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The full cost of damage in Newton Stewart, one of the areas worst affected, is still being assessed. Repair work is ongoing in Hawick and many roads in Peeblesshire remain badly affected by standing water. Trains on the west coast mainline face disruption due to damage at the Lamington Viaduct. Many businesses and householders were affected by flooding in Newton Stewart after the River Cree overflowed into the town. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the area to inspect the damage. The waters breached a retaining wall, flooding many commercial properties on Victoria Street - the main shopping thoroughfare. Jeanette Tate, who owns the Cinnamon Cafe which was badly affected, said she could not fault the multi-agency response once the flood hit. However, she said more preventative work could have been carried out to ensure the retaining wall did not fail. "It is difficult but I do think there is so much publicity for Dumfries and the Nith - and I totally appreciate that - but it is almost like we're neglected or forgotten," she said. "That may not be true but it is perhaps my perspective over the last few days. "Why were you not ready to help us a bit more when the warning and the alarm alerts had gone out?" Meanwhile, a flood alert remains in place across the Borders because of the constant rain. Peebles was badly hit by problems, sparking calls to introduce more defences in the area. Scottish Borders Council has put a list on its website of the roads worst affected and drivers have been urged not to ignore closure signs. The Labour Party's deputy Scottish leader Alex Rowley was in Hawick on Monday to see the situation first hand. He said it was important to get the flood protection plan right but backed calls to speed up the process. "I was quite taken aback by the amount of damage that has been done," he said. "Obviously it is heart-breaking for people who have been forced out of their homes and the impact on businesses." He said it was important that "immediate steps" were taken to protect the areas most vulnerable and a clear timetable put in place for flood prevention plans. Have you been affected by flooding in Dumfries and Galloway or the Borders? Tell us about your experience of the situation and how it was handled. Email us on [email protected] or [email protected].

Clean-up operations are continuing across the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway after flooding caused by Storm Frank.

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A fire alarm went off at the Holiday Inn in Hope Street at about 04:20 BST on Saturday and guests were asked to leave the hotel. As they gathered outside they saw the two buses, parked side-by-side in the car park, engulfed by flames. One of the tour groups is from Germany, the other from China and Taiwan. It was their first night in Northern Ireland. The driver of one of the buses said many of the passengers had left personal belongings on board and these had been destroyed. Both groups have organised replacement coaches and will begin their tour of the north coast later than they had planned. Police have appealed for information about the attack. Insp David Gibson said: "It appears as though the fire started under one of the buses before spreading to the second. "While the exact cause is still under investigation, it is thought that the fire was started deliberately."

Two tourist buses have been destroyed by fire in a suspected arson attack in Belfast city centre.

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Ferrari appeared in a position to challenge until the final laps, when the Mercedes stretched their legs to go half a second clear of the red cars. Sebastian Vettel will start third ahead of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. The world champion subsequently escaped punishment for reversing in the pit lane, which could have seen him stripped of pole. But stewards only handed Hamilton a reprimand, after governing body the FIA said "no clear instruction was given on where he should park". Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne out-qualified McLaren team-mate Jenson Button on his Formula 1 debut. Vandoorne was 12th and Button 14th, complaining of a handling imbalance on his final lap but admitting the newcomer "did a good job and I didn't". Mercedes were wary of Ferrari's pace before qualifying after Vettel and Raikkonen finished one-two in final practice, and their concerns appeared to be well founded as the red cars mixed it with the silver through most of qualifying. After the first runs, Rosberg was ahead, with Vettel and Raikkonen splitting him from Hamilton, who made a mistake at the final corner on his first lap. But Hamilton saved his best for last, fastest in every sector of his final attempt, to beat Rosberg by just 0.077secs after the German had out-paced him throughout practice and in the first qualifying session. Vettel rued a mistake at the final corner on his last lap, but the truth is that with the gap at 0.517secs to Hamilton there was nothing he could have done. The gap suggests Mercedes are favourites for the race, even if Ferrari can be expected to push them. Vettel said: "Last year we were very strong in the race and I think we are in good shape for tomorrow. We will try to give them a hard time." Vandoorne's preparations for his grand prix debut were far from ideal - he only found out he was racing on Thursday when FIA doctors declared Fernando Alonso unfit because of a broken rib sustained in his huge crash at the first race of the season in Australia two weeks ago. The Belgian rookie had to fly overnight from Japan, where he had been testing in the Super Formula car he races there, and arrived in Bahrain only hours before first practice on Friday. He also had a difficult final practice, missing all but the final quarter of the session because of a water leak. Button was quicker in the first qualifying session, but Vandoorne pipped him by 0.064secs when it mattered. The 24-year-old said: "I knew after yesterday I had quite similar pace to Jenson and I knew if I improved a little bit I could maybe challenge him and even out-qualify him and that is what has happened. "Jenson is a very good benchmark for me because he is a world champion and he is well known to the team so I am very satisfied with the qualifying." Button, who was 0.5secs quicker than Vandoorne in the first session, complained of oversteer on his final run in the second: "Q1 was what I was expecting. Q2 he did a good job and I didn't. Very, very good job. We knew how quick he was." The controversial new elimination qualifying system was retained for this race despite teams voting at the first race in Australia to go back to the 2015 system. FIA president Jean Todt said earlier on Saturday that he "felt it necessary to give new qualifying one more chance", adding: "We live in a world where there is too much over reaction." The system worked on the basis of mixing up the grid a little - Force India's Sergio Perez ended up out of position in 18th place after the team miscalculated the timing of his final run, leaving him not enough time to complete it before the elimination clock timed him out. But it will come in for more criticism as a result of lack of track action at the end of each session. There were three minutes at the end of the first session with no cars on the circuit, and the end of the second session was a similar damp squib. Only one car - Nico Hulkenberg's Force India - was out on the track with six minutes to go. The two Williams cars did go out in the final three minutes but were already through to Q3 and so nothing was at stake. The teams are meeting with Todt and F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday at noon local time to decide on what to do with qualifying for the rest of the season. Todt said he was "optimistic" they would be able to reach unanimous agreement on a change. "We should listen to the people watching on TV," Rosberg said. "If they are still unhappy, which I am sure they will be, we should change it." Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was fifth on the grid, ahead of the Williams cars of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa and Force India's Nico Hulkenberg. Ricciardo's team-mate Daniil Kvyat was eliminated during the second session - way below the team's expectation - and the Renault of Brit Jolyon Palmer only managed 19th fastest. German Mercedes protege Pascal Wehrlein managed an excellent 16th in the Manor car. Bahrain GP qualifying results Bahrain GP coverage details

Lewis Hamilton stormed to pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

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John Edward Bates, formerly of Spalding, Lincolnshire, but now living in London, faces a total of 22 charges, including two counts of indecency with a child. The 67-year-old is accused of committing the offences between March 1972 and October 1989. Mr Bates denies all the charges. Grace Hale, prosecuting, told the jury that the allegations of sexual abuse were made by made by four male complainants and related to when Mr Bates was a scout leader in South Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. "The defendant says nothing of that sort happened between himself and all these individuals. He says they are all fabricating their accounts and telling lies," said Mrs Hale. The prosecutor claimed Mr Bates invited one 15 year old to his home offering him the chance to look at cine films made at scout camps but then showed him pornographic films. She told the jury that the boy was then sexually abused leaving him confused and frightened. Mrs Hale said: "The complainant's recollection is that on a number of occasions sexual acts would happen with the defendant either in the defendant's car or in his cottage." She told the jury a second boy was taken by Mr Bates for a weekend in London at the age of 13 or 14 and after visiting pubs he was later sexually abused. Mrs Hale said two boys from the Spalding group had also made complaints of being sexually abused. The jury has been told that Mr Bates was in the RAF before serving as a Lincolnshire Police officer between 1976 and 1983. The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.

A former Lincolnshire Police officer carried out a series of sex attacks on boys, a jury at Lincoln Crown Court was told.

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Patients and staff were evacuated from Cerahpasa hospital on Wednesday after a man receiving treatment at the clinic threatened to shoot himself and others. Officers were deployed to negotiate with the man, a young police officer. Earlier reports that the armed man had taken several people hostage proved incorrect. The chief consultant of Cerahpasa hospital, Zekayi Kutlubay, who was evacuated from the facility, said that there had been "no hostage crises", adding that the man was "alone in the room". Dr Kutlubay said that the man had been receiving psychiatric treatment for the past two years. He said that the hospital had previously submitted a report stating that the man should not be permitted to carry a gun. "His firearm was taken away," Dr Kutlubay said, adding that the gun in the officer's possession on Wednesday was not his issued firearm. The incident comes amid tension in Istanbul following several attacks in crowded areas, including the deadly assault on the Reina nightclub on New Year's Eve which left 39 people dead.

