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Owen and Karl Oyston, owner and chairman of the club, were in dispute with businessman Valeri Belokon. The League Two club owners may have to pay out almost £3m ($3.75m) after a judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre ruled in Mr Belokon's favour. He invested £4.75m in 2008 to develop the club's South Stand and the dispute was over his share of profits from it. A forensic accountant will work out the exact figure the Oystons have to pay at a later date, the hearing was told. The final figure is believed to be between £1m and £2m plus £900,000 costs. The Oystons and Mr Belokon disagreed over the income and profits generated following the development of the South Stand. The row also centred on the deduction of legitimate expenditure, including a loss-making Blackpool hotel, from what Mr Belokon believed he was owed under the commercial agreement. The three men involved were not present in court. Eric Shannon, representing the club, applied for leave to take the case to the Court of Appeal, but this was refused by Judge Jane Moulder. Thousands of fans have been boycotting their home games in protest at the ownership and running of the club by the Oyston family. In January, fans staged a joint protest with Blackburn Rovers at their FA Cup clash. The team has plunged down the Football League to the fourth tier just six years after being in the Premier League. Mr Belokon bought shares in the club in 2006 and was heavily involved in their rise through the ranks culminated in promotion to the Premier League in 2010. In a rare public appearance last July, Owen Oyston said the club was not for sale.
The owners of Blackpool FC have lost a multi-million pound court battle with a Latvian investor.
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Media playback is not supported on this device Captain Mithali Raj made 42 off 35 balls, Harmanpreet Kaur 40 from 29 and Vellaswamy Vanitha 38 off 24 in India's 163-5 in Bangalore. Anuja Patil claimed 2-16 and Poonam Yadav 2-17 as Bangladesh managed only 91-5 en route to their second heaviest T20 defeat in terms of runs. New Zealand, twice runners-up, opened their campaign with a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Delhi. Sri Lanka were well placed when Dilani Manodara and Yasoda Mendis shared 53 for the second wicket, but slipped from 81-2 in the 13th over to 110-8. New Zealand raced to their target with 25 balls to spare, captain Suzie Bates making 37 at a run a ball and Sara McGlashan ending unbeaten on 21 from 14 deliveries. England, winners in 2009, face Bangladesh at 10:00 GMT on Thursday.
India opened the Women's World Twenty20 with a 72-run victory over Bangladesh.
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Gerrard, 36, is leaving MLS club LA Galaxy and claims he is considering "options on and off the pitch". Lawrenson feels Gerrard could "definitely play in this Liverpool team" and be used in a coaching role. "They will not have to pay him fortunes - they can tell him if they need him he'll play," said Lawrenson. "The most important thing in all this, though, is that he would not be seen as a threat by Jurgen Klopp if he was on the coaching staff. "He would be brilliant to have around the club because he would be in awe of Klopp, so that is just not a worry. I am sure Klopp would love it too - the only effects would be positive. "He has already coached Liverpool's under-16 team for a while in 2015 and really enjoyed it," added Lawrenson, who made 356 appearances for the club. "If you are an under-16 and getting coached by Stevie G, then how good is that?" Gerrard is pursuing his Uefa A coaching licence - the second-highest qualification offered - and has punditry commitments lined up. But Lawrenson believes Gerrard would "definitely be open" to being registered as a player. He left Anfield in 2015 after spending 17 years in the first team, making 710 appearances, scoring 186 goals and winning eight major trophies. The midfielder played 34 times for Galaxy over two seasons and insists he will be back in football in some capacity. He has been linked with moves to Celtic and Newcastle in recent weeks. Klopp allowed Gerrard to train with the first team during the MLS off season and has previously said the former Reds' captain is "always so welcome" at the club. Lawrenson also wants the club to utilise Jamie Carragher, who retired in 2013 after 737 Liverpool appearances, insisting drawing on the experience of two former greats is "a no brainer". He added: "I would let those two come in and take a couple of training sessions at Anfield as well. They would offer a different voice and a different point of view, without undermining the manager. Can you imagine them in the coaches room with Klopp? It would be great."
Liverpool should re-sign Steven Gerrard as a player and coach as the "only effects would be positive", says the club's former defender Mark Lawrenson.
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Barker has worked alongside Karl Robinson at League One Charlton since December 2016 but was approached by Rotherham last week. The 41-year-old had three spells with the Millers as a player, scoring 13 goals in 153 league games. Rotherham will join Charlton in League One next season following their relegation from the Championship. Barker and Warne were team-mates when the Millers won promotion to the second tier 2000-01.
Rotherham United have appointed their former player Richie Barker as assistant to manager Paul Warne.
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The contract - reportedly worth $10bn (£6bn) - was agreed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos. Ukraine is believed to have some of the largest shale gas reserves in Europe. New technology means they are more easily recoverable, but opponents warn of a high risk of pollution. The deal between Ukraine's state company Nadra Yuzivska and Shell was signed by the energy giant's CEO Peter Voser and Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky on Thursday. "We have witnessed a great event today. I believe we have become almost relatives," said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was present at the ceremony. The 50-year production sharing deal is believed to be the biggest contract in Europe to extract natural gas trapped underground in shale rock. However, experts say that production in Ukraine is several years away and much will depend on results from test wells. Kiev is hoping that the deal would help it escape dependence on Russian natural gas. Ukraine "might even go into surplus," Mr Stavytsky said. Kiev's gas imports from Russia have long been a thorny issue. In 2006 and 2009, rows over the gas price led to Russia halting gas supplies to Ukraine during a bitter winter, causing temporary gas shortages in a number of EU countries.
Ukraine has signed a major shale gas deal with Royal Dutch Shell - a move seen as an attempt by Kiev to reduce its dependency on Russian gas imports.
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This is an attempt to set up what will be called the TFTA (Tripartite Free Trade Area). It will be signed between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the South African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). Now there's been great fanfare in the press about this, mainly pushed by the politicians who are made to look good by this kind of thing. But the headlines of "Common Market for Africa" or "EU-style bloc emerges in Africa" are misleading. If the TFTA functions properly, it will be a free trade area, not a common market and certainly nothing approaching what the EU is. The trouble is not all the players involved function properly themselves. COMESA still has certain tariffs within it, while inside the EAC (arguably the most integrated of the blocs) there are still issues between Kenya and Tanzania on things like share ownership. And South Africa tends to dominate SADC. But that's not to say that this tripartite agreement is a waste of time. Free trade from Cape to Cairo has been a goal since colonial times (Cecil Rhodes talked about it) and this agreement is a baby step towards that. In theory, it'll boost intra-African trade, but that depends more on the capacity of African countries to make what each other want at competitive prices, rather than a simple lowering or scrapping of tariffs between the 26 members. The devil will be in the details of this agreement. There have been concerns over protectionist measures for local industries and a method of settling trade disputes. But it may boost intra-Africa trade. At the moment, trade between African countries amounts to just 13% of total African trade. Some academics have said that this tripartite agreement could boost it by 30% over the next few years. But there will be challenges on the ground. For a start, customs officials and getting across borders is notoriously cumbersome in Africa. Also, manufacturing on a local level needs to be boosted. The UN said three years ago that the best way to boost African trade was to concentrate on developing local capacity, rather than just lowering tariffs. That way, Africans would have things to sell to each other at prices that are more competitive than outsiders. If that happens within a new free trade area, that's what would boost intra-African trade. Also there are various disputes between the members of this agreement, from gripes to outright hostility. So, while there's a good deal of political will behind the TFTA, how it works on the ground will be the proof of the pudding. And that won't be apparent for months or years to come. Pardon my cynicism, but the three blocs involved in this are by no means functioning perfectly. With all the hype surrounding this TFTA, you'd think it was the panacea to all of Africa's economic and trade problems. It's not. But it is a tiny step in the right direction.
Some of you will have seen the news that a three-bloc trade deal is being signed between 26 African states in Egypt today.
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Martial has been linked with a move to Inter Milan as part of a deal that would see Ivan Perisic leave the Italian club. The 21-year-old created Jesse Lingard's first-half opener in the 1-1 friendly draw with Real Madrid in Santa Clara. "He is a young player. He still has time to learn, to improve and develop," said Mourinho. "We want more consistency in his talent." United have not managed to get the best out of 21-year-old Martial since his £36m move from Monaco in 2015. He set up Lingard's goal in California on Sunday with a fabulous piece of skill that took him past Luka Modric and Daniel Carvajal. United won the game 2-1 on penalties. "I can say he is training better than before and is working harder than before," added Mourinho. United, who are unbeaten in four pre-season games, have one match remaining in the United States, against Barcelona on Wednesday. They flew out of California straight after the game to Washington DC, where they will spend the next three days before the trip home. It is a major difference to 12 months ago, when Mourinho and his squad went to China and had a planned match against Manchester City in Beijing cancelled due to the poor state of the pitch at the Bird's Nest Stadium. Mourinho said: "We were based in Los Angeles for 15 days, which was fantastic. We were always in the same hotel and on the same training ground. "Now we go to DC which is halfway home almost. These next three days are a good thing for us on our way back. "If Juan Mata (ankle) and Ander Herrera (hip) are not a real problem in terms of injuries, I would say it has been a perfect pre-season for us." Prior to the game, Mourinho said it would be "mission impossible" to try and sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, so he had not even tried. Speaking after the match, whilst perfectly polite, it was clear Bale was not interested in talking about his future in Madrid. Question: Jose Mourinho says it would be mission impossible to get you to Manchester United. Answer: There you go. Question: Is that the way you see it? Answer: I haven't said anything. Question: You continue to be happy at Real Madrid? Answer: Yes.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has told forward Anthony Martial he needs to be more consistent.
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The ex-England boss, 54, was due to meet the Rams hierarchy on Friday. But the meeting has been brought forward following Derby's failure to reach the Championship play-offs and growing unrest about McClaren's link to the manager's job at Newcastle. McClaren is understood to be resigned to leaving the club. Only last week Rush said the season review should not be too "draconian". But McClaren's refusal to completely rule out a move to Newcastle when the rumours first began upset some of the board members, including director Mel Morris who is set to take over from chairman Andy Appleby. And although McClaren did reject the chance to take over as Magpies manager in May, and said he was "100% committed to Derby", there is a feeling that his refusal to quash the rumours in the first place played a part in the club's poor end-of-season run. The Rams were leading the Championship in late February but won just two of their final 13 games and missed out on the play-offs on the final day of the campaign when they lost 3-0 at home to Reading. Morris, who was last year appointed to the club's board, is set to be confirmed as the club's new chairman in the coming weeks.
Derby head coach Steve McClaren is to hold talks with chief executive Sam Rush on Thursday amid speculation he may be sacked, BBC Derby Sport reports.
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6 February 2017 Last updated at 09:46 GMT British player Kyle Edmund was beating Denis Shapovalov from Canada, when frustration got the better of him. The 17-year-old Canadian whacked the tennis ball in anger, only to hit the umpire in the eye! As a result the match could no longer continue, meaning Great Britain won by default. Kyle will now go on to face off against France in April. Shapovalov apologised to the umpire after the match, and his coach hopes he will learn a lesson from it.
Great Britain are through to the Davis Cup quarter-finals, after a Canadian player accidentally hit the umpire with a tennis ball.
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Darrell Clarke's side clinched third in League Two with a last-gasp winner on Saturday against Dagenham & Redbridge. New Zealand forward Rory Fallon, 34, is to be released after making just three first-team appearances this season. Defenders Lee Brown, scorer of the late winner over Dagenham, and Tom Lockyer already signed new contracts in April. Having secured back-to-back promotions, securing top scorer Matty Taylor's services for at least another season would be seen as a major boost for the club if he was to agree a new deal. After Saturday's victory, the striker told BBC Radio Bristol he would speak to club's president regarding a new deal. Chairman Steve Hamer has said the club will have the chance to match offers made by other clubs for Taylor this summer.
Promoted Bristol Rovers have offered new contracts to all but one of their senior professional players after their dramatic finish to the league season.
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Dave Hartnett, who was head of tax at HM Revenue & Customs, said: "I'd always expected there to be be more." Mr Hartnett, who left HMRC in 2012, was giving evidence to the Commons Public Accounts Committee. HSBC has come under fire over what it knew about some clients' tax affairs. Details of some 30,000 accounts at HSBC's Geneva-based private bank were leaked to the French authorities by a whistleblower, Herve Falciani, in 2007. Information about 3,600 UK account holders were passed to HMRC. Both HSBC and HMRC have been accused of not doing enough to investigate if these accounts were held for the purposes of tax evasion rather than legitimate avoidance. Mr Hartnett told the committee: "I'd like to understand why there weren't more criminal prosecutions. I'd always expected there to be more. I'd have liked to understand what would have happened if more resources were diverted to [investigating the leaked details]." He said there were discussions with the French authorities before the leaked information was passed to the UK, and there were also discussions with HSBC. But he never got involved in the detail, "to pressure the integrity of the investigations taking place". But HMRC tax assurance commissioner Edward Troup insisted that his department had been "diligent" in pursuing the information received from the French. "I don't think there is anything... which suggests that we have not been diligent," he told the committee. "We have collected £135m. We believe we have collected all the tax, all the interest, and a significant amount of penalties." Mr Hartnett now works for HSBC. He said that he had followed the rules for former senior officials on taking appointments outside the civil service "to the letter". He said: "Colleagues checked it, the Cabinet Office checked it, the committee checked it, it went to the Prime Minister, and the Financial Conduct Authority also had to approve my appointment."
A former senior tax official has expressed "surprise" that just one person has been prosecuted in the UK over alleged tax evasion by clients of HSBC's Swiss banking division.
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The centre-back, 28, was jeered by a section of Spain fans during Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier win over Slovakia, and was subjected to similar during the previous internationals break. "The last thing I would do is leave the national team," he said. "I won't change regarding club rivalry. I always wish Real Madrid to do badly." It was reported that England's friendly in Spain on 13 November was moved from Real's Bernabeu Stadium to Alicante because of concerns over the possible negative reaction to Pique's involvement. In June, the former Manchester United defender sarcastically thanked Colombian rapper Kevin Roldan for playing his part in Barca's success last season. The performer posted photos on social media of Real team-mates celebrating Cristiano Ronaldo's 30th birthday in February just hours after a 4-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid. The players were consequently criticised. Barcelona went on to win the league, Copa del Rey and Champions League. "I don't regret anything that I have said and I would repeat it a thousand times and more," added Pique. "I am like that, I want Madrid to always lose. That is the sporting rivalry that has always existed in Spain."
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique will stick by his anti-Real Madrid stance and continue playing for Spain despite being booed by supporters.
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Resuming on 142-9 after a rain-hit day one, Derbyshire added just eight runs as Ben Cotton fell to Steve Magoffin. Sussex's openers made a 113 partnership before Chris Nash (65) was bowled by Wayne Madsen (2-65), but Joyce (106), Wells (104 not out) and Ross Taylor (54) helped the hosts build a big lead. Matt Machan was out to the final ball of the day as Sussex closed on 342-4.
Sussex built a commanding first-innings lead over Derbyshire on day two at Hove as Ed Joyce and Luke Wells made tons.
