industry, has been placed in provisional liquidation with the loss of 11 jobs.
Provisional liquidators Johnston Carmichael said cheaper competition from China had had "a profound impact" on the UK circuit board manufacturing industry, with more than 90% of production shifting to the Far East.
Donald McNaught, restructuring partner at Johnston Carmichael, said: "Lamar Group has been a very well-run business and retains a portfolio of valuable assets - the management team has been proactive in trying to head off the impact of cheaper Chinese manufacturing, but ultimately they have recognised there is nothing more they can do.
"Despite several attempts to diversify into new markets the business has been unable to stop the decline in sales volume. We're actively seeking buyers for the assets which remain."
|
Precision engineering group Renishaw is to close its diagnostics unit in Glasgow, with the loss of up to 33 jobs.
|
37642473
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.