An armed man who locked himself into a room at a psychiatric hospital in Istanbul has ended his threat to kill himself, Turkish media report.

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Simone Favaro got the crucial try with the last move of the game, following earlier touchdowns by Chris Fusaro, Zander Fagerson and Junior Bulumakau. Rynard Landman and Ashton Hewitt got a try in either half for the Dragons. Glasgow showed far superior strength in depth as they took control of a messy match in the second period. Home coach Gregor Townsend gave a debut to powerhouse Fijian-born Wallaby wing Taqele Naiyaravoro, and centre Alex Dunbar returned from long-term injury, while the Dragons gave first starts of the season to wing Aled Brew and hooker Elliot Dee. Glasgow lost hooker Pat McArthur to an early shoulder injury but took advantage of their first pressure when Rory Clegg slotted over a penalty on 12 minutes. It took 24 minutes for a disjointed game to produce a try as Sarel Pretorius sniped from close range and Landman forced his way over for Jason Tovey to convert - although it was the lock's last contribution as he departed with a chest injury shortly afterwards. Glasgow struck back when Fusaro drove over from a rolling maul on 35 minutes for Clegg to convert. But the Dragons levelled at 10-10 before half-time when Naiyaravoro was yellow-carded for an aerial tackle on Brew and Tovey slotted the easy goal. The visitors could not make the most of their one-man advantage after the break as their error count cost them dearly. It was Glasgow's bench experience that showed when Mike Blair's break led to a short-range score from teenage prop Fagerson, converted by Clegg. Debutant Favaro was the second home player to be sin-binned, on 63 minutes, but again the Warriors made light of it as replacement wing Bulumakau, a recruit from the Army, pounced to deftly hack through a bouncing ball for an opportunist try. The Dragons got back within striking range with some excellent combined handling putting Hewitt over unopposed after 72 minutes. However, Favaro became sinner-turned-saint as he got on the end of another effective rolling maul to earn his side the extra point with the last move of the game, Clegg converting. Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones said: "We're disappointed to have lost but our performance was a lot better [than against Leinster] and the game could have gone either way. "Unfortunately too many errors behind the scrum cost us a great deal, though from where we were a fortnight ago in Dublin our workrate and desire was excellent. "It was simply error count from individuals behind the scrum that cost us field position, it's not rocket science - they were correct in how they played and we had a few errors, that was the difference." Glasgow Warriors: Rory Hughes, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Alex Dunbar, Fraser Lyle, Lee Jones, Rory Clegg, Grayson Hart; Alex Allan, Pat MacArthur, Zander Fagerson, Rob Harley (capt), Scott Cummings, Hugh Blake, Chris Fusaro, Adam Ashe. Replacements: Fergus Scott, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Mike Cusack, Greg Peterson, Simone Favaro, Mike Blair, Gregor Hunter, Junior Bulumakau. Dragons: Carl Meyer, Ashton Hewitt, Ross Wardle, Adam Warren, Aled Brew, Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorius; Boris Stankovich, Elliot Dee, Brok Harris, Nick Crosswell, Rynard Landman (capt), Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Ed Jackson. Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Phil Price, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Ollie Griffiths, Luc Jones, Charlie Davies, Nick Scott.

Defending Pro12 champions Glasgow Warriors bagged a late bonus-point victory over the Dragons despite a host of absentees and two yellow cards.

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Veronica Vanessa Chango-Alverez, 31, was killed and another man injured when an Audi A3 struck them in Streatham High Road at 05:30 GMT on Saturday. Ten minutes before the crash the car was in London Road, Croydon, when a Volkswagen Passat collided with a tree. Police want to trace Nathan Davis, 27, who they say has links to the Audi. The car was abandoned at the scene. Ms Chango-Alverez died from multiple injuries, a post-mortem examination found. No arrests have been made as yet, police said. Ms Chango-Alverez was staying at her mother's home in Streatham High Road. She was born in Ecuador and had lived in London for 13 years, BBC London reporter Gareth Furby said. At the time of the crash, she was on her way to work in a hotel. The remains of the bus stop, which was extensively damaged in the crash, have been removed. Flowers have been left at the site in tribute to the victim. A statement from her brother Kevin Raul Chango-Alverez said: "My family has had its heart torn out, at this Christmas time, we will never be the same again. "On Friday night we were together as a family with Veronica meeting her newly born nephew and preparing for Christmas. "I last saw her alive as she left to go to work on Saturday morning, but moments later I was holding her hand as she passed away in the street." Describing the crash as "horrific" Det Insp Gordon Wallace, said: "The family are devastated. The memory of this senseless death will be with them each time they leave their home. "The driver fled the scene abandoning the grey Audi, which was extensively damaged. "We are looking to speak to Mr Nathan Davis in relation to this collision." The 51-year-old man injured at the bus stop remains in a critical condition in hospital while the condition of the 29-year-old driver of the Volkswagen is now stable.

A man with links to a car that was involved in a fatal bus stop crash in south London is being sought by police.

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Belgian cyclist Demoitie died after a collision with a motorbike during Belgium's Gent-Wevelgem race. The 25-year-old was hit by the motorbike after several riders came down in a crash as the race passed through northern France. "The main issues come when cars or motorbikes have to pass the peloton and pass riders," Team Sky's Rowe said. "That is the fundamental issue we're looking into. "There's a lot of motorbikes in and around the race whether it be cameras for TV, photographers or police motorbikes. "In total there's around 50 motorbikes that work on each race. "We've got a riders union and we're coming together to think of a few ideas, whether we cap a speed limit on how fast they can overtake us. "Say we put a 10 kilometres per hour limit on it, if we're going 50kph they're only allowed to pass us 60kph or something like that." Demoitie, who was riding for the Wanty-Gobert team, was taken to hospital in Lille but died later. The sport's governing body, the UCI, said it would co-operate with all relevant authorities in an investigation into the incident. The Professional Cyclists' Association (CPA) issued a statement asking what would be done to improve safety. Despite Demoitie's death, attitudes to road racing will stay the same says Rowe, who has been competing in Three Days of De Panne race in Belgium. "As soon as that element of fear slips into your mind and you start thinking of things that could happen, that's when you're doomed to fail," he told BBC Wales Sport. "If you start thinking about crashes and the consequences and what could potentially happen then you're never going to be at the front of the peloton and you're never going to win any races." In a separate incident, another Belgian cyclist, Daan Myngheer, 22, died in hospital after suffering a heart attack during the first stage of the Criterium International in Corsica.

Welsh cyclist Luke Rowe says changes to the sport must be made following the death of Antoine Demoitie.

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Gundogan, 26, told BBC Sport he "can see the finishing line" after tearing cruciate knee ligaments in December, but will not rush his return. The German missed the 2014 World Cup following back surgery that kept him out for a year, and sat out Euro 2016 because of a dislocated kneecap. He said: "It is heavy mentally to accept that." Gundogan will not be fit for the start of the Premier League season at Brighton on 12 August but said his recovery time is now being measured in "weeks" rather than months. He told BBC Sport: "It is really hard always to fall and fight your way back. You feel good and feel ready, then you get the next kick. "The worst part is behind me now. I want to feel ready when I am fully back. I want to feel safe and confident. I don't mind if it is two weeks or six." Gundogan made 15 appearances and scored five goals in his debut season for City following his £20m move from Borussia Dortmund. He is eager to get on the field again and was impressed at the club's 4-1 win over Real Madrid in a pre-season game in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Manager Pep Guardiola has made five new signings already this summer and continues to have an interest in Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Monaco's Kylian Mbappe. Gundogan said: "Optimism for the season is big. It is huge, definitely. "We felt that last year as well but it was a completely new experience for all of us. We know the Premier League a bit more now and can't wait for the season to start." City complete their three-match tour of the United States against Tottenham in Nashville on Saturday. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said earlier this week he did not feel Tottenham were judged by the same standards as his own side, City and Manchester United. Spurs have had the advantage in their recent meetings with City, winning three and drawing one of their last four Premier League games. And Gundogan thinks they are a major threat. He said: "Tottenham are a great team. They have the style of football. They have young English players. Our experience last season shows it is really tough to beat them. "They are really uncomfortable to play against. "I am pretty sure, even if they will not say it loud, the people who know the Premier League know Tottenham are definitely a competitor for the title."

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan says it has been mentally tough to overcome a third major injury.