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The Team Sky rider went down around 35km from the finish after a touch of wheels on the category two ascent of Cote de Saint-Uze. The Welshman was quickly back riding and finished 11th to remain 19 seconds behind overall leader Michael Matthews. "He was able to stand up straight away and get back on the bike," said Team Sky sport director Nicolas Portal. Cofidis rider Nacer Bouhanni, who was demoted from first to third on stage two after changing his line in the bunch sprint, rode cleanly to victory in Romans-sur-Isere. Trek rider Edward Theuns was second and Lotto Soudal's Andre Greipel third, with Britain's Ben Swift sixth for Team Sky. The riders tackle Mont Ventoux in Provence in Friday's 195km stage. The legendary mountain pass comes early in the stage to Salon-de-Provence. Stage four result: 1. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra/Cofidis) 4hrs 42mins 29secs 2. Edward Theuns (Bel/Trek) Same time 3. Andre Greipel (Ger/Lotto) 4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor/Katusha) 5. Michael Matthews (Aus/Orica) 6. Ben Swift (GB/Team Sky) 7. Nikolas Maes (Bel/Etixx - Quick-Step) 8. Tony Gallopin (Fra/Lotto) 9. Youcef Reguigui (Alg/Dimension Data) 10. Roy Curvers (Ned/Giant) Selected: 11. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) Same time Overall classification after stage four: 1. Michael Matthews (Aus/Orica) 14hrs 24mins 15secs 2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Giant) +14secs 3. Patrick Bevin (NZ/Cannondale) +19secs 4. Jon Izagirre (Spa/Movistar) 5. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) Selected: 9. Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +27secs 17. Alberto Contador (Spain / Tinkoff) +33secs 18. Simon Yates (Britain / Orica) +37secs
Britain's Geraint Thomas remains fifth in the Paris-Nice race despite crashing on stage four.
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Top-flight clubs will share more than £5bn from 2016 to 2019, a 71% increase on the previous three-year deal. Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andre Ayew have been linked with moves away from the Liberty Stadium, but Taylor says the club will not need to sell their stars. "Teams don't have to sell like they used to," said Wales' Taylor. "I think what you're going to find is that with the money coming to the Premier League teams don't have to sell. That might mean a few more clubs hanging on to their best players." Swansea head coach Francesco Guidolin has said he expects interest in midfielder Sigurdsson this summer. The 26-year-old Iceland international won Swansea City's supporters' and players' player of the year awards after scoring 11 goals in the club's successful fight against relegation. He is under contract at Swansea until 2018, but has been linked with a number of big clubs, while Ayew has said his future depends on a summer discussion with chairman Huw Jenkins. "It's the same every year for our club, we have players that come through, they do well," said Taylor, who was visiting his old school Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin before joining up with the Wales squad for their training camp in Portugal. "Gylfi is someone that has come now in two spells and done well for us. We want to keep hold of them obviously, Andre has scored goals. "But just like when we lost Wilfried Bony and people down the years and we lost Sigurdsson the last time, we do lose important players because they get poached by bigger teams. "It's important that we try and keep them and add to that this season because we've realised how hard it is." Swansea have been linked with summer moves for two of their former players - Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony and Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen. Ivory Coast international Bony joined City from Swansea for £25m in 2015, while Allen left for Liverpool for £15m in 2012. Both have struggled to nail down starting places at the north-west clubs and Taylor admits he would be delighted to see them return to west Wales. "There is a lot more work to be done than just somebody to say that we want them back. You have to talk about money, you have to talk about whether the players want to come back here," Taylor said. "They are both at big football clubs that are fighting for trophies, like Liverpool in the Europa League. There's a lot more to happen before we bring those players in but people of that ilk are definitely people that we should be looking at."
Swansea City defender Neil Taylor says the club is under less pressure to sell players due to the money coming in from the new Premier League television deal.
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After more than two years without a goal, the 27-year-old has now scored five times in 11 appearances. "For me, it's just brilliant to be playing again," he told BBC WM. "The manager (Gary Rowett) has been good in indicating he is particularly keen to make it permanent." He added: "I'm not 100% sure what the ins and outs of this so-called option are. "But it has been noted that the international break is the time for people to sit down and talk about situations." Southampton-born Jutkiewicz, who has three times commanded a seven-figure fee in his 10-year professional career - for Everton, Middlesbrough and Burnley - was joining his 10th club when he came to St Andrew's. Prior to coming to the West Midlands on 31 August, Jutkiewicz had gone more than two years without scoring a goal. In fact, his last goal, on loan from Middlesbrough to Bolton Wanderers in May 2014, was the one that almost sent Blues down to League One, but for an injury-time Paul Caddis equaliser. "First year in the Premier League with Burnley, I didn't play many games and almost the whole of last season I spent on the sidelines injured. "I'm quite a cerebral person in my spare time and you do analyse things when you're sidelined. Maybe sometimes you over-analyse things. But I knew, if I could play regularly, everything would fall into place. "If you have a right mind, it can only benefit you on the pitch. From my point of view, I just wanted to go and play football and let the rest sort itself out. And the lads have made it very easy for me to fit in. "I've had a few bumps and bruises, but, for any centre-forwards or centre-half, that's what you get in a physical league like this when you put your body on the line. And I just take it on the chin."
Birmingham City's on-loan Burnley striker Lukas Jutkiewicz is happy to make his move to St Andrew's more permanent after rediscovering his goal touch with the Championship club.
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Saturday's fixture - abandoned after 60 minutes amid torrential rain - will be replayed on 20 September, with no refunds offered for the original match. Rovers boss Darrell Clarke called the move "shocking" and Swindon were urged to "rethink" by their Supporters Trust. Rovers have offered returning away fans free coach travel to the County Ground. "While we understand supporters' frustration, what happened on Saturday afternoon was an act of God and beyond the club's control," Power said in a statement on Swindon's website. "I must stress that the club still has a number of costs to meet on a matchday. These costs have increased dramatically due to the fact that this is a derby match. "Clubs do not usually offer any form of refund when the game is abandoned after half-time and not before." Adult tickets for the rearranged match on 20 September will cost £19-25, although Swindon's season ticket holders will be admitted for free. On Tuesday, Mike Welsh, vice-chair of Swindon Town's Supporters' Trust had told BBC Wiltshire: "Supporters were asked to keep their ticket stubs. "We thought the club could have reached out to the fans and sought some middle ground. We encourage them to come back, have a rethink and see if we can meet the fans halfway."
Swindon Town chairman Lee Power is standing by his club's decision to charge fans for new tickets for a rearranged game against Bristol Rovers.
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Jobbik came second in 18 out of 19 counties, ahead of the Socialists, as in the May European elections. It won control of 14 towns and villages. The party has been accused of anti-Semitic and anti-Roma rhetoric. Fidesz won all but six districts of the capital Budapest, where its mayoral candidate Istvan Tarlos was re-elected. It has a two-thirds majority in the national parliament and the local election consolidated its grip over the country's politics. It came top in nearly all the big towns and cities. Jobbik is the third-largest party in Hungary's parliament and has three MEPs. It has tried to soften its image recently, but remains committed to defending conservative Hungarian values and thwarting integration of Roma communities, many of whom are desperately poor and marginalised. The BBC's Nick Thorpe in Budapest writes: "From 2018, Jobbik will govern this country," Jobbik leader Gabor Vona told cheering supporters in Budapest as the election results came in. But he faces an uphill task to overtake Fidesz. His main problem is that Prime Minister Orban has stolen most of his Eurosceptic clothes. Jobbik did well in this election, but not as well as it hoped. In 18 of 19 counties, it came second to Fidesz, proving that it now has nationwide support. In the countryside, Jobbik won five towns and nine villages, up from one town and three villages in 2010. Most spectacularly, it won narrowly in the northern industrial town of Ozd, which has a large Roma population. Jobbik's initial success was largely based on its ability to tap into widespread fear of the Roma in the Hungarian countryside. In all three elections this year - parliamentary, European and municipal - it has considerably toned down its rhetoric. It is now trying to appeal to middle-class voters who have abandoned Fidesz, as their standard of living stagnates and their children leave to work abroad.
The far-right Jobbik party in Hungary has made gains in local elections won convincingly by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling nationalist Fidesz.
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The Baby Blacks - who won the tournament from 2008 to 2011 - ended England's two year hold on the trophy. England went in front through Max Clark, who burst through, before New Zealand hit back through Vince Tavae-Aso to lead at half-time. Akira Ioane went over from close range to extend their advantage, as Otere Black added four penalties. England beat South Africa in the semi-finals, while New Zealand went through to the showpiece after thrashing France in the last-four. The New Zealand juniors performed the haka before kick-off, but England started confidently, going ahead through Bath centre Clark. After a slow start, New Zealand got back into the game as Tavae-Aso powered over for a narrow 11-10 half-time lead. Ioane bundled himself over early in the second half, before being sent to the sin bin, and although Rory Jennings kicked four penalties for England, they relinquished their hold on the trophy.
New Zealand won the World Rugby U20 Championship for the fifth time after beating England 21-16 in Italy.
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It's a point she made in the Northamptonshire MP's first speech as Secretary of State for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs. She represents a rural constituency, which she praised: "I know from my own constituency of South Northamptonshire that the British countryside is some of the most beautiful in the world." Mrs Leadsom also warned that rural communities should not be left behind: "I want people living in our market towns and villages to have the same life opportunities as those who live in our cities," she said. Mrs Leadsom ended up in the job after this summer's bruising leadership contest and joked at her own expense that Jeremy Corbyn could have come to her for advice on how to ensure a short lived campaign. That went down well with the audience who welcomed her warmly onto stage as one of the leading lights of the Leave campaign. The grinning Secretary of State told the hall that we are selling naan bread to India, and coffee to Brazil and received applause for the fact that the French voted British Lamb their product of the year. She smiled purposefully before making pointed references to her joy at the chance "to plot a new course in the world" post Brexit. Mrs Leadsom promised to lead on the environment "committing to being the first generation to leave it in a better state than when we found it. Still smiling she announced that it was crucial to provide farmers with certainty and continuity. "It's important that we are able to confirm the same level of agricultural support until 2020." "I am convinced that outside the EU they have an even brighter future." The question is whether that will put a smile on the farmers' faces.
One in eight people work in farming and it is a bigger industry than the car and aerospace industry combined, Andrea Leadsom tells the Conservative Party Conference.
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Australian Browne stopped defending champion Ruslan Chagaev to win the title in Russia earlier this month. The 36-year-old delivered a positive sample for clenbuterol after the fight, his management company have revealed. "I would like to assure all fans, the whole of the boxing world and all of Australia that I am not a drug user or a drug cheat," said Browne. Sydney-born Browne was knocked down in the sixth round but floored Uzbekistan's Chagaev with a big right to improves his record to 24-0. He added: "I will fight for as long as it takes to clear my name. I have never heard of the drug clenbuterol and had no idea what it is used for. "I am now aware that it is essentially a weight-stripping drug and as a heavyweight boxer, the idea of me using it is utterly ridiculous. "My team and I were well aware of the many risks involved in going to a place like Chechnya to fight a reigning champion and believed we had taken sufficient precautions. "In addition, it was at our insistence that Vada [Voluntary Anti-Doping Association] testing was implemented for the fight." Clenbuterol is a powerful drug used to treat asthma, but it can also help build up lean muscle mass and burn off fat. The drug's growth-promoting ability has also found favour with beef farmers, particularly in China and Mexico. The fact that humans can ingest the substance inadvertently by eating beef has in the past put pressure on anti-doping rules, which deem the slightest trace to be a doping infringement.
WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne says he is "shocked and devastated" after failing a drugs test.
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Hovertravel has said it will offer refunds after delays and cancellations in recent weeks on its services between Southsea and Ryde. Commuters with season tickets will have up to two weeks added when they renew. The operator said it was also temporarily bringing its Island Express craft back into service. The firm said one of the new hovercraft, the Island Flyer, was currently out of action after suffering a transmission fault at Southsea on Wednesday. Hovertravel said: "We are sorry for any disruptions as we introduce our new craft. We are confident that we will get there." The new Solent Flyer and Island Flyer, costing £10m, were launched in the summer. The firm said the compensation policy would remain in place until 31 March. Hovertravel has been running ferries between Southsea and Ryde since 1965.
Passengers who suffer cancellations caused by "technical issues" with two new hovercraft are to be offered compensation.
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The Celtic left-back was handed the role in Scotland's crucial World Cup qualifier against Slovenia. And Tierney could continue there against England at Hampden on 10 June. "It's up to the gaffer, whatever he thinks is best and whatever he thinks the team that is going to give us the best chance of winning," said Tierney. Scotland had been left short at right-back after Alan Hutton retired from international football and Callum Paterson suffered cruciate ligament damage. Derby County winger Ikechi Anya had impressed at right-back against England and Canada. But, as Hull City's Andy Robertson revealed after the 1-0 win over Slovenia, head coach Gordon Strachan decided to move one of his three left-backs over to the left. Media playback is not supported on this device Rangers' Lee Wallace missed out through injury, Robertson was chosen on the left and Strachan showed his faith in 19-year-old Tierney for a debut in the right-back role. "I have been training there all week, so I had a feeling I'd be playing there," said Tierney, who was winning his third Scotland cap. "The manager and the coaching staff have been giving me pointers. I enjoyed it." Strachan said before the game that his side needed three points to retain hopes of qualifying for the 2018 finals in Russia. Instead, the victory moved the Scots two points off second-top Slovakia and gave them a fighting chance of making a play-off. It was a big occasion for Tierney's Celtic team-mate, Stuart Armstrong, to win his first cap and the midfielder responded by setting up Chris Martin's 88th-minute winning goal four days before his 25th birthday. Asked about his role in the winner, the former Dundee United player said: "It feels good, but what feels better is to have contributed in a positive way to three points, which we needed to put us in a very good position in the group," he said. "Kech [Ikechi Anya] has made a really good run on the outside just to drag that defender and Chris has held a really good position in the box and has done brilliantly to turn and finish." Armstrong also collected the man-of-the-match award, while Strachan declared it the best Scotland debut he could remember. Clutching his cap, he said: "It's a proud moment to hold this. "It's a proud moment for my family. To cap that off with three points is great." Strachan was widely expected to quit as team boss had they failed to win, but Armstrong thought the side responded well to such pressure. "We had trained well all week, there was a good atmosphere, and it's important sometimes to stay positive when things aren't going the way you want them to," he said. "And I think we responded really well."
Kieran Tierney is prepared to continue as Scotland's auxiliary right-back after coming through a high-stakes experiment with flying colours.
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Horne won her first national title in the team pursuit at the National Track Championships in Manchester last week. The 26-year-old says she is leaving her road cycling team in order to turn her attention to the 2016 Rio Games. "This is the right thing for me to do now and put my eggs into one basket and try and make the Games," Horne said. Warwickshire-born Horne, who represented Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, won the national team pursuit title with Joanna Rowsell Shand, Dame Sarah Storey and Katie Archibald. Horne has spent four years working alongside Storey, who has announced her team Podium Ambition will turn professional for the start of the Women's World Tour in 2016. But with just four competitions left to gain selection, Horne insists her main concern is being part of the team pursuit in Rio. "For me moving forward, the main focus between now and Rio, will be team pursuit," Horne told BBC Radio Wales Sport. "Everything is about going quicker over that 4km distance with the girls. "The smartest thing to do is to focus solely on that and leave the road."
Welsh cyclist Ciara Horne is giving up the chance to ride professionally on the Women's World Tour next year in a bid to win an Olympic title.
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Friend, 28, was withdrawn during the 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest on 23 January after landing awkwardly. Former Doncaster and Wolves full-back Friend has missed just one league game this season, scoring once. Boro are already without centre-back Ben Gibson with a hip injury, who can also play wide, while full-back James Husband is on loan at Huddersfield.
Middlesbrough defender George Friend will be out for approximately four weeks after fracturing a shoulder.
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The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy includes the ambition of doubling the number of people using bikes by 2025. Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said "sustained investment in cycling and walking infrastructure" was needed. Cycling campaigners warned the strategy "won't be worth the paper it's written on" without sustained funding. A consultation has been launched to seek views on the plans and will close on 23 May, with a final strategy published in the summer. The Department for Transport (DfT) said it wanted walking and cycling to be the "natural choice" for shorter journeys, or as part of a longer journey, by 2040. This would be done through providing "safe and attractive infrastructure" to encourage journeys on bike and foot, it said. The DfT said the strategy marked a "major shift from short term funding streams for cycling and walking to a strategic long term approach". Mr Goodwill said the plans would "benefit the whole of society by boosting the economy, improving health, cutting congestion and improving air quality". He added: "Realising our ambition will take sustained investment in cycling and walking infrastructure. "That's why we have committed over £300m to support cycling and walking over this Parliament and this will increase further when spending on enhancing and maintaining existing infrastructure is taken into account." But British Cycling and CTC, the national cycling charity, have called for the objectives and funding proposals in the draft strategy to be strengthened. They point to the parliamentary Get Britain Cycling report, which called for investment in cycling of at least £10 per person annually, rising to £20, in order to boost cycle use to 10% of trips by 2025, and to 25% by 2050. The draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy provides central government funding of £300m over the period 2015-2020, amounting to £1.39 per person outside London, the campaigners said. Chris Boardman, the 1992 individual pursuit Olympic champion and policy adviser for British Cycling, said "far more ambition" was needed if Britain was to create a cycling and walking culture to rival countries like Denmark and Holland. Mr Boardman said: "The truth is that without sustained funding, this strategy won't be worth the paper it's written on. We know that when faced with other priorities like road maintenance, saving bus routes and new housing developments, cycling and walking will be put at the bottom of most councils' to-do lists." The DfT said it would issue guidance to local bodies on developing local plans when the final strategy is published. A new independent expert committee will be established by October 2016 to advise on the strategy and its implementation, it added.
The government has unveiled proposals to encourage people to cycle and walk more in England.
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The ex-England hooker, 57, won the competition with Devon in 2004 as a player and as coach in 2007, and played in Cornwall's triumphant 1991 campaign. Dawe has been Cornwall head coach since 2013, leading them to victories in the 2015 and 2016 Twickenham finals. "It's a nice local game for me, but I'm travelling as a Cornishman," he said. "I'm 100% behind Cornwall, there's no emotion at all." The game will be played at Ivybridge on Saturday, with Cornwall favourites as they continue their pursuit of a hat-trick of County Championship titles against a Devon side who were only promoted to Division One because of a restructuring of the competition. Devon head coach Dan Parkes played under Dawe at Plymouth Albion, and acknowledges his side are underdogs. "It's going to be hard, the boys are going to be up against it," he told BBC Sport. "For Graham the pressure is on, but I'm sure they'll get to their third final. "The better we can do, the more likely we can attract players next year. Players play for Cornwall because they know they have a great chance of reaching Twickenham."
Graham Dawe says he has "no emotion" ahead of his Cornwall side's County Championship game at Devon, who he previously played for and coached.
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Andrew George, who was re-elected Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives in May, is one of four MPs to have tabled an amendment to the finance bill. It follows the government's budget announcement that from 4 January VAT will rise from 17.5% to 20%. Mr George wants the government to assess the impact of such a rise on businesses, charities and households. The other three Liberal Democrat MPs who have put their name to the amendment are Bob Russell who represents Colchester in Essex, Mark Williams who is MP for the Welsh region of Ceredigion and mid-Wales and MP Roger Williams, whose constituency is Brecon and Radnorshire. Mr George said: "I am not trying to trigger nuclear war and break up the coalition, it's perfectly normal for two parties to have different approaches and values. "I just want to express my unhappiness with the move and have an open debate." Mr George also said he hoped a government minister would respond to the amendment on Monday and added he would continue to look for opportunities to press his case.
An MP from Cornwall is calling for an investigation into the impact of increasing VAT to 20%.
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Local media reported that the man was driving the car when it crashed and later took his own life. The men from New Zealand, aged 24 to 25, were on a hunting trip and not wearing seat belts, reports said. Their families have reportedly arrived in Australia to arrange for their bodies to be flown back. Police said they were preparing a report for the coroner. The men were named by Australian and New Zealand media as Kadin Wallace, Jeremy Vergeer, and Dylan Sherriff, and were reportedly working on farms in the Esperance region. Kadin Wallace, who was believed to be driving, survived the crash but is understood to have taken his own life before emergency services arrived, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Mr Vergeer got engaged just weeks ago and was the father of a child from a previous relationship. His fiancée, Lauren Withers, posted a message to social media describing him as "my soulmate, my best friend, my everything". "The future seemed so promising for us... 2016 was going to be the best year for us, buying our first home, getting married and moving to NZ to start our family," Ms Withers said.
A man who survived a crash that killed his two friends on a remote Australian highway died hours later from injuries unrelated to the accident, police said.
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Heavy rain in Brisbane also led to the women's Test being postponed. The ladies' fixture will kick off at 05:00 BST, with the men's match taking place at 07:00 BST (16:00 local time). "There were a number of considerations for this decision, primarily player safety as well as supporters," NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said.
Australia and New Zealand will play their Anzac Test fixture at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, after a waterlogged pitch forced a postponement on Friday.
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One lane of a busy road was closed to traffic due to emergency repairs on Wednesday during rush hour. A number of businesses reported problems with their water supply and some were even forced to close for a short time. NI Water said that it had now successfully completed the repairs in the city centre area and was working on another burst on the Grosvenor Road. They said work should be completed by midnight. "Restoring customers' supply has been our first priority," the spokesperson added. "Unfortunately, burst water mains are by their nature unplanned and NI Water would like to thank the public for their patience during this time. We appreciate how busy businesses are at this time of year and we apologise for the inconvenience. "It is possible that there may still be some water discolouration, although this should clear in the near future." Simon McCance of Ginger Bistro was among the restaurants in Belfast that had to close earlier. However, he said his water was back on at about 17:20 GMT and his restaurant had re-opened. "Aside from loss of revenue, it's just really disappointing because we've had a good year, but, what can we do?," he said. Mr McCance said he had about 70 people booked in for the evening and expected about 30 more 'walk-ins'. "It's a pain more than anything, it's a disruption on a very busy week," he said. NI Water has apologised for any inconvenience and has urged customers to contact Waterline on 03457 440088 or go to its website for further updates.
Disruption caused by burst water pipes in Belfast city centre has ended.
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The 25-year-old Spain international joined the Potters from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee in July 2014. Bojan, who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury, has scored 10 goals in 41 games for Stoke. Chief executive Tony Scholes said: "Bojan has made no secret of the fact that he now regards Stoke as his home in a football sense." Bojan said: "I am very happy and motivated. Stoke City gave me the opportunity to play in the most competitive league in the world, and I have only words of gratitude for their trust and for the way they have treated me. "Mark Hughes convinced me to come to Stoke, he has helped me and showed his trust in me from the beginning. "He followed closely the recovery process from my injury and there is no doubt I have signed an extension of my contract thanks to him."
Stoke City forward Bojan Krkic has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League club.
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A study in the International Journal of Obesity found energy used at rest was 25% lower in 15-year-olds compared with when they were 10 - a fall of 500 calories a day. This is equivalent to cutting out an hour's strenuous exercise every day. The study said the findings were unexpected but could help explain why a lot of teenagers put on excess weight. Most of the energy people burn is just to keep their bodies ticking over - using the brain, heart, liver and kidneys - rather than through physical activity. In a decade-long study following 279 children, researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School were surprised to find the number of calories the children burned at rest fell sharply during puberty. This is a period of rapid growth, which usually uses up lots of calories, but it was only around the age of 16 that the number of calories burned at rest started to rise again. During puberty there was also a noticeable drop in physical exercise, particularly among girls, which could add to weight gain, the researchers said. About a third of school children aged 10-11 in England are overweight or obese. Prof Terry Wilkin, from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Child obesity and associated diabetes are both among the greatest health challenges of our time. "Our findings can explain why teenagers gain excess weight in puberty, and it could help target strategies accordingly." Prof Simon Capewell, vice-president of the Faculty of Public Health, said the findings showed there was an even greater need to improve children's diets and protect them from junk food and sugary drinks. "Adolescents sitting around using their smartphones and iPads are being bombarded with junk food marketing - while using even fewer calories than we previously thought. "Last month's government strategy on childhood obesity confirmed the duty on sugary drinks, but was otherwise a disastrous missed opportunity. "We need much tougher regulation around the marketing of junk food to children - particularly on TV and online."
A sharp drop in calories burned off while resting during adolescence could be contributing to the rise in obesity.
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The Leinster full-back damaged his bicep towards the end of Saturday's 63-10 win over Italy in Rome. The Irish Independent has reported that the injury could require surgery and Kearney is set to miss this week's three-day training camp in Monaghan. Ireland have declined to comment on the extent of the injury but will issue an update on the situation on Friday. The 30-year-old is in a race to be fit for the matches against France, Wales and England. Simon Zebo is the most likely candidate to assume the number 15 jersey should Kearney be missing, with Ulster's fit-again Andrew Trimble coming on to the wing. Robbie Henshaw is set to train this week despite suffering a dead leg. The centre was forced to retire hurt with the injury against the Italians but is likely to join the Irish squad when they get together on Wednesday. Flanker Peter O'Mahony, who was not considered for Ireland's opening two Six Nations games because of a hamstring injury, trained with Munster on Monday, but will not play for the province against the Ospreys on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jamie Heaslip has agreed a new contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union, which will see him continue to play for Leinster and Ireland until the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. The 33-year-old number eight has won 93 caps for Ireland, scoring 13 tries and has started 36 of Ireland's last 41 Test matches.
Rob Kearney could be ruled out of the remainder of Ireland's Six Nations campaign with an arm injury.
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The apprenticeship levy, pensions auto-enrolment and a new higher minimum wage have increased business costs. The BCC's annual workforce survey interviewed some 1,400 businesses. The trade body wants the government to ensure no new upfront costs or taxes are imposed on businesses for the remainder of this Parliament. The changes to employment legislation were designed to help improve wages and prospects for workers, but the BCC is concerned that high employment costs will have a negative impact on employees. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that the National Living Wage will increase to £8.75 per hour by 2020. "Higher employment costs impact on the bottom line and reduce the resources available to invest in the business and its people," said Jane Gratton, the BCC's head of business environment and skills. "Our survey shows that two-thirds of businesses will need to take action in response to proposed increases in the National Living Wage over the next three years. Firms are most likely to respond by raising prices or adjusting employee pay growth and wider benefits. "There comes a point at which rising employment costs can no longer be absorbed through reduced profits." The survey found that: To deal with minimum wage increases: "Employment is just one element of the high upfront cost of doing business in the UK," said Ms Gratton. "It is the cumulative impact of all of these changes, and the pace at which they are being introduced, that causes the greatest concern and poses the biggest risk. "There is little scope for firms to absorb any further costs without there being damaging effects on competitiveness, growth and opportunities for people in the workforce. "The government must ensure that there are no upfront further costs or taxes on businesses and entrepreneurs for the remainder of this parliament."
Four out of five UK businesses have seen costs rise because of changes in employment legislation, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) reports.
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Wenger's side have developed an unwanted reputation for failing to win the league from promising positions. However, he believes Arsenal are better placed now as there is no squad unrest. "When we went into April in 2010, some of the players were tapped up to go somewhere else and it was difficult to maintain the focus," he said. "That's not the case at the moment." Arsenal - who are five points behind leaders Leicester going into Sunday's game at Manchester United - last won the Premier League in 2004, when they went through the 38-game campaign without defeat. They were runners-up to Chelsea the following season, and have finished either third or fourth every year since. A number of significant challenges for the title in the last 12 years have failed to bring the Premier League trophy to the club. In February 2008, they were five points clear of Manchester United with 12 games left, but were derailed by a 2-2 draw at Birmingham in which striker Eduardo suffered a bad leg break and captain William Gallas remained sitting on the pitch at full-time in a public show of anger. Two seasons later, Wenger's side were top of the table with seven matches to play, but won only two of those games and finished third. They were in a strong position to push Manchester United in 2010/11, but began to crumble in February as they let slip a four-goal lead in drawing 4-4 at Newcastle, and ended up dropping from second place to fourth. And two seasons ago, Arsenal were top in early February, but a 5-1 defeat at Liverpool began a run of just two wins in nine matches, and they again ended in fourth place. "What is different is that at that time we were losing momentum," Wenger said. "This time it's the opposite. "Also we were very young at that time, with the famous incident with Gallas at Birmingham. And the mood of some players was more to get the next contract somewhere else than to win the championship because at the time we had to sell our players. "Now we do not have that problem. All the players are focused and want to win and have great solidarity. It's down to showing how good we are. The psychological situation is completely different today than it was in 2010. "In 2010, I would say we lost it because the spirit was not exactly what it should be because of individual tap ups. At the moment, on the spirit front we are all right."
Some of Arsenal's recent Premier League title challenges have been damaged by their players being approached by other clubs, manager Arsene Wenger says.
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Michael Ryan made the comments in an interview with the Bloomberg financial news service. In October, the Quebec state government pumped $1bn (£655m) into a partnership set up to complete the CSeries. The wings for the CSeries are made in Northern Ireland. "The quid pro quo was that final assembly and marketing would stay in Quebec, but that was all," Mr Ryan said. The CSeries will employ at least 800 people in Belfast at full production, out of 5,500 in total. Mr Ryan told Bloomberg that the Northern Ireland plant had skills in composite manufacturing that made it a world leader in wing production, safeguarding its status. The development of the narrow-bodied CSeries passenger plane has placed a major strain on Bombardier's finances. The project has been repeatedly delayed, is over-budget and orders have been slow.
The manager of Bombardier's Northern Ireland operation has said the Canadian bailout of the firm's CSeries project poses no threat to the Belfast plant.
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4 October 2016 Last updated at 10:16 BST They've have been answering your questions about the animals and the threat they're under because of the ivory trade. Hear what they have to say...