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The crash happened about 07:20 GMT at the junction of the A127 and Progress Road in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. The man, who police said is aged in his 20s, was treated at the scene for a head injury and suspected multiple fractures, the ambulance service said. He was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital for further treatment. The Southend-bound carriageway of the A127 was closed for about six hours while police conducted their initial inquiries. A spokeswoman for Essex Police said it was not possible comment to further as this time as the "investigation is now being conducted by the IPCC".

A jogger has been hit by an unmarked police car responding to an emergency call, leaving him with "serious life-changing injuries".

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23 October 2015 Last updated at 17:44 BST It's the highest rating a tropical storm can get and is the first one of this magnitude to hit mainland Mexico since 1959. But how are the categories decided and what do they mean? Newsround reporter Jenny Lawrence explains.

Hurricane Patricia has been rated as a category 5 storm.

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Weaknesses in the way mice swapped data with computers left them vulnerable, said security firm Bastille Networks. Attackers could spoof poorly protected signals letting them use PCs as if they were sitting in front of them, it said. Information about the loopholes have been passed to the makers of vulnerable mice, some of who are creating updates to make the mice more secure. The radio signals sent by many wireless mice to a "dongle" plugged in to a computer were often unencrypted, said Marc Newlin and Balint Seeber, from Bastille, who carried out the research. "That makes it possible for the attacker to send unencrypted traffic to the dongle pretending to be a keyboard and have it result as keystrokes on your computer," Mr Newlin said. By contrast, they said, signals sent by wireless keyboards were scrambled to stop attackers eavesdropping on or spoofing them. The pair found they could spoof signals for mice using a few lines of code and an antenna and dongle that cost $20 (£15). The attack worked at distances of up to 180m (590ft). Using this kit, they sent specially crafted mouse clicks that a computer interpreted as key presses, letting them run commands and take control of a target machine. The Bastille researchers said many companies spent a lot of time and money securing the physical devices sitting on their networks but often neglected to keep an eye on data sent via radio. Wireless mice produced by HP, Lenovo, Amazon and Dell were found to be vulnerable. Bastille said it had reported its findings to the hardware makers and to the company that made the chipset used inside the spoofable mice. Updates to the internal computer code, or firmware, for some of the vulnerable mice are now being made available, But Bastille said many of the insecure mice it had found could not be updated.

Hackers could gain access to home and corporate networks via security flaws in wireless mice, suggests research.

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Administrators confirmed the redundancies affecting 38 staff at Galashiels-based Murray and Burrell. The business, established in 1928, went into administration last week citing "adverse trading conditions". There are hopes some of the workers affected could find posts at another building firm in nearby Melrose which currently requires staff. Thomson Cooper partner Richard Gardiner was appointed as administrator at Murray and Burrell on Monday. A statement confirmed: "Directors explored all options in an effort to preserve trading and jobs. "Regrettably, 38 jobs were lost as there is no prospect of continuing to trade." South of Scotland MSP Rachael Hamilton described it as a "sad day for the Borders". However, some of the workers laid off could find employment with a Melrose-based company. JS Crawford has said that, with several housing projects on its books, it needs staff.

Dozens of jobs have been lost after efforts to save an historic building firm in the Scottish Borders failed.

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The EC's doubts about the arrangement were detailed in a document on Friday. The EC said that its "preliminary view is that the tax ruling... by Luxembourg in favour of Amazon constitutes state aid." However, Amazon said it "has received no special tax treatment from Luxembourg". "We are subject to the same tax laws as other companies operating here [in Luxembourg]," it said. The Luxembourg finance ministry said: "Luxembourg is confident that the state aid allegations in this case are without merit and will be able to convince the Commission of the legitimacy of the anticipatory decision in question and that no competitive advantage was granted," it said. The European Commission began a probe of the tax arrangement last year, saying that it had suspicions it broke EU rules. The Commission document, which was sent to the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October, gives its rationale for launching the investigation. The Commission said it had "no indication" that the tax arrangement was "compatible with the internal market". The current European Commission chief, Jean-Claude Juncker, was prime minister of Luxembourg when the deal was struck. Mr Juncker has come under pressure over claims that around 340 global companies were granted tax avoidance deals during his 18 year tenure in Luxembourg. Commission doubts over the Amazon deal included whether Luxembourg had properly looked into Amazon's "transfer pricing" proposals about how money would be moved between different Amazon subsidiaries. Doubts also existed about whether the country had assessed that the proposed tax regime was in line with market conditions before agreeing the deal in 2003, the European Commission document said. The Commission also had questions about how royalty payments between certain Amazon companies were calculated, and whether "Amazon has a financial incentive to exaggerate the amount of the royalty" between its Luxembourg head office company and an Amazon firm that holds shares in the head office company. "If the royalty is exaggerated, it would unduly reduce the tax paid by Amazon in Luxembourg by shifting profits to an untaxed entity from the perspective of corporate taxation," the EC said. It added that Luxembourg might have been too hasty in assessing Amazon's requested arrangement before striking the deal. Luxembourg's finance ministry said it "has provided all the information required by the Commission and cooperated fully with the Commission in its investigation." "Among other things, detailed reports on the transfer price requested by the Commission were disclosed," it added. Luxembourg is also being investigated by the Commission over suspected "sweetheart" tax deals with the financing arm of carmaker Fiat. In addition, Ireland's tax deal with Apple and the Netherlands' arrangement with Starbucks are being scrutinised as part of a crackdown on multinationals' tax avoidance schemes.

The European Commission has disclosed a preliminary finding that Amazon's tax arrangements in Luxembourg probably constitute "state aid".

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The three-day extravaganza of farming, food and family fun celebrates many aspects of agricultural life. The Balmoral Show is run by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) and dates back 148 years. Last year, it attracted more than 90,000 visitors to its recently-adopted home outside Lisburn in County Antrim. It was traditionally staged at the RUAS's headquarters in south Belfast, but the show moved to a larger venue on the site of the former Maze prison in 2013. The Maze venue, re-named Balmoral Park, is now hosting the show for the fourth consecutive year. The 2016 event coincides with Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink, and local produce features prominently in the exhibitions. One of this year's highlights is an "edible garden", in which visitors can see their food growing in the ground before it gets to their plates. The aim of the garden is to encourage people to grow their own food at home. The event will also showcase the best of local livestock, with prized pigs, cattle, poultry and ponies all lining up in bid to be the stars of the show. Their owners will also get a chance to shine, with horse riding and show jumping displays along with sheep shearing competitions and awards for the best livestock breeders and handlers. For younger visitors, there is a family fun area hosting displays from the Northern Ireland School of Falconry as well as a gun dog skills demonstration and a performance from balloon artist Bruce Airhead. BBC News NI are covering the event live on social media on Wednesday on Twitter at @BBCNewsNI, on Snapchat at bbcnewsni, and on BBC Newsline's Facebook page.

The most important event in Northern Ireland's agricultural calendar - the Balmoral Show - has opened with thousands of people attending.

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Mr Mosley wants Google to block photos of him at a sex party first printed in the now-defunct News of the World, which he successfully sued in 2008. He is suing the internet firm for breaches of the Data Protection Act and misusing private information. Google's barrister argued that Mr Mosley no longer has a "reasonable expectation of privacy". Mr Mosley won damages from the News of the World after it published a story alleging he had organised a Nazi-themed orgy. Photographs and a video which show his private sexual activity were originally obtained by News Group Newspapers Limited (NGN) in a clandestine "sting" operation. Mr Mosley - the son of 1930s fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley - won £60,000 after a judge ruled there was no substance to the allegation that there had been a Nazi theme to the sex party and found that his privacy had been breached. In that ruling, the High Court also said the article was not in the public interest. Mr Mosley has said the role-play at a rented Chelsea basement flat was harmless, consensual and private. On launching his legal action last year, Mr Mosley urged: "Google should operate within the law rather than according to rules it makes itself. It cannot be allowed to ignore judgements in our courts." Google has said it will remove URLs that it is alerted to, but is not prepared to remove the images entirely from its search engines. In court on Wednesday, Google's barrister Antony White QC for Google conceded that it was technically possible to remove the images and was "not burdensome" to do so. However, he argued that Google was not the publisher of the private information, and that Mr Mosley no longer had a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the images. On that basis, Google will seek to show that Mr Mosley's claim is unfounded. The hearing is due to conclude on Thursday.

Google has asked the High Court to throw out legal action being taken by ex-Formula 1 boss Max Mosley.