Jenny's been to meet some school children in South Africa who live near to nature reserves with elephants in.
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Edison Cavani opened the scoring from the penalty spot on Saturday, with 18-year-old Jonathan Ikone doubling PSG's lead before half-time. Lucas Moura and teenager Odsonne Edouard completed the rout in the second half at the StubHubCenter. The Foxes face Barcelona next in the competition in Stockholm on Wednesday. Claudio Ranieri's side, who start their Premier League campaign at Hull City on 13 August, beat Celtic 6-5 on penalties in their first International Champions Cup game last week. Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.
Premier League winners Leicester City suffered a 4-0 loss to French champions Paris St-Germain in the International Champions Cup in Los Angeles.
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There are 59 cameras covering public areas in Rhyl, 18 in Prestatyn and four in Rhuddlan, all linked to a control room in Rhyl police station. Funding for council staff to monitor camera footage 24 hours a day ends in March, saving £200,000 in 2016/17. Cameras will still run, but footage will not be monitored, and a consultation on job losses has begun. The plans will be discussed at a Denbighshire council meeting next week and the present service is due to end on 31 October.
CCTV camera footage from Denbighshire towns will no longer be monitored by operators in a money-saving scheme.
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The position became vacant after Angus Robertson lost his seat in the general election. Ian Blackford, Joanna Cherry, Tommy Sheppard and Drew Hendry have all confirmed their candidacy. They were all first elected in 2015. The party said its new Westminster group leader would be announced on Wednesday evening. The SNP won the general election in Scotland, despite losing 21 seats. They will start the new parliament with 35 MPs. Mr Robertson lost his Moray constituency seat to the Conservatives' Douglas Ross after Thursday's vote.
Four SNP MPs have said they are hoping to be the party's next leader at Westminster.
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Students from Wales will be able to claim up to £4,954 in grants and borrow the rest, wherever they study. The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Diamond report into higher education and student finance. One senior academic has warned that Welsh universities could become "second rate" if they could not increase fees. Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: "This decision gives certainty for those who want to go to university for the academic year 2017/18, giving people the option to study where they choose, including in England where tuition fees are set to increase." Currently, students from Wales pay the first £3,900 of their annual tuition fees, with the Welsh Government paying up to £5,100. As well as the tuition fee grant and loans, Ms Williams announced a means-tested maintenance grant of up to £5,161. She has argued that living costs are a bigger barrier than tuition fees to poorer students going to university. The UK government linked its permission for higher fees at English universities to better teaching, with the new maximum of £9,250 possibly increasing by inflation in future years. In August, Swansea University vice-chancellor Prof Richard Davies warned higher education in Wales risked becoming "second rate" if colleges could not increase their fees as in England. Responding to Friday's announcement, he claimed there had not been "enough time for the Welsh Government to look at this properly since the announcement in England". "I hope they find some way of allowing for inflation," he added. The National Union of Students president Fflur Elin welcomed the news. She said: "We want to ensure that students from all backgrounds can access high quality courses. The cost of the courses should not be a barrier." Welsh Conservatives education spokesman, Darren Millar AM, said: "We welcome the move towards means-tested maintenance grants and the anchoring of tuition fee costs."
Welsh university tuition fees will be pegged at £9,000 next year despite colleges in England being given the go-ahead to charge up to £9,250.
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The Co Wicklow fighter beat Victoria Torres of Mexico on a unanimous decision to make the semi-finals. All four semi-finalists in Kazakhstan qualify for August's Olympics. Middleweight Savannah Marshall became the 10th British boxer to book a place in Brazil by outpointing Chinese third seed Li Qian in her quarter-final bout. Taylor, 29, who is guaranteed at least a bronze medal, impressed in Tuesday's quarter-final with a clinical display and is aiming for a sixth world title. The Bray boxer beat Agnes Alexiusson of Sweden and Argentina's Dayana Sanchez in Astana before prevailing against Torres over four rounds. Taylor was surprisingly beaten in the Olympic qualifier in Turkey last month. Azerbaijan's Yana Alekseevna handed Taylor her first defeat in five years at the European Olympic qualifiers to leave the five-time world champion still seeking Rio qualification. Alekseevna's victory in Samsun was Taylor's first defeat in 63 contests. Meanwhile, Marshall, 25, will next face Dutch fighter Nouchka Fontijn for a place in the final. Compatriot Nicola Adams kept on track for the first world gold of her career as she squeezed through against Yu-Ting Lin of Chinese Taipei in their flyweight bout. Adams, who has already qualified for the Olympics, goes up against home favourite Ahaina Shekerbekova on Thursday, and knows she will not have to fight big rival Ren Cancan, who withdrew with food poisoning. Great Britain's Sandy Ryan missed out on a world medal in the non-Olympic light-welterweight division as she lost on a unanimous decision to China's Wenlu Yang.
London 2012 gold medallist Katie Taylor will defend her lightweight title in Rio after securing an Olympic Games berth at the World Championships.
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The 29-year-old England international has not made a final decision, but is understood to favour extending his time at the King Power Stadium. Arsenal made a reported bid of £20m for Vardy, activating a release clause in his contract and offering him a deal reported to be worth £120,000 a week. Leicester responded with an offer said to be worth £100,000. Arsenal do not plan to improve their offer and are thought to be pursuing alternative options. Vardy, who joined Leicester from non-league Fleetwood Town for £1m in 2012, signed a three-year deal in February, and the Foxes' new offer would extend that into a fourth year. Arsenal's offer was a three-year contract with the option of a fourth. Vardy, whose tally of 24 league goals last season was bettered only by Tottenham's Harry Kane, is currently with the England squad at Euro 2016. The Gunners asked Vardy to give them an answer before he flew to France, but he wanted to focus on the competition.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is set to reject an offer to join Arsenal and stay with the Premier League champions.
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Allen left the Swans for Liverpool in 2012 but his time at Anfield has been hampered by injuries. The 24-year-old played in his side's 1-0 win at Swansea and Taylor said: "I've always known he was a great player, we know in Wales what a good player he is. "He just needed to be fit. He's a key player and he's in great form." Taylor added: "He's had problems with injuries which he couldn't have helped, like when he got smashed in Andorra. Allen has just over two years left on his current Liverpool deal but revealed he has opened talks with the club. He has been in impressive form for Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool side of late and Taylor says Allen goes about his role in a quiet and effective manner. "Unless you are a real football person and know the game and see the game like we do, because we're in it, then you may not see the nuts and bolts that Joe does so well," left-back Taylor added. "It's massive. Look at Leon [Britton] down here over the years, he doesn't spray the passes like [Steven] Gerrard but the nuts and bolts to make your team tick, that's what Joe does. "That's why Brendan took him there for a lot of money." Allen and Taylor are set to be included in Wales' squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel in Haifa on 28 March. Wales manager Chris Coleman will announce the squad on Wednesday with his unbeaten Wales side facing the Group B leaders. "We all want to be in the team and we all want to qualify," Taylor added. "These next few games are massive towards that. They're all big but now we feel we've really got a chance and we don't want to let that go."
Midfielder Joe Allen is showing the form that earned him a move to Liverpool, says former Swansea City team-mate Neil Taylor.
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BT is paying the money to Deutsche Telekom and Orange to avoid legal action over the issue. The two companies now hold stakes in BT as a consequence of the deal that saw them sell the EE mobile network to the UK company. The charge led to BT's first-quarter profits falling 42% to £418m. In January, BT wrote down the value of its Italian unit by £530m after it said it had uncovered years of "inappropriate behaviour". It said it had found evidence of improper accounting practices, leading to "the overstatement of earnings in our Italian business over a number of years". The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the UK's accountancy watchdog, is investigating the auditing of BT's financial statements for the years 2015-17. Separately, BT announced that Marc Allera had been appointed as chief executive of its combined BT consumer business, while Cathryn Ross - currently chief executive of Ofwat - will become its new director of regulatory affairs.
Profits at telecoms group BT have fallen after it took a £225m charge related to its Italian accounting scandal.
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BBC News NI will provide audiences with its most extensive election coverage to date on our news website. Users will be able to follow live feeds of what is happening in their own constituencies, with stage by stage results for every seat. Live streams across all 18 battlegrounds will deliver the latest audio, video and news updates from the count centres. Also on our news website we'll have Northern Ireland-wide results, infographics and analysis from BBC News NI's team of political correspondents; social media updates from every count; and we will stream audio and video feeds of our television and radio output to ensure no election action is missed. As well as our website coverage, special live programming will start on BBC One NI at 14:30 BST on Friday, 6 May and continue throughout the day as results start to come in. Coverage will move to BBC Two NI from 19:00 to 22:00 BST, before returning to BBC One NI from 22:35 BST. The election results breakdown coverage will continue on Saturday, 7 May from 10:30 BST. From 14:00-22:00 BST on Friday, May 6 and 10:00 to 13:00 BST on Saturday, 7 May, BBC Radio Ulster will bring listeners news and analysis on all the latest election results and hear the action from the constituency count centres. On Friday, 6 May, Radio Foyle will feature an election special from 16:00-22:00 BST, co-presented by Enda McClafferty at the count centre in Londonderry and Elaine McGee in the BBC Radio Foyle studio. On 8 May, an hour-long special Sunday News at 13:00 BST, will bring listeners all the latest election news. "BBC News NI reporters will be at every count to bring you the results as they come in and, for the first time, you will be able to follow the stages of every count on BBC News NI Online," Kathleen Carragher, head of BBC News NI, said. "We'll also have political reaction and analysis from the politicians themselves and from commentators. And the audience can, of course, join the debate through texting and social media."
With the assembly election now upon us, BBC News NI 's multi-platform coverage will be bringing you all the results as soon as they come in.
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Bed Bahadur Sunuwar was one of more than 150 local and foreign runners in the race, which began at Nepal's base camp. The annual run marks the anniversary of the first summit of the peak by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953. The winner completed the race, which ended about 2,000 metres further down the slopes, in four hours and 10 seconds. "The route is very challenging but amazing too. I feel proud to be the winner," the 29-year-old man said. Around 30 local runners were joined by about 130 from around the world, including the UK, US, China and Australia. A Nepali man was also the winner in 2015. This is the first climbing season on Everest after two seasons hit by disasters - an avalanche that killed 16 mountain guides in 2014, and a fatal earthquake in 2015. The 2016 season has not been without tragedy though, with several deaths from altitude sickness during a particularly busy period on the peak. On Friday, officials announced they had found the body of an Indian climber on the upper slopes, taking the season's death toll to four.
A Nepali soldier has won the world's highest marathon on Mount Everest.
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Drifters was made in 1929 by acclaimed Scottish documentary-maker John Grierson. It shows fishermen harvesting shoals of herring off Scotland's east coast. East London-born sound artist Jason Singh will provide vocal sound effects during screenings of the film in Lerwick, Helmsdale and Anstruther. The tour, called Following the Fleet, is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and also by Film Hub Scotland, which is part of the British Film Institute's Film Audience Network. Between 31 August and 18 September, the film and performances will be held at venues in Baltasound and Lerwick on Shetland, Stromness on Orkney, Helmsdale in Sutherland, Aberdeen and Anstruther. Singh, who will also deliver workshops on beatboxing and other sound effects for secondary school pupils at the venues, said: "I'm really excited about the Following The Fleet tour. "I am keen to see what people will make of a live beatboxed score to a silent film. "I'm also really looking forward to running workshops as it will give people the opportunity to explore their own voices in new ways and it will also give me the chance to meet, share and explore with new communities and cultures."
A silent film made 87 years ago about Scottish herring fishermen is shown at venues across Scotland accompanied by performances by a beatboxer.
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The WDBS was launched this week to give more people with disabilities the opportunity to play cue sports. The first event will take place on 28 and 29 November at the South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester. Five different disability classification groups will participate at the tournament. The WDBS has been set up under the auspices of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, with help from the English Federation of Disability Sport. "We are delighted to announce the tournament and are sure it will be a great success," said WDBS chairman Nigel Mawer. "We encourage anyone eligible to take part regardless of their snooker standard. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet others, get free coaching, and compete in a competitive environment."
The first tournament staged by the new World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) body will take place in Gloucester in November.
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Hammersmith and Fulham council's planning committee have backed plans to demolish the current 41,600-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium. The plans include a walkway from the nearby District Line station. "We are grateful that planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of our historic home," Chelsea said in a statement. "The committee decision does not mean that work can begin on site. This is just the latest step, although a significant one, that we have to take before we can commence work, including obtaining various other permissions." London Mayor Sadiq Khan will have the final say on whether Chelsea can build their new stadium. The new stadium has been designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron, who were also responsible for the "Birds Nest" Olympic stadium in Beijing. The proposals could mean owner Roman Abramovich has to find a temporary home for the current Premier League leaders for up to three years, with both Twickenham Stadium and Wembley Stadium being looked at as possible options. Chelsea might, however, struggle to use Wembley as north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur will occupy the national stadium for at least the 2017-18 football season as work finishes on Spurs' own new 61,000-capacity stadium. Chelsea could stay at Stamford Bridge while the work takes place but this is thought to be the most expensive option. Mr Abramovich has wanted to increase capacity at Chelsea on match days for a number of years. He previously attempted to buy Battersea Power Station with a view to redeveloping the site into a new stadium, ultimately losing out to property developers who are currently building luxury apartments at the site. Ten years ago Arsenal built the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium, last summer West Ham moved to the 57,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, and Spurs are currently redeveloping their White Hart Lane ground. The current 41,663-capacity Stamford Bridge is the seventh biggest stadium used by a Premier League team, well behind Manchester United's 76,000-seater stadium at Old Trafford.
Chelsea Football Club have been given permission by the local council to build a new £500m 60,000-seat stadium.
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Police Scotland said the emergency services were alerted to the incident at about 13:00. A coastguard helicopter and lifeboat joined rescue teams looking for the man. A post on the RNLI Montrose Lifeboat Facebook page said it had been stood down at 18:20 "due to failing light".
A major search is under way for a man believed to have fallen from cliffs at Arbroath in Angus.
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9 July 2017 Last updated at 14:27 BST The How To Train Your Dragon author gave Martin some great writing and reading tips ready for the summer!
Martin's behind the scenes at CBBC's Summer Social and caught up with author Cressida Cowell.
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The Committee on Standards in Public Life is rewriting its guidelines on potential conflicts of interests. It wants to know what the "reasonable limits" should be and whether they should be different for ministers and backbench MPs. It comes after controversy over George Osborne's jobs in banking, public speaking and journalism. The Conservative MP for Tatton, in Cheshire, will take up his new role as editor of the London Evening Standard on 2 May, according to sources at the newspaper. Within 24 hours he will head off to Paris to address hedge fund managers and investors, according to the Press Association. Standards committee chairman Lord Bew said: "We welcome views from the public and any interested parties on these issues. "For example, what factors should be taken into account in determining the 'reasonable limits' on MPs' outside interests and is the current level of transparency sufficient?" The consultation will run until Friday, 28 April. The committee's findings of the review will be reported to the Commons Committee on Standards' review of the Code of Conduct for MPs in June.
An ethics watchdog want to know what the public thinks about MPs having second jobs.
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UK Steel says rising competition and falling prices are damaging firms. The call for action comes days after Thai steel firm SSI halted production at its Teesside plant due to falling demand, putting 2,000 jobs at risk. Among other measures, UK Steel wants the government to lower business rates and relax emissions targets. In a statement it said: "The UK steel sector is vital to the success of manufacturing, employing 30,000 well-paid and highly skilled people, often in areas with higher-than-average unemployment. "In 2013 it made a £9.5bn contribution to the UK economy and had a £4.9bn export value." John Park from the Community trade union told the BBC that it was having trouble getting through to the company's management in Thailand. "A lot of the things that are happening at SSI are decisions that are being taken thousands of miles away," he said. "I'm not sure they know themselves exactly what the solution looks like. We would hope that we can find a positive solution to this situation that secures steelmaking on Teesside and supports the community." During its conference in London on Thursday, UK Steel is expected to outline a number of steps which the government can take in the short-term to "demonstrate its commitment to the UK steel industry". UK Steel, which is part of the manufacturing trade body EEF, is urging the government to encourage the use of British-produced steel in major infrastructure projects. It also asked the government to consider relaxing rules on emissions targets for manufacturers - which UK Steel said would cost the steel industry £500m by 2019. A spokesperson for UK Steel told the BBC that the government's business rates are much higher than competitors' in France and Germany - sometimes up to 10 times higher. UK Steel also said that bills for industries heavily reliant on energy usage were too high and that a review of these rates - announced in the Budget - should be brought forward. The call comes days after business minister Anna Soubry said that, because of strict EU rules, the government is "limited" in what it can do to help the ailing Teesside steel plant owned by SSI . About 2,000 jobs are under threat and unions say they have not been told what the current pause in production means. Contractors who supply workers and equipment to the site have been seen withdrawing their property. On Wednesday, Stockton South MP James Wharton told the BBC: "At this stage things are still ongoing. Things are very very difficult, I don't want to give false hope about the challenges that are before us for this company. "
UK steel manufacturers will urge the government to take steps to protect the industry in the face of what they describe as a "perfect storm".
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The SEP V fund will invest up to £20m in growth-stage technology businesses based mainly in the UK and Ireland. It will also play "an active and supportive role" in their development. SEP said investments in companies in other European countries would also be considered. According to SEP, the fund was over-subscribed and closed above target. SEP managing partner Calum Paterson said: "This is another great milestone for us and reflects extremely well on the calibre of our team. "The new fund gives us a very strong platform to continue to invest in companies with world-class potential and we thank all of our investors for their support." SEP portfolio companies currently employ more than 5,500 people and have aggregate revenues of more than £1bn. They include Edinburgh-based travel search company Skyscanner and online car finance specialist Zuto, which is based in Manchester. Non-UK companies in the portfolio include Berlin-based language learning company Babbel and Dublin-based e-commerce analytics company Clavis Insight. SEP has 45 partners and employees across its Glasgow, London and Edinburgh offices.
Glasgow-based venture capital firm Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has raised £260m for a new fund that will focus on high-growth technology companies.
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Find out how you can submit your images and videos below. If you have a picture you'd like to share, email us at [email protected], post it on Facebook or tweet it to @BBCEngland. You can also find us on Instagram - use #englandsbigpicture to share an image there. You can also see a recent archive of pictures on our England's Big Picture board on Pinterest. When emailing pictures, please make sure you include the following information: Please note that whilst we welcome all your pictures, we are more likely to use those which have been taken in the past week. If you submit a picture, you do so in accordance with the BBC's Terms and Conditions. In contributing to England's Big Picture you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material in any way that we want, and in any media worldwide. It's important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to England's Big Picture, and that if your image is accepted, we will publish your name alongside. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws collecting any kind of media.
Each day we feature a photograph sent in from across England.
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Charlie Webster, 33, who has worked for Sky and ITV, became unwell after watching the Olympic opening ceremony. She remains in intensive care but doctors have said they are "very happy with Charlie's neurological results". Her mother said: "The fact Charlotte is now conscious is amazing." Ms Webster is being kept on dialysis as her kidneys are not responding to treatment and is being supported by a respirator. Her mother said in a statement that she had been able to speak to her family. "Charlotte knows she nearly died," she said. "She mouthed to me earlier, 'look at all the machines keeping me alive'. "Charlotte is really strong but as the doctors keep reminding me, everyone heals differently. "I am just so thankful that she's able to communicate with us again. "It's been the worst imaginable time - we have been beside ourselves with worry but the fact Charlotte is now conscious is amazing. "Knowing Charlotte, the thing she'll be most annoyed about is that she's missed the Olympics." Her management said that she managed to say to her mother, "I can't believe you have been here all week", and later, "Have you been to the beach?" A spokeswoman for the presenter said: "Charlie's family and friends have been incredibly touched by the overwhelming support and love shown to Charlie today. "Their main focus now is for Charlie to be stable enough to fly back to the UK." The former Sky Sports News presenter was admitted to hospital after becoming unwell while watching the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on August 5. Doctors initially believed she was dehydrated after the bike ride but her condition deteriorated. On 9 August she wrote on Twitter: "I'm getting there... awful few days with serious infection #Rio." Two days later she fell unconscious and was placed into a coma. The Ride to Rio left the UK on 27 June, with Ms Webster and her colleagues cycling 90 miles a day with only one rest day each week before arriving at the Maracana stadium on 4 August. It marked the 10th anniversary of a cycle ride undertaken by charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson before her death. Mrs Tomlinson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000 and died in 2007 after raising almost £2m for charity.
A television sports presenter who contracted malaria in Rio following a 3,000-mile charity cycle ride has been brought out of her medically induced coma, her manager has said.
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Moses, 25, starred as Nigeria clinched the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, but his search for consistency on the international scene has been hampered by a series of niggling injuries. His last Super Eagles appearance was in the 2-0 loss to France at the 2014 World Cup but he insists his commitment to Nigeria should not be questioned. Unfortunately, I have not been able to play due to injuries but I have an unwavering commitment to Nigeria "I'm proud of being a Nigerian international and am always committed to playing for my country," Moses told BBC Sport. "It's the best feeling representing your country and I always want to perform and give 100% for the team. "Unfortunately, I have not been able to play due to injuries but I have an unwavering commitment to Nigeria." Moses' debut and last international appearance came under Stephen Keshi, who was fired after the country failed to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup. Keshi's successor, Sunday Oliseh, said Moses remains part of his plans despite pulling out of crucial friendlies against DR Congo and Cameroon last October. Oliseh's comments were a timely boost for fit-again Moses who has played in West Ham's last five matches after recovering from a hamstring injury. "There is a new manager and the team has been doing well but without me," said Moses, who misses the involvement. "I'm prepared to give it my all and fight for a place on a regular basis, that's my aim. "This is football, a competitive stage and I have to fight hard to get in but I don't mind doing that." Former Crystal Palace and Wigan player Moses joined Chelsea in August 2012, but has spent the past two seasons on loan. Moses, who also had loan spells at Liverpool in 2013-14 and Stoke last season, moved to West Ham on loan in September 2015 after signing a new four-year deal with his parent club. At international level, he committed himself to Nigeria despite having represented England at junior levels, up to the Under-21 team.
West Ham winger Victor Moses has reiterated his commitment to Nigeria after he was accused by fans and local media in Nigeria of putting club before country.
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In some hotels featured by the Fifa-appointed agency Match, room rates will be up to five times higher during the tournament, a recent study suggests. The board fears that "stratospheric" costs could damage the country's image. The World Cup opening match will be on 12 June 2014, in Sao Paulo. The board, known as Embratur, said that Match should change its policy of blocking hotel rooms and also called upon the agency to reduce its mark-up rates. "We propose that the companies involved conduct new rounds of negotiations to lead to a restructuring of the prices,'' the board was quoted as saying in a document by the Associated Press news agency. The board claimed: "Fifa/Match charges mark-up rates of more than 40% on the amount contracted with the hotel, something that contributes decisively to the increase of the already high rates." However, Match said that it does not regulate room rates and that prices are set "by the hotel owners and other tourism stakeholders". "As of yet it is totally unclear to Match Services on what criteria Embratur has been comparing rates as we have not been consulted in this matter," AP quoted the agency as saying. It added that if hotels lowered their rates if would "readily pass the benefit of any such reduction to its customers". The World Cup is one of the most popular sporting events and is expected to attract a large number of tourists to the host country. According to Fifa, the 2006 World Cup held in Germany was attended by more than 3.3 million fans - with many of them flying in from all across the world. Fifa is expecting a similar demand for the 2014 World Cup. Brazil's tourism board said that it was concerned that if fans coming from outside the country had to pay excessive prices, it might hurt the country in the long run. "We want to guarantee economic success and a legacy for the country that goes beyond the 2014 World Cup,'' it said. In June, there were widespread protests in Brazil where the high cost of preparations for the World Cup was among the issues raised.
Brazil's tourism board has asked world football governing body Fifa and hotel operators to try to bring down hotel prices – which have reportedly sky-rocketed for the World Cup period.
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Len McCluskey joined Unite members from the Oxford Bus Company on the picket line earlier, and warned seven other bus depots run by the Go Ahead Group could be affected. Drivers have walked out on two separate days angry that they were only paid for three bank holidays over Christmas. Oxford Bus Company said its drivers were among the highest paid anywhere. 'Incredible resolution' Mr McCluskey warned that unless the issue was resolved, bus services in London and other parts of the country could also expect industrial action. He said: "I sincerely hope that the Oxford Bus Company pays heed to the incredible resolution of Unite's members. "They are in no mood to roll over, and they know that they have the full support of their union in their corner. "Unless the company restores facility time and starts treating our members with respect I will have no option but to take this dispute to every Go Ahead depot in the country." But Phil Southall, the managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said it was continuing to run about 90% of services. He added: "This is purely a local issue to Oxford about the Christmas and New Year bank holidays. "We were willing to agree to suspend any legal action, reinstate the recognition agreement and the stand down time at Unite's request if strike action was called off and no further dates announced. "It is becoming clearer that this strike is about Unite the union and not about our drivers' and engineers' best interests." The Go Ahead Group says its operations include eight regional bus companies, one of which is in London, where it provides about 24% of services on behalf of Transport for London.
The leader of England's biggest union has warned that a strike by bus drivers in Oxford over pay could spread.
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Nobbs, 80, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, also wrote for The Two Ronnies, Ken Dodd, Frankie Howerd and Radio 4's The Maltby Collection. The creator of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin also wrote 20 novels. Comedian John Cleese said he was a "lovely kind, gentle man with a delicious sense of humour". He said on Twitter: "Very sad today to hear of the death of David Nobbs. First worked with him on the Frost Report in 1966. "He wrote many top-class shows and books. His masterwork: the Reggie Perrin shows." The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, first broadcast in the 1970s, told the story of a man, played by Leonard Rossiter, desperate to escape his dull marriage, disappointing children and daily grind of his job. The British Humanist Association's chief executive Andrew Copson said: "David Nobbs was a very special talent and we were all honoured to have worked with him over his years as a patron of the BHA." Ricky Gervais, creator of The Office, also paid tribute to Nobbs, by borrowing a catchphrase from the character CJ, played by John Barron, who was Perrin's tyrannical boss. He tweeted: "I didn't get where I am today by not knowing what a genius David Nobbs was. RIP." And Little Britain star Matt Lucas wrote: "Reggie Perrin and A Bit Of A Do were masterpieces. David Nobbs leaves the world a richer place." Author Irvine Welsh, who wrote the novel Trainspotting, said: "Very sad to hear of the death of inspirational David Nobbs, who I had quite a few laughs with. "A comic genius and an excellent human being."
Writer David Nobbs, best known for creating the television character Reginald Perrin, has died, the British Humanist Association has said.
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Cyclists have suffered punctures and pet-owners and runners have been warned to beware along the three-mile (4.8km) route, from Mumbles to the centre of Swansea. The council said the drawing pins, found at several locations, appeared to have been left "deliberately". A spokesman said it was "extremely irresponsible and dangerous". The council warned those planning to use the waterfront over the Easter weekend to be aware. "Some cyclists have already reported punctured tyres because of the drawing pins," the spokesman added. "We are asking members of the public who use the promenade daily to be the 'eyes and ears' of the council and the police by reporting anything suspicious they see on the seafront." Swansea is also organising extra sweeps of the promenade.
A warning has been issued after a stretch of the Swansea Bay promenade was showered with drawing pins.
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The number reaching Greece was 210,265, and for Italy it was 8,129, according to the UNHCR. Many are refugees from Syria. At least 70 people have drowned trying to reach Greek islands in the past week. The bodies of four men were recovered from the Aegean Sea on Monday after their boat sank. Another seven people were missing off the island of Farmakonisi. On Sunday, the bodies of 10 people were recovered from a capsized boat a short distance from Samos. Six of the dead were children and another child's body was found on a beach. This year alone, 3,440 have drowned or have been declared missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, the UN agency says. The International Organization for Migration says more than 400 people died while travelling to Greece. According to the UN, 744,175 have arrived on Europe's shores, the vast majority on Greek islands such as Lesbos and Samos. The pull of Lesbos - five migrant stories from Greece Grief and illness - the hard trip to Samos Europe's migrant crisis - special report Most migrants arrive packed into unseaworthy boats, having paid huge sums to people smugglers. Rough seas have made the crossing from Turkey perilous, and worsening weather conditions appear to have had no effect on the numbers trying to leave. Most head north via the Balkans to Germany, hoping to get asylum. Germany expects at least 800,000 asylum seekers this year - some estimates put it as high as 1.5 million. That is at least four times the number who arrived last year. Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to come to an agreement with her coalition partners on restricting the numbers heading for Germany. Her Christian Social Union (CSU) ally Horst Seehofer is pushing for transit zones to be set up to process arrivals near the country's borders. Mrs Merkel's CDU party backs the idea, however Social Democrat leader Sigmar Gabriel is opposed to the zones amid concerns that they might resemble concentration camps.
A monthly record of 218,394 migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea in October, the UN says, almost as many as the total number of arrivals in 2014.
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Avast carried out the check to coincide with the first day of the Mobile World Congress trade show in the city. In addition, it said it had found more than 470,000 other types of vulnerable smart devices. The firm warned that unsuspecting owners could be spied upon as a consequence. "If webcams are set to livestream for example, hackers or anyone can connect making it easy for cybercriminals to spy on... oblivious school pupils, workers or citizens nearby," said the firm's chief executive Vince Steckler in a statement. "[But] what is far more likely is the possibility of a cyber-crook hijacking an insecure webcam, coffee machine or smart TV to turn it into a bot which, as part of a wider botnet, could be used in co-ordinated attacks on servers to take down major websites." Avast used the connected-objects search engine Shodan to identify the devices. It said to qualify they needed to either: It carried out the study to help promote its own security tools. But another independent expert said he thought the public needed to be aware of the threat. "This research underlines just how easy it is to locate potentially vulnerable 'smart' devices and how they might be compromised," said Ken Munro, from the cybersecurity testing specialists Pen Test Partners. "That's not to say that all internet-connected devices can be easily compromised; for example some more recent kettles, coffee machines and fridges are much harder to hack than earlier models. "But consumers should exercise caution with smart devices. Ask yourself first if you actually need that device, then think about what data it might collect about you and expose. "For example, baby monitors with video and two-way audio would obviously be more concerning than a simple audio-only device."