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The Bath-born player, 28, has made 36 appearances for the Dragons since joining from Wasps in 2015. He is in his second season and signed a contract extension in December 2016. Dragons forwards coach Ceri Jones said: "It's a big blow. Eddie has been excellent all year for us, he has really stepped up to the mark and will be a big loss." However, Jones says Jackson's misfortune can be a chance for others to thrive. "We are very fortunate to have the likes of Ollie Griffiths, Harrison Keddie, James Thomas who can come into the back-row," said Jackson. "Harri has shown glimpses of what he can do all season and there's definitely a player there, so this is an opportunity." Dragons travel to Munster in the Pro12 on Friday.

Newport Gwent Dragons number eight Ed Jackson has undergone shoulder surgery and faces a spell on the sidelines.

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The announcement ends months of uncertainty for Cornish Language Partnership staff whose contracts had been due to end. Local government minister Andrew Stunnell said the three-year funding package for the service would help make sure the language survived. But he warned that long term funding should come from Cornwall. He said it was "important to make sure the Cornish were given the opportunity to put down sound foundations." "In the longer term support for the Cornish language is going to be something which is going to have to be based in Cornwall and will not come from London," he added. The Cornish Language Partnership's, Jennifer Lowe, said: "We can now plan for the future thanks to the funding." The United Nations recently upgraded the status of the Cornish language from "extinct" to "critically endangered". It is thought fewer than 500 people worldwide are fluent in the language.

The government is spending nearly £400,000 to help save the Cornish language.

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Jardim, in charge since 2014, described the last three years at the club as "exceptional". Monaco finished eight points ahead of nearest rivals Paris St-Germain to be crowned champions of France in 2016-17. "I feel part of AS Monaco and the principality," said Portuguese Jardim, the former Olympiakos boss. Monaco also beat Tottenham and Manchester City on their way to reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League during 2016-17, before losing to Juventus 4-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said Jardim had received offers to coach elsewhere. "He is one of the best coaches in European football and despite other offers he has chosen to continue the adventure at Monaco, which demonstrates our ambition," added Vasilyev.

Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim has been rewarded for steering the club to their first Ligue 1 title for 17 years with a new contract until 2020.

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A State Department spokesman said the election process was flawed and could not be seen as free and fair. He said the Ortega government had side-lined opposition candidates and limited monitoring of the polls. Daniel Ortega won 72.5% of the vote with 99.8% of the ballots counted. His closest rival, centre-right candidate Maximino Rodriguez, only received 14.2% of the vote. The State Department's Mark Toner said the Ortega government had not invited international election observers, which he said, "further degraded the legitimacy of the election". "We continue to press the Nicaraguan government to uphold democratic practices, including press freedom and respect for universal human rights in Nicaragua," he added. Mr Ortega had been widely expected to win both due to the popularity of his social programmes and because he faced no obvious political challenger. A former left-wing rebel, Mr Ortega has led Nicaragua through a period of economic stability which has made him popular with the country's business sector and foreign investors. Supporters of Mr Ortega took to the streets to celebrate his victory. But even before the first results were announced, members of the opposition coalition Broad Front for Democracy (FAD) called the elections a "farce". The FAD, which had urged voters to boycott the election, alleged that more than 70% had abstained from voting. They were contradicted by the electoral authorities which put voter participation at 65.8%. Mr Ortega's running mate was his wife, Rosario Murillo, who now looks set to become vice-president. Analysts say that Ms Murillo already shares decision-making with Mr Ortega and could become president if her 70-year-old husband were to bow out. Nicaragua's economy has grown at double the Latin American average, but the country still needs to attract more foreign investment. A $50bn (£40bn) plan to build an interoceanic canal across Nicaragua with Chinese investment has gained international attention, but there are serious doubts over whether it will ever be built. The country has been able to avoid the sky-high murder rates of some of its Central American neighbours but it also faces the ever pervasive threat of drug-trafficking.

The US says it is "deeply concerned" about the electoral process in Nicaragua a day after Daniel Ortega, the left-wing leader, won a third consecutive presidential term.

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The decision comes after 170,000 activists from around the world demanded action to help lesbians targeted for "corrective rape". The authorities have been accused of not doing enough following the recent killing and rape of lesbian activist Noxolo Nogwaza. Police say they do not consider sexual orientation when investigating murder. "To us, murder is murder, whether somebody is Zulu, English, male or female - we don't see colour, we don't see gender," police ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi told the BBC on Tuesday, after rights groups urged the police to do more to find those responsible Ms Nogwaza's death. She was stoned, stabbed and gang-raped in the KwaThema township east of Johannesburg over the Easter weekend. Unlike in many African countries, homosexual acts are legal in South Africa and discrimination based on sexual orientation is banned, but activists say gay and lesbian people are often attacked in townships. They say "corrective rape" - when a lesbian is raped to either punish her, or "correct" her behaviour - is becoming increasingly common. Ndumie Funda, founder of the gay rights organisation Luleki Sizwe which works in 10 black townships and rural areas near Cape Town, welcomed the government's announcement. She said it was important to get "corrective rape" classified as a hate crime. "The South African constitution is one of the highly respected and acknowledged constitutions and it says we are all equal; we're therefore reminding our government to say that this was being promised and we voted for you so we need protection," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme. Luleki Sizwe started an online petition at Change.org to get the government to take action. "In less than six months, a tiny group of township activists has mobilised more than 170,000 people from 163 countries and gotten the highest levels of government to address their basic demand, that the sadistic crime of 'corrective rape' be taken seriously," Change.org representative Benjamin Joffe-Walt is quoted by the Sapa news agency as saying. Justice ministry spokesman Tlali Tlali said the the task team would begin its work in July and include six representatives from the judiciary, police and department of social development and six representatives from the gay community. "The team will be charged with developing a legislative intervention plan, a public awareness strategy, and LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex]-sensitive shelters," he said. In 2008, female footballer and gay rights activist Eudy Simelane was also killed in KwaThema, some 80km (50 miles) east of Johannesburg. Two people were given long prison terms for her murder and rape, although prosecutors denied that her sexuality had been a motive.

South Africa is to set up a team to tackle hate crimes against gay people, the justice ministry says.

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Big oil producing nations meet this weekend in Qatar to discuss plans for a freeze in production levels. But there is scepticism over whether such a deal would make much difference to the current oversupply of oil in the market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 28.97 points to 17,897.46. The S&P 500 was down 2.05 points to 2,080.73. The technology focused Nasdaq Composite slipped 7.67 points to 4,938.22. Stocks in the energy sectors fell as another US bank - Citigroup - reported it was setting cash aside to cover losses on loans to the energy industry. Shares in banking giant Citigroup closed 0.13% down after trading mostly higher all day. It reported a 27% fall in quarterly profit, but that was not as bad as analysts had been expecting. Shares of Marathon Petroleum were down 3.8%, Exxon Mobile fell 0.5% and Chevron was 0.75% lower. Shares of Apple dropped 2% after a report suggested the company was cutting iPhone production in the April-June quarter due to weak sales. Investors also had a gloomy economic report to chew over. US industrial production fell 0.6% in March, which was a bigger drop than analysts were expecting, and followed a 0.6% decline in February.

(Close):Wall Street markets fell on Friday as oil prices slipped ahead of a weekend meeting that could result in a freezing of production.

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That is the conclusion of a study by US biologists, exploring how the colour is created in different tarantula species. The hue is caused by tiny structures inside the animals' hairs, but those shapes vary across the family tree. This suggests, the researchers say, that the striking blue is not driven by sexual selection - unlike many other bright colours in the animal kingdom. This argument is also supported by the fact that tarantulas have poor colour vision, and do not appear to show off their hairy blue body parts during courtship. Nonetheless, Bor-Kai Hsiung and his colleagues found that 40 out of 53 groupings (genera) of tarantula exhibit a very vibrant blue. "We collected published data and constructed a super-tree, which combined the previous published small trees," said Mr Hsiung, a PhD student at the University of Akron in Ohio and the first author of the study, published in Science Advances. They then mapped blueness onto that evolutionary tree, based on a bank of tarantula snaps scoured from the internet. "If the genus has at least one species that's blue, we say that's a blue genus," Mr Hsiung explained. Given that scattering of blue species, he added, they then calculated "the lowest number of changes that can produce a distribution of blue colouring like this". The answer? "Eight is the lowest number, so it's [evolved] at least eight times." What is more, all these blue spiders evolved almost precisely the same shade; the wavelengths the team saw in the images all fell within a tight 20 nanometre range, clustered around 450nm - a bright, cobalt blue. The team also purchased specimens of eight tarantula species, and took a close look at those blue hairs. They used electron microscopes to zoom in on tiny shapes within the hairs and conducted simulations of how those shapes could produce a "structural colour" by reflecting - very specifically - this wavelength of blue light. The results, again, pointed to the colour cropping up multiple times independently: several different types of shape could be seen, even on the same branch of the family tree. "That's one of the reasons why it must have evolved so many times - because we don't see a very clear pattern of how these different mechanisms split," Mr Hsiung said. "If we could see a clear split, then it might have evolved just one or two times. But it's all over the place." So why did all these different species acquire the same colour? Given their relatively simple eyes, it is doubtful that tarantulas can distinguish this shade of blue from any other colour. That is one of the reasons that sexual selection seems unlikely - by contrast with some other spiders, which have remarkably good vision and put on very colourful courtship displays, such as the mesmerising peacock spider. "It evolved from multiple origins and different mechanisms produce the very same blue colour," Mr Hsiung said. "That's very strong evidence to suggest that this blue colour has a very important visual signalling function. "But if it's not for other tarantulas, then it must be to some other receivers out there." It may be that this colour helps conceal the critters from their prey while they hunt at night; or perhaps it serves as a warning to stop the tarantulas themselves being eaten. "We don't know yet," Mr Hsiung said. Follow Jonathan on Twitter

Tarantulas have evolved almost exactly the same shade of vibrant blue at least eight separate times.

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Internet searches from the week before the crash were found on the tablet computer used by Andreas Lubitz, Meanwhile, the second "black box" flight recorder from the plane has been recovered. There were no survivors among the 150 people on board the A320 on 24 March. The German prosecutors said internet searches made on the tablet found in Lubitz's Duesseldorf flat included "ways to commit suicide" and "cockpit doors and their security provisions". Spokesman Ralf Herrenbrueck said: "He concerned himself on one hand with medical treatment methods, on the other hand with types and ways of going about a suicide. "In addition, on at least one day he concerned himself with search terms about cockpit doors and their security precautions.'' Prosecutors did not disclose the individual search terms in the browser history but said personal correspondence supported the conclusion Lubitz used the device in the period from 16 to 23 March. Lubitz, 27, had been deemed fit to fly by his employers at Germanwings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa. The first "black box", the voice recorder, was recovered almost immediately at the crash site. Based on that evidence, investigators said they believed Lubitz intentionally crashed Flight 9525, which was travelling from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, taking control of the aircraft while the pilot was locked out of the cockpit. The second "black box" recovered is the flight data recorder (FDR) which should hold technical information on the time of radio transmissions and the plane's acceleration, airspeed, altitude and direction, plus the use of auto-pilot. At a press conference, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said there was "reasonable hope" the recorder which was being sent to Paris for examination, would provide useful information. The "completely blackened" equipment was found near a ravine and was not discovered immediately because it was the same colour as the rocks, he said. He said: "The second black box is an indispensable addition to understand what happened especially in the final moment of the flight." He told the media 150 separate DNA profiles had been isolated from the crash site but he stressed that did not mean all the victims had been identified. As each DNA set is matched to a victim, families will be notified immediately, he said, He added 40 mobile phones had been recovered. He said they would be analysed in a laboratory but were "heavily damaged". Also on Thursday, Germanwings said it was unaware that Lubitz had experienced depression while he was training to be a pilot. Lufthansa confirmed on Tuesday that it knew six years ago that the co-pilot had suffered from an episode of "severe depression'' before he finished his flight training. ``We didn't know this,'' said Vanessa Torres, a spokeswoman for Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings, which hired Lubitz in September 2013. She could not explain why Germanwings had not been informed. The final minutes Lubitz began the jet's descent at 10:31 (09:31 GMT) on 24 March, shortly after the A320 had made its final contact with air traffic control. Little more than eight minutes later, it had crashed into a mountain near Seyne-les-Alpes. What happened in the last 30 minutes of Flight 4U 9525? Who was Andreas Lubitz?

The co-pilot suspected of deliberately crashing the Germanwings jet in the French Alps had researched suicide methods and the security of cockpit doors, German prosecutors said.

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Mr Fox, 54, from London, denies eight counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault between 1988 and 2014. He said there was often "horseplay" with colleagues, involving "piggybacks, tickling and squeezing". But he told Westminster Magistrates' Court such behaviour was consensual. Mr Fox, who uses the nicknames Dr Fox and Foxy, became well known for presenting the chart show on Capital Radio, and was a judge on the ITV show Pop Idol between 2001 and 2003 alongside Simon Cowell. He joined Magic 105.4 in 2005, where he presents the breakfast show, Foxy in the Morning. He is currently not hosting the show. Giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr Fox said he had worked with "hundreds" of female colleagues during his career, but had never been accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour until last year. Under questioning from his defence counsel, Jonathan Caplan QC, he told the court his teams had kept their energy up during live broadcasts by playing loud music, dancing and creating makeshift obstacle courses. "It sounds daft, but it was the way we, I, got myself going, and the team would join in very much as well. They would be part of that." He said his entire shifts, not just the on-air periods, constituted a "full performance" and colleagues would often make playful comments to one another. Mr Caplan asked: "Could those comments become edgy or sexual?" Mr Fox replied: "Of course they could. Like any office. Some of it could be saucy, cheeky, over-the-top." Referring to the "horseplay" in the office, Mr Fox insisted he would never have engaged in such conduct if it was not consensual, "otherwise it would create a bad atmosphere in the studio". Asked whether the culture of radio had changed during the past 25 years, he said: "I think the workplace in general, it's changed, hasn't it? "Laws have changed. HR has changed. Political correctness has changed." He added: "But I don't think my behaviour has changed. I'm the same guy now, with the same morals, as I was then." One former colleague has accused the DJ of squeezing her breasts from behind. Asked about that, he said: "That would be wholly wrong, totally disrespectful, and it's not something I would do." The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also said Mr Fox once pushed her over and simulated having sex with her. Addressing that allegation, he said people in his then-workplace often pretended to have been caught in compromising positions - it was a "play-acting high jinks thing", he said. Mr Fox told the court he had seen it "many times", but agreed that out of context, the "Benny Hill-style" comedy could have seemed inappropriate. Prosecutor John Price QC said: "She says that when you did that to her, she did not consent to it. Are you in a position to dispute that?" Mr Fox replied: "I can't get in (her) head." Mr Price continued: "Did you ask her before you did it if it was okay?" to which the defendant replied: "No." Mr Fox also denied having sexual contact with a 15-year-old fan, including during a private tour of Capital Radio's record library. "It never happened," he said, although he did acknowledge he "could have easily taken her for a tour". Mr Fox agreed it would be "quite wrong" for an adult man to "stick his tongue" into the mouth of a teenage girl, as the woman alleged he had done in the station's car park on another occasion. If a young fan asked him for a kiss, he would respond with "a social kiss" on the cheek, he said. The girl in question had, he added, "become a little bit obsessed with me". Asked why three unrelated individuals were accusing him of similar inappropriate conduct, Mr Fox replied: "I don't have an explanation at all." Mr Price said: "Coincidence is ridiculous, isn't it, as an explanation for these things?" The DJ replied: "I can't explain those coincidences." The trial continues.

DJ Neil Fox has told a court he engaged in "saucy" behaviour at work, but complaints made against him in 2014 were the first in his 29-year career.

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Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said the 20-year-old would be out for "a few weeks" after leaving him out of his squad to play Arsenal on Sunday. Pochettino said Alli "twisted his knee in a clash with a team-mate". England play Scotland on Friday and Spain the following Tuesday at Wembley. "I hope it is not a big issue, it's bad luck, he's an important player for us," Pochettino added. "He will be out for a few weeks. We need to assess him today, tomorrow. That is football and sometimes it happens."

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been ruled out of England's World Cup qualifier with Scotland and friendly against Spain after suffering a knee injury in training.