A leading security company says it has discovered 22,000 hackable internet-connected baby monitors and other types of webcam in Barcelona.
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Mole Valley District Council is consulting on plans to move boundaries to allow the building of up to 2,200 homes over the next 13 years. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has now started a campaign called Save Surrey's Countryside. The council said there was insufficient land available in built-up areas for new homes and other development. Andy Smith, from the Surrey branch of the CPRE, said the group was concerned about development around places like Guildford, Reigate and Leatherhead. "These areas have been built and built over the years," he said. "All these towns have expanded to such an extent we have to say enough is enough." Mole Valley District Council said it was is looking at green belt land around the area's towns and larger villages to see if there was potential for development. John Northcott, the councillor responsible for planning, said: "This consultation document does not identify sites for development or suggest land that could be taken out of the green belt. "Instead it sets out a process for reviewing the green belt boundary and we will use the findings of the consultation to help shape our future work."
A campaign has begun to fight a proposal to remove land from the green belt in Surrey to build housing.
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The 27-year-old has played in two Tests, 48 one-day internationals and 18 Twenty20 matches for Pakistan. Both men were later bailed until April pending further inquiries. Jamshed is among three players who were recently suspended for violating a cricket anti-corruption code. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also suspended Pakistan internationals Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, who are due to appear in front of the board on Wednesday. Jamshed has not commented on the allegations. The spot-fixing allegations relate to the Pakistan Super League - the country's top-flight cricket championship which is held in the United Arab Emirates for security reasons. Khan and Latif play in the Pakistan Super League for current champions Islamabad United. The PCB previously said it was investigating "an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the PSL".
Pakistan batsman Nasir Jamshed was one of two men arrested by the National Crime Agency in Britain on Monday as part of an investigation into cricket corruption, the BBC understands.
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Teams are set to be composed of big-name players and sevens specialists. New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams is already playing full-time sevens but British clubs seem unlikely to release players until shortly before the Games. "It is a very condensed programme and that puts us up against it," said Amor. "The door is open for players from the 15-a-side game to put their hand up but the guys playing on the Sevens World Series, tournament in and tournament out, are in the driving seat." In addition to 2015 Rugby World Cup-winner Williams, global names such as South Africa's Bryan Habana and Australia's Quade Cooper are keen on Olympic spots, while Wales wing George North and England back Danny Cipriani are among the home nations stars to have expressed an interest. However, many of the players on show in Rio are likely to be sevens specialists who only play the abbreviated form of the game and have competed in the Sevens World Series for some time already, England, Wales and Scotland compete separately on the Sevens World Series, but will come together to form a team for the Olympics. And Amor hopes to hear before the end of the year if an application to field a Great Britain team at the second-tier Grand Prix Sevens series in summer 2016 will be approved. The Grand Prix series consisted of three events last year and the 2016 finale will take place at Exeter's Sandy Park on 9-10 July - a month before the Olympic sevens tournament takes place. While World Rugby's regulations state that players must be free to play in the Olympics themselves, clubs are under no such obligations to release their stars for the Sevens World Series, which begins on Friday in Dubai. English side Wasps said in August that they would only allow players such as winger Christian Wade to join up with Great Britain two weeks before the start of the Olympics, in line with Premiership Rugby policy. "We are working to see if there is a way of accessing players at the right time that works for both them and Team GB, while not compromising player performances for their clubs," Amor said. "Ideally we get these players playing at some point on the Sevens World Series, if not then we put them into the Rugby Europe's Grand Prix Series in the summer and see if we can fast track their fitness and game understanding. "It is a nice problem to have - how do we blend those players and teams together, the playing styles, the strengths of the individual players in what will be a short space of time. "There is no nationality quota put in place. The challenges we have are unique and it is about working through them to send the best team we can."
Coach Simon Amor says getting hold of 15-a-side players and integrating them in time for Rio has already put Great Britain's sevens team at a disadvantage ahead of the 2016 Olympics.
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The Iron nearly took the lead when Russell Penn headed Manny Parry's effort off the line. It was one of the few highlights of the first half, and affairs did not spring to life until the hour mark. Jack Midson broke the deadlock for Braintree with a firm header from Reece Hall-Johnson's cross. James Bolton's close-range header was fielded by Sam Beasant as the Tynesiders pushed for an equaliser. McLaughlin eventually provided it five minutes from time, and Gateshead could even have won it a minute later when Jordan Burrow fired wide when in on goal. Report supplied by the Press Association. Match ends, Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Second Half ends, Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Substitution, Braintree Town. Lee Barnard replaces Michael Cheek. Gus Mafuta (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Goal! Gateshead 1, Braintree Town 1. Patrick McLaughlin (Gateshead) converts the penalty with a. Substitution, Gateshead. Gus Mafuta replaces Danny Johnson. Substitution, Gateshead. Luke Hannant replaces Sam Jones. Substitution, Braintree Town. Ebou Adams replaces Chez Isaac. Substitution, Gateshead. Wes York replaces Russell Penn. Goal! Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 1. Michael Cheek (Braintree Town). Substitution, Braintree Town. Reece Hall-Johnson replaces Monty Patterson. Second Half begins Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 0. First Half ends, Gateshead 0, Braintree Town 0. Danny Johnson (Gateshead) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. First Half begins. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Paddy McLaughlin's late penalty salvaged a point for Gateshead as they drew at home with Braintree in the National League.
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Welsh cynghanedd group Carmarthen Bardic School is celebrating its 25th anniversary and hopes to publish a collection of poems written by past members. It has helped train a number of National Eisteddfod winners including Mererid Hopwood, who tutors for the group, and Aneirin Karadog. The lessons are held over a pint at the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Club. Cynghanedd has bee present in Welsh language rhyming since the 6th Century, and developed into a complex set of poetic rules from about the 13th Century. Geraint Roberts, one of the original members, said: "There's a very close correlation between the development of the Welsh language and cynghanedd. "We set homework and that's a critical part of it - going over the homework, looking over mistakes and looking for ways of improving and developing." One of its youngest members, 15-year-old Dafydd Llywelyn, said: "My forefathers learnt this craft and I want to keep the tradition alive."
A group is calling on former members to contribute poems for a new book.
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The firm, which operates services across the West Midlands, said it would now operate up to March 2016. The Department for Transport (DfT) said the process of awarding a contract beyond then had not begun. In March London Midland announced it would shed 150 jobs, while in November it said driver shortages had led to cancelled or delayed services. Figures showed about 20% of its 1,311 daily services were delayed or cancelled throughout October. The firm has said the 150 redundancies would focus on head office and support staff and would not affect services. A DfT spokesman said during the extra six months it would be "working closely with the company to ensure they continue to improve the service they provide to passengers". The process had not yet started of awarding a so-called management contract to run from March 2016 to June 2017, the department said. It added a new franchise was planned to run from June 2017, which also has not yet been awarded.
London Midland has had its franchise extended by six months, the train company has announced.
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The search giant plans to stop allowing ads for loans due within 60 days or with an interest rate of 36% or higher. Google's director of product policy David Graff said: "Our hope is that fewer people will be exposed to misleading or harmful products." Many payday lenders rely on internet searches to generate customers. The Online Lenders Association called Google's move "disappointing". "It's disappointing that a site created to help give users full access to information is making arbitrary choices on the advertisements users are allowed to see from legal businesses," said the group's president, Lisa McGreevy. It is possible Google's move could have more impact on curbing the industry than government regulation. The change takes effect on 13 July. This is not the first time that Google has banned ads from certain industries. Ads for counterfeit goods, weapons, explosives, tobacco products and hate speech are all banned by Google. Payday lenders have bee accused of targeting the poor and trapping them in a cycle of borrowing with high interest rates. These types of loans are often used for unexpected or short-term expenses, such as medical bills, but come with very high interest rates and fees. The change to Google's advertising policy will only affect lenders that fall into the short-term high-interest category. "This change is designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products and will not affect companies offering loans such as mortgages, car loans, student loans, commercial loans, or revolving lines of credit," Mr Graff said. Russell Hamblin-Boone, chief executive of The Consumer Finance Association (CFA) said it was disappointed by the move. "Short term loans are a legal source of credit used by millions of people across the UK, and the industry is highly regulated, with a cap on the total cost of credit," said Russell Hamblin-Boone, the CFA's chief executive. "Under such intense scrutiny the rogue firms have been driven out of the market, and reputable lenders will only lend to people who can afford to borrow."
Google has announced plans to ban ads from so-called payday lenders, in a move the company hopes will limit what it calls a "harmful" industry.
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The ringed bird, known as KL, produced three chicks in the nest at Bassenthwaite near Keswick last year. Two were killed by magpies. She has been joined this year by an unringed male. The Lake District Osprey Project team said they were "delighted", as the birds do not always return to the same nest sites. Project manager Nathan Fox said they were "hopeful for another successful nesting season". The birds have been seen mating since they arrived, having spent the winter in west Africa. Ospreys returned to the Lake District in 2001, after an absence of more than 150 years. They have nested successfully every year, raising nearly 30 chicks. The birds can been seen from specially-created viewpoints and visitors can watch live nest-cam images on screens at Whinlatter visitor centre.
A female osprey has returned to a Lake District nest for the fifth year running.
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The 80 spaces, on top of a gym in Farnborough, Hampshire, were intended to relieve parking pressure in the town centre. But a planned bridge, which would have provided vehicle access, was never built after construction of a second building with a vehicle ramp stalled. The council's chief executive blamed the economic downturn for the delay. Developer, St Modwen admitted there is no timescale for the bridge's completion. Gareth Lyon, Conservative councillor for the town centre area on Rushmoor Borough Council and member of its development management committee, said: "We have a massive problem with car parking in Farnborough. "To have had this huge car park lying empty defies belief. It is ridiculous." A St Modwen spokesman said development was part of a "long-term regeneration project" of Farnborough which had already delivered 185,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and hotel space. Rushmoor Borough Council's chief executive, Andrew Lloyd, told The Independent newspaper St Modwen had rightly decided not to proceed with the development during the economic downturn. "It was right not to proceed until the retail units of the first phase had been let. It wasn't desirable to proceed with void properties in the middle of the recession," he said. He said a shortage of parking spaces was "not a major issue" in the town.
A roof-top car park has lain unused for five years because it can only be accessed on foot, it has been revealed.
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Firefighters were called to the Toys R Us store in Kingsway West Retail Park at 00:34. Seven appliances including an aerial unit tackled the fire in an external canopy at the rear of the building. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the store was heavily smoke-logged as a result, but the fire was extinguished within two hours. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said officers were keen to trace a person seen in the area at the time who was wearing a light-coloured hooded top and dark-coloured trousers or jogging bottoms.
Police in Dundee are investigating whether a major fire at a Dundee toy shop was started deliberately.
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The report also recommends giving newly elected members a guide to London transport to help avoid confusion. Some new MPs said they struggled with Oyster cards - the travel passes used on buses and the Underground - when they arrived at Westminster. The report was produced by the Commons Administration Committee. Newly-elected MPs face the twin challenge of learning the sometimes arcane rules and procedures of the House and finding their feet in London, if they have not lived there before. Martyn Day, one of 56 new SNP MPs elected in 2015, said he initially struggled to get to grips with the city's Oyster card system. "I come from a town where I can pay by cash and get change, but if you do that everybody shouts at you on the bus," said the Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP. The mock debate idea comes from New Zealand's parliament. Parliamentary Clerk Assistant, John Benger, told the committee practice debates, held on a "party-by party" basis could help new members understand some of the more arcane Commons rules and traditions. Labour's Jess Phillips, elected to represent Birmingham Yardley in 2015, told the committee new MPs were often worried about making a mistake in their first weeks. More Commons rules When MPs arrive at Westminster for the first time they gather at a New Members' Reception Area, where they are issued with security passes, IT equipment and access to expenses and travel office accounts. At the last election the Parliamentary authorities launched a "buddy" system which paired up the new arrivals with members of staff who showed them how the place worked. The scheme was judged a success by the administration committee in its report. But the practice of giving MPs lockers in committee rooms and allowing them to "hot desk" while waiting to be given their own office - introduced at the last election - was criticised on data protection grounds. "There is not enough space in the locker after four weeks of correspondence coming in, so correspondence gets left in the committee rooms and, as soon as that happens, the member is breaking the law. It is a problem," said Emily Knight, of the Members' and Peers' Staff Association.
New MPs should take part in mock debates to build up confidence before entering the Commons bear pit, a committee of senior MPs has said.
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Prison Officers Association members will withdraw from voluntary duties, including manning "Tornado" teams which respond to outbreaks of disorder. An overtime ban will also be phased in from April. The government said such action was "unlawful" and it would seek an injunction to stop it happening. From Wednesday, staff are being instructed to withdraw from a range of voluntary roles, which also include working as a first aider or hostage negotiator. However, the POA said its members would respond if lives were at risk. What is going wrong with the prison system? The 'poster child' of super prisons The BBC's home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the planned overtime ban could cause serious problems in jails that are short of staff and struggling to fill vacancies. In a briefing paper seen by the BBC, the union said: "The POA condemns the systematic failure of Noms (National Offender Management Service) to provide safe, decent and secure prisons, failures which have created a prison service in crisis. "More and more members are being assaulted every day, the increase in self-inflicted deaths and daily security breaches are unacceptable and as a result of staff shortfalls and budget cuts." A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said it had made a "good offer" to the union in December, which was endorsed by its leaders, but not members. "We are working hard to retain the invaluable experience within our workforce and want to recognise the expertise and dedication of prison staff," he said. Last week, ministers said pay rises of up to £5,000 would be given to some officers at 31 prisons in London and south-east England with recruitment problems. But the POA said the pay rise had "incensed" its members, many of whom would not benefit. In November, thousands of prison officers staged a 24-hour strike because of health and safety concerns. The High Court ordered the POA to suspend the protest and talks later took place with the government, focusing on pay and pensions. The Ministry of Justice announced last month that the National Offender Management Service would be scrapped and replaced with a new prison and probation service aimed at cutting crime and reforming offenders.
A fresh wave of industrial action will be held in jails in England and Wales in a dispute over pay and pensions, the prison officers' union has said.
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Gray's side had league wins over Coleraine, Portadown and Glentoran in a six-match unbeaten run to give them hope of avoiding relegation. "It shows what a bit of momentum and confidence can do," said Gray after receiving the Football Writers' award. "It reflects what the players have done but we cannot afford to dwell on it." Warrenpoint are three points adrift of one-from-bottom Carrick Rangers, as well as Dungannon Swifts, and their next league match is at home to Ballinamallard United. Gray acknowledged that Town's on-loan signings, like Martin Murray and Johnny McMurray from Cliftonville, had played a significant part in the team's revival. Murray's goals have proved vital as Warrenpoint, who lost 13 games in a row earlier in the season, suddenly transformed their fortunes. "Martin settled in quickly and has been great for us," added Gray. "He has scored goals and has looked a threat. The challenge now is to maintain that."