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He would go upstairs, on the premise that he was saying a prayer with his niece, then sexually abuse her. Now in her 30s, Karen wasn't understood when she first told her parents what her uncle, Mark Sewell, was doing. Sewell was also the son of a trusted older member of the local Jehovah's Witnesses congregation, known as an elder. Christian churches, as well as other religions, have faced claims of child abuse. But what is striking about the Jehovah's Witnesses is their explicit policy of dealing with abuse in-house. Because of their practice of following the Bible literally, they insist there must be two witnesses to a crime, often not the case in child abuse cases. However, in Karen's case a second witness did come forward: Wendy, a family friend and fellow member of the Barry congregation in south Wales. She had been raped by the same man. When she reported the crime to elders, Wendy was made to describe it in minute detail to a group of older men. Later, she had to give her account again in the same room as Sewell. Afterwards, the elders told her that as it was only her account against that of Sewell, nothing more could be done. This bringing together of the accused and the accuser in a "judicial committee" is a common feature of Jehovah's Witnesses' justice. Karen, still a teenager at the time, was put through the process. The elders also ruled that their separate accusations didn't constitute the required two witnesses. Despite a pattern of predatory sexual behaviour, it took more than two decades to bring Wendy and Karen's abuser to justice. He is now serving a 14-year prison sentence. His punishment from the Jehovah's Witnesses? There wasn't one. Even when the case came to court, the organisation was reluctant to co-operate. Karen's father, John Viney, who was also an elder in the Barry congregation, says that elders who knew of Sewell's conduct and were asked to give statements or evidence in court did not want to get involved. In a programme for Radio 4's The Report, we have identified this lack of co-operation in several other similar cases. Confidential documents from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Britain - the official name for the Jehovah's Witnesses - that we have seen are explicit about the best way to deal with such matters being within the congregation. Nowhere in the hundreds of pages we have seen are elders told that they must go to the police, even if the perpetrator confesses, unless state or national law makes it mandatory to report such allegations. The Jehovah's Witnesses' UK leadership declined to talk to us for the programme. In a statement, they said they were appealing against a recent High Court ruling in the UK that awarded substantial damages against the organisation for failing to protect a child from sexual abuse by a paedophile. Their statement also insists that the organisation does take child abuse extremely seriously. Karen Morgan and Wendy are now pursuing a civil claim against the organisation, hoping that further financial penalty may force the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses to change its policies. For both of them, what made it even harder was the sense that belonging to the Jehovah's Witnesses was part of an all-encompassing lifestyle, with members encouraged to socialise and marry within the group. The organisation has some eight million members around the world, but as Karen found to her cost, those who decide to have a boyfriend or girlfriend who is not a member may find themselves "disfellowshipped" or shunned. Jehovah's Witnesses are not the only religious organisation to try to deal with allegations of sexual abuse in-house. For many decades, that was the preferred method of the Roman Catholic Church, which has since reformed its child safeguarding policies following numerous court cases in the US and Europe against priests for the sexual abuse of children. Other churches have also tightened up their child safeguarding policies, with the Methodist Church conducting its own recent inquiry into abuse allegations dating back to 1950. That inquiry has led to calls for the Church of England to hold a fresh internal inquiry of its own, separately from the overarching national public inquiry that has just begun, and from the investigation it published in 2010, which critics termed inadequate. However, it is the more closed religious communities and new religious movements where it remains hardest for the victims of such abuse to speak out and gain access to secular justice, although awareness of the issue is growing. Only this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish scholar from Manchester - who fled to Israel after he was exposed as a paedophile - was jailed for 13 years. Todros Grynhaus was deported by the Israeli authorities to face justice in the UK, with his conviction for sex offences against girls leading to a change in attitudes in the Haredi Jewish community. The case prompted the UK's Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, to urge members to report child sex abuse. The court had heard that both women who testified against Grynhaus in the case had been "ostracised" by their community as a result of speaking out about their ordeal. For young Muslim girls, the price of speaking out about child sexual abuse can also be high, with many reluctant to report such abuse because of the fear that it would bring shame on them and their family. Sexual and physical abuse at Islamic religious schools, known as madrassas, has also resulted in some prosecutions in recent years, although often victims still hesitate to come forward with such allegations. Many religious organisations will find themselves being closely scrutinised in the national independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, chaired by New Zealand judge Lowell Goddard. The survivors of such abuse hope that the inquiry will prove itself truly independent, and help ensure that abusers will not be able to rely on their own congregations or religious leaders to protect them - whatever their faith. The Inquiry will investigate a wide range of institutions including: Local authorities The police The Crown Prosecution Service The Immigration Service The BBC The armed forces Schools Hospitals Children's homes Churches, mosques and other religious organisations Charities and voluntary organisations Full details of the inquiry Caroline Wyatt's investigation will be broadcast in Radio 4's The Report at 20:00 BST on Thursday, 23 July.

From when Karen Morgan was 12, until she was well into her teens, she was sexually abused by her uncle - a ministerial servant with the Jehovah's Witnesses.

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Mr Varoufakis said Greece was subject to a programme that will "go down in history as the greatest disaster of macroeconomic management ever". The German parliament approved the opening of negotiations on Friday. The bailout could total €86bn (£60bn) in exchange for austerity measures. In a damning assessment, Mr Varoufakis told the BBC's Mark Lobel: "This programme is going to fail whoever undertakes its implementation." Asked how long that would take, he replied: "It has failed already." Mr Varoufakis resigned earlier this month, in what was widely seen as a conciliatory gesture towards the eurozone finance ministers with whom he had clashed frequently. He said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has admitted that he does not believe in the bailout, had little option but to sign. "We were given a choice between being executed and capitulating. And he decided that capitulation was the optimal strategy." Mr Tsipras has announced a cabinet reshuffle, sacking several ministers who voted against the reforms in parliament this week. But he opted not to bring in technocrats or opposition politicians as replacements. As a result, our correspondent says, Mr Tsipras will preside over ministers who, like himself, harbour serious doubts about the reform programme. Greece must pass further reforms on Wednesday next week to secure the bailout. Germany was the last of the eurozone countries needing parliamentary approval to begin the talks. But the head of the group of eurozone finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, has warned that the process will not be easy, saying he expected the negotiations to take four weeks. On Saturday, the Greek government ordered banks to open on Monday following three weeks of closures. But the decree stated that the weekly withdrawal limit should be a maximum €420. Separately, the European Council approved the €7bn bridging loan for Greece from an EU-wide emergency fund. The loan was approved in principle by eurozone ministers on Thursday and now has the go-ahead from all non-euro states. It means Greece will now be able to repay debts to two of its creditors, the ECB and International Monetary Fund (IMF), due on Monday.

Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has told the BBC that economic reforms imposed on his country by creditors are "going to fail", ahead of talks on a huge bailout.

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The IPC opened proceedings against the National Paralympic Committee of Russia after a report claimed the country had operated a widespread doping programme. A decision on any ban will come in the week commencing 1 August. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opted against a blanket ban. "I can assure you that our board will take the right decision in the interest of sport and the interest of the Paralympic movement moving forward," said Craven. On Sunday, the IOC said it would leave it up to the governing bodies of individual sports to decide if Russian competitors are clean and should be allowed to take part. But Craven, himself a member of the IOC, was critical of that decision and said the IPC would not necessarily follow suit. "I am disappointed in their decision, but that is a personal view," he added. "We have to acknowledge their right to take such a decision. This is ultra-serious. I don't think there has been a situation in the past where you have had institutional doping on such a scale. "We believe the Russian NPC is either unwilling or unable to uphold the IPC anti-doping code, which is in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency code, so that is what they have to respond to." Canadian law professor Richard McLaren's report, published last week, claimed Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme from 2011 to 2015. The IPC said it acted after McLaren provided the names of the athletes associated with the 35 "disappearing positive samples" from the Moscow laboratory highlighted in the report. Nineteen samples potentially doctored as part of the sample-swapping regime during the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Winter Games have been sent for further analysis. Russia will have up to 21 days to appeal against any IPC decision, with the Rio Paralympics due to begin on 7 September.

The International Paralympic Committee will make its decision on Russia's participation in the Rio Games "in the interest of sport", president Sir Philip Craven has told BBC Sport.

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The 24-year-old spent six seasons with the north London side and has previously spent time playing in the second tier with Bedford Blues. The Exiles have not disclosed the length of the former England under-20 international's contract. "Ben is a great acquisition," director of rugby Nick Kennedy said. "He has Championship experience which will be very useful as we gear up for what will be a very competitive campaign."

Full-back Ben Ransom has joined Championship side London Irish from Premiership and European Champions Cup winners Saracens.

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The team went into administration in October but, as revealed by BBC Sport, have secured investment from Stephen Fitzpatrick, boss of energy firm Ovo. Former Sainsbury's boss Justin King has joined as interim chairman. He said he was confident that Manor had "the right people, the right values and sheer hard work" and would be "competitive at the highest level". King is not financially involved in the team but will take a leading role on the business side of the operation. Fitzpatrick's investment is a personal one and the money he has put into the team does not come from Ovo. He said: "I have a lifelong passion for F1 and can't wait for the season ahead." Manor Marussia have announced Englishman Will Stevens will be one of their drivers and said a deal to sign the second would be completed soon. The team's new car, a modified version of the 2014 model, must pass F1's mandatory crash tests before they can race at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from 13-15 March. Those tests are scheduled to take place this week. Graeme Lowdon, who has been with the team through its various guises as Manor, Virgin and Marussia, remains as president and sporting director. He said: "It has been a challenging period for all of us but we've come through it and now we just want to go racing again. "With formidable new business leadership in Stephen Fitzpatrick and the board presence of Justin King, we are now in a great place ahead of the new season. This is a fantastic and very rewarding moment for all those involved with the team."

The Manor Marussia team have confirmed they intend to return to Formula 1 in time for the start of the season.

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The destination of a stimulus package worth nearly £39m was agreed as part of the Welsh government's budget deal with the Liberal Democrats. Finance Minister Jane Hutt said it would help "generate immediate benefits" for the economy. But Plaid Cymru said it was "completely inadequate" and the Conservatives said it should go to council tax payers. Labour and the Lib Dems announced a budget deal on Friday night, ending weeks of negotiations between ministers and opposition parties. With 30 of the assembly's 60 seats, Labour needs the help of at least one other party to approve its spending plans. The £38.9m windfall - to be spent over two years - also formed part of budget discussions. The money is coming down from the Treasury as a result of a council tax freeze in England. A programme to help businesses hire young recruits is among projects receiving funding. The government said an extra £4.9m would create 1,800 more apprenticeships. Some £9m will go towards upgrading school buildings, with the same amount spent on delivering an additional 130 homes. The government will spend £3.5 improving roads in places where it is planning to create enterprise zones. Five parts of Wales have been earmarked as zones where businesses will get help to grow. First Minister Carwyn Jones has said that copying the UK government by using the money to keep down council tax would not significantly benefit the economy, adding that tax bills for band D homes were lower on average in Wales. Labour has faced criticism from opponents, particularly Plaid Cymru, for not doing enough to respond to a deteriorating economic situation. Ms Hutt pointed to other government spending commitments, intended to help growth. She said she had considered proposals to spend the money from across the government. She said: "This package builds on those actions to boost the economy and develop public services, generating immediate benefits for our economy while complementing our long term aims." Conservative shadow finance minister Paul Davies said he was disappointed ministers were using additional resources to "top up" existing policies. He said: "There is nothing new in this package other than a fresh attempt by Welsh Labour ministers to be seen to act on the economy, while spending money which would be better spent by taxpayers themselves." Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams said her party will also work with the government on how to spend any money allocated to Wales as a result of Tuesday's Autumn Statement by Chancellor George Osborne. "The Welsh Liberal Democrats approach will be to continue to get our economy moving and improve the quality of life for people in Wales," she said. Plaid Cymru economy spokesman Alun Ffred Jones said: "For over six months, Labour has sat back and done nothing - exposing Wales to the full force of this economic crisis. "Now, they're trying desperately to create the impression that this small sum of money will do what's needed. Quite simply, it will not."

Funding to improve school buildings and create apprenticeships has been announced to help revive the economy.

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The former Tory prime minister also called for "more charm and a lot less cheap rhetoric" from the UK government towards the rest of the EU. And he said the costs of leaving would be "substantial" and "unpalatable". Downing Street said the government was determined to make a success of the UK's departure from the EU. Conservative former cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said it was a "peculiar speech in the sense that it looked backwards the whole time". He told BBC Newsnight: "It was almost like a re-fight of the referendum... strangely bitter really, and almost really the speech of someone who simply refuses to accept that the British people should have made a decision such as they did." Prime Minister Theresa May plans to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which begins two years of formal negotiations, by the end of March. She has already confirmed the UK will not remain a member of the EU single market but will instead seek a new free trade deal with the remaining members. In a speech in London, Sir John, who campaigned for a Remain vote in June's referendum, claimed there was "little chance" the advantages of being part of the EU single market could be replicated once the UK leaves. "I have watched with growing concern as the British people have been led to expect a future that seems to be unreal and over-optimistic," he said. "Obstacles are brushed aside as of no consequence, whilst opportunities are inflated beyond any reasonable expectation of delivery." For Theresa May, also an unflashy leader who was propelled to No 10 by a surprising political moment, Europe will be defining in a way no others could even have anticipated. In Sir John's carefully calibrated speech, there are plenty of messages for her, some of which may be welcome, some not. First off, having campaigned to stay in the European Union, with sober warnings particularly about the consequences for the Northern Irish peace process, it's no surprise that Sir John says that in his view, Brexit will be a "historic mistake". It is notable, although again not surprising, that he cautions that the UK will be a diminished diplomatic force in the world after we walk away from the EU, with a warning too that we will be less useful to our most important ally, the US, as a consequence. Also, even as the PM who lived through the Commons trauma of trying to deliver the Maastricht Treaty, it is logical that he calls for Parliament to have a full role in shaping the negotiations over our place in Europe. What may be harder for No 10 to dismiss is Sir John's obvious political concern about how the public is being treated in the months after the referendum decision. Read more from Laura Sir John said Brexit talks require "statesmanship of a high order" and warned of a "real risk" of the exit deal falling "well below the hopes and expectations" that have been raised, saying he doubted the "rosy confidence being offered to the British people". "In my own experience, the most successful results are obtained when talks are conducted with goodwill: it is much easier to reach agreement with a friend than a quarrelsome neighbour. "Behind the diplomatic civilities, the atmosphere is already sour. A little more charm, and a lot less cheap rhetoric, would do much to protect the UK's interests." He also said the "cheerleaders" for Brexit had shown a "disregard that amounts to contempt" towards those that backed the losing side. And he said the UK would become "far more dependent" on the US after it leaves the EU, describing President Donald Trump as "less predictable, less reliable and less attuned to our free market and socially liberal instincts than any of his predecessors". Sir John, who as prime minister between 1990 and 1997 oversaw the start of the Northern Ireland peace process, warned that "uncertainties over border restrictions" after Brexit were "a serious threat to the UK, to the peace process and for Ireland, North and South". The ex-PM, who faced battles with Eurosceptic MPs during his time in Downing Street, also said Mrs May would have to "face down" people calling for "total disengagement" from Europe. But the Leave Means Leave campaign hit back, recalling Sir John's famous "don't bind my hands" plea to Tory Eurosceptics ahead of EU talks and saying he was now "seeking to do just this to the British prime minister ahead of negotiations with the EU". Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg added: "It was a craven and defeated speech of a bitter man who was heavily defeated by the electorate for his own failings in Europe in 1997, was defeated again last June and now wishes to take out his failures on Mrs May."

Britons are being offered an "unreal and over-optimistic" vision of what Brexit will look like, Sir John Major has warned.

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Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said Labour - which is opposing the cap - was "in denial" over the state of the economy. But Labour argued the cap would be a "hit and run" on working families. Benefits have historically risen in line with the rate of inflation. The Commons vote is due at 19:00 GMT. The House of Commons is debating the Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill, which would keep benefit rises to 1% for three years from next April. The coalition argues this is necessary to reduce the deficit, and is fair at a time when public sector pay is being capped and salaries in the private sector are rising below the rate of inflation. But Labour, which opposes the cap, says it will result in a real-terms cut in support for millions of working people. Some Lib Dem MPs, including David Ward, John Leech, Julian Huppert and former minister Sarah Teather, are expected to rebel against the government while others - including Julian Huppert - could abstain. Mr Leech, MP for Manchester Withington, said he found it "objectionable that the Tories are using 'skivers versus strivers' rhetoric to justify a cut to seven million working families". Despite the concerns of some Lib Dems, the coalition is thought likely to win the vote. Legislation is needed to implement changes announced by Chancellor George Osborne in last month's Autumn Statement - to cap increases in jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance, income support and elements of housing benefit. The cap would also apply to maternity allowance, sick pay, maternity pay and paternity pay as well as the couple and lone parent elements of the working tax credit and the child element of the child tax credit. These benefits traditionally rise in line with consumer prices in an annual process known as "uprating". By Ross HawkinsPolitical correspondent, BBC News Glance at the spreadsheets and the scale of the saving is apparent. Figures in the Autumn Statement show raising many benefits and tax credits by 1% a year will save £2.8bn in 2015/16, compared with the government's previous plans. The overall welfare budget in 2011/12, as calculated by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, is £201bn. The political debate will centre on who should feel the pain. Jobseekers Allowance totals 2.4% of the total bill, according to the IFS. Benefits for those on low incomes make up just under 21%. Those for elderly people, including the state pension, make up over 42%. The estimated value of fraud and error overpayments in benefit expenditure in 2011-12 is £3.2 billion. They increased 5.2% this year and without the planned change would have been set to rise by 2.2% - the rate of CPI inflation last September, on which the figure is calculated. The rate of inflation has since risen to 2.7%. During lively scenes in Parliament, Mr Duncan Smith said: "The number one priority now is reducing the deficit that they [Labour] left us - the biggest deficit since the Second World War." He added that the gap between the rate of income inflation between workers and the unemployed had "grown" in the last few years. "These are decisions that we are not taking easily but these are circumstances that they [Labour] are in denial about," Mr Duncan Smith said. For Labour, shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne accused the government of presiding over an increase in unemployment. But Mr Duncan Smith said this was not the case and that the US and other European countries were faring worse than the UK. Mr Byrne said the government was showing "contempt" by trying to "ram this bill through the House in just one day". He added: "It's turning into a hit-and-run on working families and we should not stand for it." Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said: "Isn't the truth of this that it's a mean and miserable piece of legislation from a mean and miserable government?" Sarah Teather, who was replaced as an education minister in last autumn's government reshuffle, said she would oppose the bill "with a heavy heart" because it was "disingenuous" to try to "find someone to blame for our own woes". "A fissure already exists between the working and non-working poor," she told MPs. "Hammering on that fault line with the language of 'shirkers and strivers' will have long-term impacts on public attitudes, on attitudes of one neighbour against another. "It will make society less generous, less sympathetic, less able to co-operate." However, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes told the House: "It's difficult but the government has got the right and I believe, after this parliament, it will be vindicated by getting more people in work and fewer out of work." David Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister's view is that the welfare system has to be brought back under control. The measures that the government has been taking, ever since the government came to power, have been designed to that end." The BBC's political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said an "impact assessment" published by the government suggested single parents would be most affected by the cap - losing £5 a week or about £250 over the three year period. The majority of working age households in receipt of state support are likely be an average of £3 a week worse off.