Warrenpoint Town's Barry Gray has been named manager of the month for January - even though his team are rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table.
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The decision means all working cameras on England's motorways and major trunk roads will be yellow by October next year. Highways England confirmed the plan after ministers ordered a review into speed camera policy this year. There are about 200 camera sites on England's motorways. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "I've always been clear that cameras should be visible and get used for safety rather than revenue raising. "This move is about applying common sense to our roads. Speed cameras should make journeys safer rather than lead to dangerous braking." Grey cameras were first introduced on the M42 near Birmingham in 2006, following the introduction of variable speed limits. Highways England chief executive Jim O'Sullivan said: "We use cameras for safety and traffic management only when other more popular solutions, like engineering, are not adequate to tackle particular problems on our network." The Department for Transport (DfT) said the majority of colour changes will take place during the standard renewal of camera units to minimise costs. Councils and police forces are required to publish information on the safety impact of speed cameras on local roads. DfT guidance states these cameras should be yellow.
Grey speed cameras will be turned yellow in a bid to make them more visible and reduce incidents of sudden braking, the government has announced.
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He defeated Dr Alasdair McDonnell in a vote at the party's annual conference in Armagh by 172 votes to 133. Foyle MLA Mr Eastwood, 32, is the SDLP's youngest member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and becomes the sixth leader of the party. South Belfast MLA Fearghal McKinney has been voted the party's new deputy leader. Mr McKinney received 158 votes, with Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly getting 138. Read more: Colum Eastwood's 10-year rise to SDLP leader After the leadership result was announced, Mr Eastwood paid tribute to Dr McDonnell, who had led the party since 2011. "Alasdair has stretched every fibre of his being for this party," he said. "He is a man who has given the work of two lifetimes for the good of this party and the community he serves." Mr Eastwood also pledged he would work together as a team with Mr McKinney. Under his leadership, he added, the SDLP's "principal conversation" would be "about shaping this country for the next 20, 30 and more years". Among his first tasks as leader will be to make key strategic decisions over continuing negotiations between Northern Ireland's main parties aimed at resolving the current political crisis at Stormont. Dr McDonnell, the MP for South Belfast, told party delegates he had "given his all and a little bit more" during his time at the helm. He added: 'I wish to offer Colum every best wish as he continues, I hope, to renew, regenerate and rebuild the party."
Colum Eastwood is the new leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).
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Swansea have rejected £40m offers from Everton and Leicester for the Iceland international, whom they value at £50m. "You do live in hope that he will stay," Britton told BBC Radio 5 live. "I don't know if it's going to get done. If he does go, it's vitally important to replace him with the same kind of quality." Sigurdsson scored nine goals last season as the Welsh club managed to avoid relegation from the Premier League. The 27-year-old did not travel with Swansea for their tour of the United States and was also left out of Saturday's 2-0 pre-season win at Birmingham City because of the transfer speculation. The Swans are being linked with Las Palmas midfielder Jonathan Viera, who would be a potential replacement should Sigurdsson depart. "It's a difficult one, it has maybe dragged on longer than a lot of people have expected," Britton, 34, said. "Gylfi wasn't in America, he didn't travel with the squad for Birmingham away. When things like that happen you do think that 'yes, the transfer will happen'. "Things do change overnight, maybe Everton move on to another target they think is better value for money, maybe a new target becomes available. "But it would be a massive blow, you can't deny the influence he had on the team. "When you see Gylfi's stats last year you think he would be playing for one of the top-half clubs, he is a big influence at the top end of the pitch. "Unfortunately at the kind of club we're at, when the biggest teams come calling it is hard to keep him."
Leon Britton says Swansea City must invest in their playing squad if his fellow midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson leaves the club.
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The development was announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to the yard on Monday. She said the contract would create new jobs at Ferguson and secure employment for the existing 150-strong workforce. The yard went bust a year ago, but was taken over by entrepreneur Jim McColl who plans to invest up to £65m. The deal, when finalised, will see the Ferguson yard build two vessels for the Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd's (CMAL) fleet. Ms Sturgeon said: "This is an excellent result for Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited and I am delighted to name them as preferred tenderer for the contract to build two new ferries, the largest commercial vessels to be built on the Clyde since 2001. "This contract will see the 150-strong workforce retained and more staff taken on at the shipyard, underlining our commitment to creating the vital jobs needed to boost local economies and help stimulate growth across Scotland. "The Scottish government is committed to supporting ferry users around Scotland by providing safe and reliable services, and this is the latest step to ensuring we have a fleet that continues to deliver for the communities that depend on it."
The Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow has been named as the preferred bidder for a £97m contract to build two ferries to operate in Scotland.
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The London Taxi Company has secured a deal with Ujra Holding Company for 200 black taxis after it initially ordered 200 in assorted colours. Chinese car maker Geely bought the company, formerly known as LTI, for £11.4m in October, when the former owners went into administration. The United Arab Emirates has also ordered 200 black taxis. The company said all vehicles are on target for delivery by the end of the year. On his return from Saudi Arabia, Peter Johansen, vice president of the London Taxi Company, said the cabs are growing in popularity in the Middle East. He said: "We've got a very good business partner in the Middle East and he's developed the London Taxi concept into Riyadh in particular. "People prefer to use our taxis over the local taxis because they're more comfortable and, in particular, in Saudi women are treated slightly differently from the west… "Because our taxi provides a segregated compartment, separate from the driver, ladies in Saudi are allowed to use our taxis on their own, whereas they're not allowed to use the local taxis." The company has also confirmed it is in talks with Azerbaijan which currently owns 1,000 damson-coloured black cabs. In March, the London Taxi Company said it would take on about 100 staff, in addition to its 107 workers, to restart production at the Coventry factory on Holyhead Road. About 156 people lost their jobs when former owners Manganese Bronze Holdings went into administration.
A Coventry-based black taxi manufacturer is to sell 400 cabs to Saudi Arabia.
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Chris Grayling told MPs it wouldn't be "sensible" to spend taxpayers money on translation facilities but said the government might review the ban if a new MP couldn't speak English. He was responding to a call from his Labour shadow, Chris Bryant, who suggested MPs could be allowed to speak Welsh during meetings of the Welsh grand committee. Mr Bryant asked him: "I understand that the language of this House is English but Welsh is the mother tongue of many of my compatriots and constituents so is it not time we allowed Welsh in the Welsh grand committee?" Mr Grayling replied: "I have given this careful thought. In my judgement, given the fact that English is the language of this House and given the fact it would cost taxpayers' money to make a change at this moment in time, if somebody arrives in this House who cannot speak English we may need to look at this issue again but I think we have considered this issue very carefully and we should retain the situation where English is the language of this House." MPs have been able to speak Welsh when the Welsh grand committee (made up of all MPs from Wales) has met in Wales and the Welsh affairs select committee (made up of 11 elected MPs) has taken evidence in Welsh at Westminster. Mr Grayling's comments annoyed Cynon Valley Labour MP Ann Clwyd, who told him: "Can I remind you that some of us took the oath in joining this House in both English and Welsh and I'd ask you to look again at the proposal to use Welsh in the Welsh grand committee? Some of us did not speak English until we were aged five and most of us are now bilingual but nevertheless the Welsh language and its status is very important." He told her: "Of course I do absolutely understand the need to protect the Welsh language and indeed across different administrations over the last generation extensive steps have been taken to protect the Welsh language, to make it very much a part of routine life in Wales. "My question to you really is: at a time of financial pressure, is it really sensible for us to be spending taxpayers' money in a House where the prime language, the main language, the official language is English, when we have members of this House who are able to talk in that language? As long as that is the case, I have considered it carefully but I don't believe we should change things." Discuss.
The leader of the House of Commons has rejected calls from MPs to overturn a ban on speaking Welsh at Westminster.
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Phillip Chiyangwa, the chairman of Cosafa - the Council of Southern African Football Associations - has called for a meeting with other African FA chairmen in Harare in Zimbabwe on 24 February. In a letter sent by Caf on behalf of president Issa Hayatou, the governing body tells Cosafa "you do not have any authority to convene such a meeting, without Caf knowledge nor without its required approval". It adds: "Convening a meeting with representatives of many member associations outside Cosafa zone is deemed to represent an attempt to destabilise Caf. "We draw your attention to the obligation of all zonal unions to respect the authority of Caf, and not to conduct in any activities that undermine the common objectives of Caf, for the benefit of African football development. "The Caf Executive Committee reserves it rights to sanction any infringement to the Caf statutes." Caf's warning comes shortly after Cosafa announced it had unanimously endorsed Ahmad Ahmad as a presidential candidate in upcoming Caf elections. Ahmad, currently the head of Madagascar's FA, had already outlined his intention to challenge long-standing Caf leader Hayatou in March's elections in Ethiopia. Hayatou is seeking an eight term in office. Chiyangwa has already sent a reply to Caf's warning, writing "I was taken aback, to say the least, by the tone of your letter and the clear insinuation that such a gathering between presidents of member associations on the African continent would be considered, outrightly, as an attempt to destabilise Caf". He adds that Caf's statutes "promote friendly relations between National Associations, zonal unions, clubs, officials and players" and insists the meeting is for "that very objective". Chiyangwa's letter also refers to Fifa's statues relating to the protecting of human rights which he says include "freedom of Association of member associations and zonal unions for the development and growth of the game on our continent".
The Confederation of Africa Football has warned Cosafa over a planned meeting with other member associations which it says is "an attempt to destabilise" the governing body.
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The investigation by the Press Association news agency found some are now charging £4 for a one-hour stay. It showed most trusts did not increase their charges, but the average rise among the third that did was 15%. The analysis combines figures obtained from NHS trusts and data submitted to statistics body NHS Digital. The most expensive trust in the country for a one-hour stay is the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, where patients are forced to pay £4 for any stay up to two hours. Deputy chief executive Alf Turner said the charge was necessary to cover running costs and fund the expansion of the car park that is taking place. "I do not like having to charge people for car parking and in an ideal world we would not have to," he added. At the other end of the scale, car parking at Trafford General Hospital in Greater Manchester is free for up to three hours. Some trusts allow patients and visitors to park for free for the first 30 minutes before charges start. But others have scrapped cheaper charges for short stays, meaning people have to pay a flat fee covering up to three hours even if they are only staying for 45 minutes. Of the 209 hospital trusts that reported figures to NHS Digital for both 2014/15 and 2015/16, a third showed an increase in their average charge for a three-hour stay. Some 60% showed no change over the year, while 7% showed a decrease. Some 38% also said they also charged for disabled parking. England is the only part of the UK where hospitals routinely charge patients and visitors for parking. Laura Keely, campaigns manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said charges are particularly unfair on cancer patients. "They often need to make frequent trips to hospital. They should not be left out of pocket in order to receive life-saving treatment." Some NHS trusts offer concessions to visitors whose loved one is terminally ill and also discounts or weekly tickets for lengthy courses of treatment. Last December, figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Press Association revealed that some NHS trusts are making more than £3m a year from car parking fees. Of more than 90 trusts that responded to the FoI request, half were making at least £1m a year.
A third of hospital trusts in England have increased their car parking charges in the last year, it is being reported.
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A third of London's boroughs suffer from high rates of TB, with more than 40 incidents per 100,000 people. Some wards in Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hounslow and Newham have rates of more than 150 per 100,000. The report said prisoners, homeless people, people with substance abuse issues, refugees and migrants were particularly at risk. Although the BCG vaccination against TB is recommended for all newborn babies in London, eight of the 24 boroughs do not offer it. The rate of infection among UK-born Londoners has risen, while among the non-UK-born it has fallen - and the report said it would be wrong to assume TB was a disease of migrants. The borough with the highest rate per 100,000 people was Newham, with 107 cases. Figures for 2013 from the World Health Organisation showed in Rwanda the figure was 69, while in Iraq it was 45. Algeria and Guatemala also had a lower incidence than the capital, the reports points out. The average rate per 100,000 in the UK as a whole was 13. A few strains of the disease are now resistant to antibiotic treatment and the cost of treating them can be as high as £500,000 per patient. Reasons include: Source: Tackling TB in London The London Assembly is calling on Mayor Boris Johnson to educate Londoners about TB, saying many people in the capital are unaware of how TB spreads. More than half of those surveyed thought spitting could transmit it. In fact, TB is usually spread by close and prolonged contact with someone who is coughing and sneezing. "Prevention is poor and awareness low, even among the medical profession itself," said Dr Onkar Sahota, the chairman of the Assembly's health committee. He described the treatment for drug-resistant strains as "expensive, complicated and terribly gruelling". "The quality of care for TB sufferers also varies across the capital," he said. The Assembly said it was "unacceptable that children are put at risk of developing a potentially life-threatening illness on the basis of which borough they are born in" and that offering BCG would not cost boroughs more. Prisoners were among the groups highlighted as being particularly at risk, but TB screening in prisons is not effective enough and the capital's approach to tackling the disease is "fragmented", the report says. The report calls on the Mayor and the Greater London Authority to fund a new "find and treat" service and use the Team London volunteer network as TB community health champions. The Mayor's office said he remains "committed to tackling TB" although recent figures show in the three years to 2014, the number of people infected in the capital fell. He is "assured by Public Health England that every effort continues to be made to prevent and treat the disease in London", a statement said.
Parts of London have higher rates of tuberculosis than Rwanda or Iraq, a report from the London Assembly says.
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Celtic had offered United £250,000 to take winger Mackay-Steven, 24, now rather than wait until the summer, a move that had already been agreed. And the Glasgow club agreed a deal for both players of £2m plus add-ons. "I'm delighted to be here and to have signed on at such a massive club," Armstrong, 22, told BBC Scotland. Mackay-Steven added: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here and to get everything done and dusted today. It's been a crazy few hours but I'm over the moon." Celtic's increased £1.6m offer for Armstrong had been rejected on Sunday before further talks took place on Monday. The Scottish champions had a £1.5m offer for the Scotland Under-21 international rejected last week and Burnley also had a bid turned down. The £250,000 offer for Scotland cap Mackay-Steven was £100,000 more than they had previously offered. Armstrong, who has signed until 2018, and Mackay-Steven, whose deal runs until 2019, will be ineligible for Celtic's Scottish Cup meeting with Dundee on Saturday and next month's League Cup final meeting with their former club. United defeated Aberdeen 2-1 at Hampden Park in Saturday's semi-final, with Celtic recording a 2-0 victory over Rangers the following day. And United will ask for at least 17,500 tickets for the 15 March showpiece. The Tannadice board will also request that tickets outside of the corporate and main stand be priced at a maximum of £25 for adults and £10 for concessions. One director told BBC Scotland: "We want to ensure as big a crowd as possible for the game, which we are sure the sponsors would want too. "The game is being played in winter and, to make sure the game attracts as big a crowd as a possible, we will ask for tickets to be priced at a reasonable level. "That is very important for the fans of both clubs when money is tight." It is believed that United will also ask for the Toryglen end of the stadium to be reserved for their fans at a planning meeting on Tuesday with the Scottish Professional Football League about the final. However, BBC Scotland has learned that the SPFL will stick with tradition and allocate that end of the ground to Celtic fans.
Midfielder Stuart Armstrong and winger Gary Mackay-Steven have joined Celtic from Dundee United after the clubs agreed deals on transfer deadline day.
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The musician was found at his home in Hawick in the Scottish Borders on Thursday after a suspected heart attack. Renbourn teamed up with fellow musicians, including guitarist Bert Jansch who died in 2011, to form Pentangle in the late 1960s. His manager, Dave Smith, said Renbourn had been "a huge character". He said: "He was always playing and teaching. "That is what he loved doing and he never stopped." Among those paying tributes to London-born Renbourn were DJ Cerys Matthews who said: "So sorry and sad to hear of John Renbourn's passing. "A loving, lovely man. "RIP John, it was an honour and pleasure meeting you." Novelist Ian Rankin tweeted: "Ach, and now John Renbourn has died. What a guitarist."
Influential folk guitarist John Renbourn has died aged 70.
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John Whittingdale was speaking on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show after launching a debate on what types of programmes the BBC should make. Of Strictly, he said: "The BBC took a risk. It paid off well and it has achieved a mass audience. "And that seems to me admirable if you can do all those things." The government published a Green Paper on the future of the BBC on Thursday, including the question of whether the corporation should be "chasing ratings" or delivering "distinctive, quality" programmes that are unavailable on other channels. That has led to some suggestions that the BBC could stop showing Saturday night light entertainment programmes. Asked about the difference between Strictly and the BBC's long-running Generation Game, Mr Whittingdale said: "Saturday night has always been a time when families sit around the television and we traditionally have had light entertainment shows. "In many ways, Strictly Come Dancing is the successor to The Generation Game. "But Strictly was perhaps, at first sight of the commissioning editor, not necessarily a show which was going to be as successful as it has proved to be. "So I think the BBC took a risk. It paid off well and it has achieved a mass audience. And that seems to me admirable if you can do all those things. "But, of course, in the age when you and I were sitting watching The Generation Game, the amount of choice available was extremely limited. "At that time there were probably only about three channels, whereas now you've got 50, 60, 70 to choose from." Before becoming culture secretary, Mr Whittingdale had told the Guardian newspaper that it was "debatable" whether there was a public service argument for the BBC making Strictly. The show should certainly not compete for viewers with X Factor on ITV, he told the paper. On Sunday, Mr Whittingdale told Andrew Marr he was a "huge admirer" of the BBC. But he said he was "a little surprised that the BBC expressed such disappointment at the Green Paper". He said the document was "just a series of questions with no answers as yet decided". Almost 30 celebrities, including Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench, have signed a letter warning against creating "a diminished BBC". But some of the signatories have revealed that they were asked to sign by BBC executives. Conservative MP Andrew Bridgend told the Sunday Express the BBC's director of television Danny Cohen should resign over the matter because it broke the BBC's lobbying guidelines. In his interview on Sunday, Mr Whittingdale did not refer to the row but said he "fully agreed with" most of the letter's contents. He added: "I admire the BBC. The last thing I want to do is undermine the BBC."
Strictly Come Dancing is an "admirable" example of where the BBC took a risk on a show that was not guaranteed to be a hit, the culture secretary has said.
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Jo Meeke and Matt Gurney's son Puck died in hospital following complications in labour. They have set up an appeal to create an outdoor space for other grieving families and hospital staff. Ms Meeke, from Bosham in West Sussex, said she hoped the woodland would help people on the "long journey" of coping with the death of a child. She had an "uncomplicated dream pregnancy" but after complications in labour, Puck was born via emergency Caesarean section on 15 March. He was transferred from St Richard's Hospital in Chichester to Southampton General Hospital's neonatal ward, where he died the following day. When it became clear he would not survive, the couple had 30 minutes to say goodbye. Ms Meeke said the time together had been "a special moment that will live with us forever". "The hardest thing we're having to deal with now is the immediate raw grief of looking at photos of our son, knowing we're not going to hold that little boy," she said. "But it's all the other things we had planned for our family moving on - suddenly those things are not going to happen." The couple has set up the Puck's Promise appeal and aim to crowd-fund £65,000 to buy the woodland. Mr Gurney said he hoped it would bring "something positive" out of their experience. "I'd primarily like families who have lost children in some way to be able to use it, for a walk or overnight camp, to be with other people who have been though the same thing."
A couple who lost their newborn baby have raised more than £12,000 towards buying an area of woodland in his name.
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The Glovers took an early lead but found themselves 5-1 down at the break before eventually falling to a joint-record league defeat. Skipper James Bailey told the club website: "We know we let ourselves and the fans down. "As a group, we want to apologise and give fans their money back." Boss Darren Way added: "Saturday was never going to be easy but the manner of the defeat was totally unacceptable and I apologise to the supporters and take full responsibility for that. "Paying supporters their money back is a collective decision - we're not happy with just apologising, but at the same time know our best apology will come on the pitch in the coming weeks." The League Two side will release details of how fans can claim their refund on Monday. Yeovil's players are not the first to reimburse travelling fans after an away day nightmare. Sunderland's players refunded the 2,500 Black Cats supporters who saw their side fall to a humiliating 8-0 defeat at Southampton in October 2015. In January 2016 Charlton's players did the same for the 166 who made the trip to see their side go down 5-0 at Huddersfield, in a performance that club captain Johnnie Jackson called "disgraceful". Earlier this year, Bristol City's players refunded the 312 fans who made the 386-mile round trip to Preston North End to see the Robins lose 5-0.
Yeovil Town's players and staff have agreed to refund the 258 fans who travelled to their 8-2 opening day defeat at Luton Town.
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Beavon smashed home just before the half-hour mark to inflict a second successive defeat on Swindon, following their loss at Barnsley last weekend. The striker punished hesitancy among the Swindon defence with a clinical volley, the Brewers' first ever goal at the County Ground. Wes Thomas dragged wide from inside the penalty area for the home side. Jon Obika and Louis Thompson also missed the target while Yaser Kasim had a free-kick pushed over by Jon McLaughlin as Burton held out for the win. Burton Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told BBC Radio Derby: Media playback is not supported on this device "I'm very happy. I think when you're coming to Swindon, you know what they're about. They can keep the ball for fun and they can test your nerves and get overloads in certain areas, but we made it very uncomfortable for them. We didn't let them get into their stride, we didn't let them play their game and get into their rhythm. "For us, it was all about winning the ball back in their half and trying to penetrate in the last third and I think we did that really well. "We should have scored more goals and that's something we need to work at, but I must say I'm extremely happy with how the team has worked today. We were very solid and we were quite creative with the ball at times, but the belief needs to become greater because they can do a lot more than they think."
Stuart Beavon's first-half strike moved Burton to the top of League One with their first ever win at Swindon.
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The club has fined the pair for the incident, which happened prior to Tuesday evening's defeat by Brentford. "I'd like to apologise to the Bolton fans for what we did before the game," Trotter, 27, told BBC Radio Manchester. "We didn't realise it was live, it wasn't aimed at the fans or club, it was a silly gesture as we walked in." A club statement said: "Bolton Wanderers takes the conduct of its players and staff extremely seriously and will not tolerate such behaviour." The defeat, Bolton's 22nd in the Championship this season, means they could be relegated to League One on Saturday when they face Derby County. The club have spent much of the season fighting a relegation battle, as well as off-the-field financial problems, and are 17 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table with six games left to play. "It's too hard to pinpoint one thing, there's a lot of things gone wrong. If we knew what the problem was then we would be doing better," said Trotter. "There's a lot of factors, a lot of outside influence with what's been going on at the club, but it's not just that, the players haven't been good enough this season. "We haven't done enough on the pitch. We're in the position we're in because we deserve to be."
Bolton Wanderers midfielder Liam Trotter has apologised for making an offensive gesture with David Wheater in a pre-match live club broadcast.
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The result marks a 5% rise on cash profits from a year earlier. The lender also said its after-tax profit rose $A3.5bn during the period, up 3% from a year earlier. The cash profit number strips out some one-off items and is the bank's preferred measure of performance. Forecasts were for a rise in cash profit to A$3.6bn for the period. Analysts said the results were a "welcome relief" as Australia's economy continues to face slowing growth and after rival Westpac bank posted disappointing results on Monday. ANZ's chief executive Mike Smith said the results were "well balanced" and that progress had been made in reshaping the lender's business in a "more challenging macro-environment". But Mr Smith noted the lender would be operating in a "lower growth environment" in the future, "in which there will continue to be occasional volatility and shocks". The bank's positive half-yearly performance numbers come as Australia's central bank meets later today to decide whether to cut interest rates to an historic low. Analysts said investors seemed to like the latest numbers from the lender as the stock was up as much as 3.9% following the announcement. "The result from ANZ will be taken favourably, with cash earnings modestly above consensus," said Melbourne-based Chris Weston from IG Markets. "The result itself was of a better quality than Westpac," he said, "although investors will take little heart from either bank's capital position." Michael McCarthy of CMC Markets in Sydney said ANZ's results were "a welcome relief" after Westpac's flat result on Monday. ANZ and Westpac are among the top four banks in Australia, together with National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank. ANZ is the nation's third biggest bank by market value. Australia's banking sector, particularly the so-called top four, is regarded as being highly profitable. The country's big lenders made it through the global financial crisis relatively unscathed.
One of Australia's biggest lenders, ANZ, has beaten expectations and posted a half-year cash profit of 3.7bn Australian dollars ($2.9bn;£1.91bn) in the six months ending in March.
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The 45-year-old man from the Swansea valley was riding a Kawasaki ZX 1000 when he crashed into the animal on the A4069 between Llangadog and Brynamman. He was taken to Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales after the crash, which happened just before 18:00 BST on Sunday. Dyfed-Powys Police is investigating.
A motorcyclist is in a critical condition in hospital after hitting a sheep in Carmarthenshire.
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Organisers campaigning to save Lewisham Hospital say the plans are "crazy and ill thought out". Under proposals, its A&E will close and the maternity unit be downgraded after neighbouring South London Healthcare NHS Trust ran up debts of £150m. The government said "doing nothing is not an option" and is to make a decision on 1 February. Campaigners are angry Lewisham Hospital, which is not part of the South London Healthcare NHS Trust, is being targeted in a re-organisation of services across the area following the trusts's financial problems. Under the plans, the trust's Queen Elizabeth Hospital site in Woolwich would come together with Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust to create a new organisation. Lewisham's A&E unit would then be downgraded to an urgent care centre, meaning emergency cases would be seen at nearby hospitals. The maternity unit at Lewisham could also be slimmed down, meaning complex cases would be dealt with elsewhere. South London Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs three hospitals, was placed in administration last year when it started losing about £1.3m a week. The problems it faces are not unique. Last year it was reported 20 trusts had declared themselves financially unsustainable in their current form. Matthew Kershaw, a special administrator, said in a report to the government that the trust should be broken up, with other organisations taking over the management and delivery of services. If implemented fully, Mr Kershaw said his recommendations would result in a radical overhaul of services in south London, and help deliver "safe, high-quality, affordable and sustainable services." Mr Kershaw also recommended the Department of Health (DoH) write off any debts to ensure new organisations were not "saddled with the issues of the past". "I have said consistently that the status quo is not an option, and I believe these final, refined recommendations are the right ones, although I appreciate that some people will find them difficult to accept," his report said. In November thousands of people marched in protest at the plans and BBC London reporter Matt Morris said at least 15,000 attended Saturday's event. The Save Lewisham Hospital group said 25,000 took part. Dr Louise Irvine, a local GP and chairman of the Save Lewisham Hospital campaign, said: "This decision is crazy and ill thought out. "It is a big mistake and carries huge clinical risks of things going wrong for patients but also political risk. "If Jeremy Hunt can close a good local hospital here, he can do it anywhere in the country - nowhere is safe." A DoH spokesman said: "Where trusts face long-standing problems we have been clear that doing nothing is not an option." The march went past Lewisham Hospital and ended with a festival in nearby Mountsfield Park.
At least 15,000 people have marched in protest against proposals to close services at a hospital in south London.
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Media playback is unsupported on your device 1 July 2015 Last updated at 11:08 BST BBC West has discovered that four out of 10 patients are waiting more than 18 weeks, the government's national target, for treatment at the Bristol Heart Institute. The BBC's Matthew Hill spoke to patient Balbir Kaur Nirwan, who had to wait six months before being treated, consultant Alan Bryan and Dr Kevin Fox, from the British Cardiovascular Society.
People with heart problems in the West Country could be at risk because of longer waiting times, the BBC understands.
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Flynn, who was appointed after Newport sacked boss Graham Westley, has won both his games in charge. And the morning after Tuesday's victory at Morecambe, the Welshman received a congratulatory text message from former Arsenal striker Henry, with whom he has been qualifying as a coach. "It was surreal," said Flynn. "He's one of my heroes in the game. He's just pure class and he's like that off the pitch as well. "I asked him to put his boots back on but he wasn't so forthcoming! "For a football fan, which I am, it was unbelievable, and something which made me smile on Wednesday morning when I had my little boy waking me up at 6.30 in the morning, after getting back from the game at 4am." Newport moved off the foot of the League Two table and are now seven points from safety after beating Morecambe. County were bottom and 11 points adrift when they sacked Westley but have won their two games under Flynn. The 36-year-old former Newport midfielder has been studying for his coaching badges with the Football Association of Wales, under the tutelage of Wales assistant manager Osian Roberts. Former Barcelona and France forward Henry has been on the same course, and watched Wales' rugby team train earlier this month. Now a television pundit as well as Belgium's assistant manager, Henry has told Flynn he can call him for advice whenever he needs it. "It's just nice to see that support," added Flynn, whose Newport side host Blackpool on Saturday. "Learning from people like that - Patrick Vieira, David Ginola, Sol Campbell - it's a great mix of people. "It's all put together by Osian and Lennie Lawrence, and it's attracting the right calibre of manager. Picking their brains and seeing how they work is invaluable."
Newport County caretaker manager Mike Flynn has revealed how Thierry Henry has lent his support to the Exiles' bid for League Two survival.
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The move comes after the BBC revealed that a number of women felt physically and mentally scarred after having the implants. Mesh or tape implants are used to treat organ prolapse or urinary incontinence. These conditions can be common after childbirth. The board's letter, leaked to the BBC, advised GPs to refer the women back to the health trust that performed the surgery with a letter stating that the referral is "because of problems associated with mesh surgery". The letter goes on to state that each trust should have arrangements in place for these women to be seen by a consultant. A spokesperson for the local action group, which now has over 250 members, welcomed the move but told the BBC that it was sad that some women had to go public with their personal stories in order for some health professionals to take them seriously. In July, a group of women from across the UK affected by vaginal mesh implants, including many from Northern Ireland, met with MPs at Westminster as part of a campaign to ban the procedure.
The Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) has written to GPs advising what action they should take if any of their patients experience problems after vaginal mesh surgery.
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