The government has urged MPs to back a 1% cap on annual rises in working-age benefits and some tax credits, arguing it is vital to cutting the deficit.

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Network Rail and Thames Water engineers are at the scene after the hole appeared in Forest Hill on Monday. The disruption is expected to last until Wednesday, with Southern, Thameslink and London Overground services affected. Thames Water said a sewer under the track had collapsed. It said the repair work was "extremely complex" and that engineers had located the problem section of the sewer and were working to seal it. Dry concrete has been put into the hole, forming a base to pour wet concrete on top. Once it has set, about 50 tonnes of ballast will be inserted, with the aim of opening the railway on Wednesday. Network Rail has closed all four lines between East Croydon and London Bridge, meaning Southern services to London Bridge are either cancelled or diverted. London Overground services are not running between West Croydon/Crystal Palace and New Cross Gate. Carl Leadbetter, Thames Water's regional network manager, said: "Our teams continue to work as fast as possible on this critical job. "While we need to work quickly to reopen the train lines, we also need to consider local residents, who will potentially suffer from sewer flooding if the pipe is not properly enclosed. "This is an extremely complex job as the pipe is in a difficult location in the tracks and six metres below the ground." Network Rail apologised for the delays and said it was working "as hard as possible" to get the problem fixed by Wednesday morning's rush hour. Spokesman Chris Denham said the hole "couldn't be in a worse place". "This is a massive piece of railway," he told BBC Radio London. "It's the equivalent of shutting the A2 out of London in the morning. It's absolutely huge." Some passengers expressed their frustration on social media, mentioning how the problem occurred on the hottest day of the year so far. Elsewhere in London, high temperatures have been disrupting trains between the city and the West, with speeds being cut over fears of rails buckling. Trains coming out of Paddington, Euston and Liverpool Street all saw severe disruption. And Southern services heading to Brighton from Victoria were heavily disrupted following a track failure in the Gatwick area. It comes as commuters have experienced months of cancellations and delays on Southern trains due to an RMT dispute. New rail minister Paul Maynard will appear before the Commons Transport Select Committee on Wednesday to give evidence on the Department for Transport's role in the issue. For more details on this story, please tune into BBC Radio London and follow @BBCTravelAlert on Twitter.

A 13ft-deep hole causing widespread disruption to trains in south London has been found to have opened above an active sewer.

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Everton had won on their last four visits to City - and for an hour frustration was in the air again as they mounted a wall of well-organised resistance that kept Roberto Mancini's side at bay. The introduction of substitute Mario Balotelli on the hour led to the breakthrough as he scored with a deflected shot after 68 minutes and finally unsettled Everton with an impressive cameo. It was the type of result and performances that adds weight to the argument that City will mount a serious title challenge this season Read more of the blog James Milner, another second-half substitute, added the second with two minutes left from David Silva's sublime pass to allow City to move top of the Premier League ahead of Manchester United's visit to Stoke City. And it was a win City deserved for demonstrating the patience and persistence they will need as Everton's dour approach is likely to be mirrored by plenty of sides who will attempt to suppress City's wide range of attacking options at Etihad Stadium. Media playback is not supported on this device Everton's tactics appeared designed to secure a draw and perhaps aim to take an isolated chance on the break. But David Moyes' side were undermined by a failure to offer anything in attack, although substitute Louis Saha - and his manager - were rightly infuriated when referee Howard Webb failed to award a free-kick when he was blatantly fouled on the edge of the area by Vincent Kompany with the game still in the balance. Moyes also believed Everton had been the victims of injustice in the build-up to Balotelli's crucial goal, claiming City were wrongly awarded a throw in. Mancini will relish the manner of this win as much as other victories earned in real style this season. Everton offered a stern test and City showed growing maturity to get the three points. Everton's superbly drilled defensive formation offered nothing other than frustration to City in the first half as they stood firm. Moyes had clearly earmarked Silva as central to City's threat and he deployed youngster Jack Rodwell to man-mark the Spaniard. And when he received a yellow card for a foul on Silva responsibility briefly switched to Phil Neville, until he drew similar punishment from referee Webb after a clash with Silva. Sergio Aguero was City's main threat in the early exchanges, but it was the 53rd minute before Everton posed a serious threat as Tim Cahill's header from Seamus Coleman's cross floated over the bar. It was only when Balotelli came on for Edin Dzeko on the hour that City made serious inroads into the Everton defence. Samir Nasri had a shot well saved by Tim Howard before the Italian broke the deadlock seven minutes after his introduction. Balotelli's finish from the edge of the area was measured and also took a decisive touch off Everton defender Phil Jagielka to send the ball tantalisingly out of Howard's reach into the bottom corner. Media playback is not supported on this device The visitors now needed to shift the entire emphasis of their approach, but City were playing with renewed confidence and Silva hit the woodwork with Howard beaten. Balotelli was then narrowly off target before setting up Silva for a tap-in, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Silva was at his creative best as City wrapped up the win with one minute left. Everton substitute Royston Drenthe lost possession in midfield and Silva threaded through a perfect invitation for Milner to slide his finish past Howard. Everton had offered next to nothing in terms of attacking threat, although another City substitute Stefan Savic made a timely intervention in injury time to clear Marouane Fellaini's shot off the line. Live text commentary

Manchester City finally released the recent stranglehold Everton have placed on them with a hard-fought victory at Etihad Stadium.

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Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs a target to reduce six week delays in discharging patients had been delivered. But Labour said it had not been met for more than three years, and called for her to amend the record. Ms Sturgeon's office said she would not be revising her remarks because the six-week target had been met in the past. Delayed discharge - sometimes referred to as bed blocking - is when a patient is not released from hospital despite being clinically well enough to be discharged, often because of a lack of care of care services. Ms Sturgeon faced criticism over the issue during first minister's questions in the Scottish Parliament, with Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale saying that people had remained in hospital for a total of 612,000 days last year when they were well enough to go home. She said Ms Sturgeon had told the SNP conference in 2011 that patients spent 200,000 days in a hospital bed when they did not need to. Ms Dugdale added: "That means it has more than trebled under the SNP government since this first minister admitted there was something badly wrong. So, by any measure that is unacceptable. "That is thousands of patients, the majority of whom are elderly, ready to go back home or into the community but can't because the extra support they need just isn't there." She also claimed that delayed discharge got worse during the peak of summer despite Health Secretary Shona Robison saying in February that she wanted to "completely eradicate" the problem. The substance is this. In the middle of a flood of stats, Ms Sturgeon said: "Having delivered the target of zero delays over six weeks, we have progressively toughened that target." A delay of that duration, for the avoidance of doubt, involves a patient being kept in hospital for at least six weeks longer than clinically necessary, generally because no alternative care is available. Dr Simpson said he had checked with parliament's own information centre. Based on that research, allied to his own knowledge, he believed the First Minister's remarks were misleading. According to Labour, Scotland's patients had not enjoyed "zero delays over six weeks" for three years. That is, there had been patients during that three-year period who had stayed more than six weeks in hospital beyond potential discharge. The immediate response from the First Minister's office is that the target - of zero delays over six weeks - had been met in the past. The general tenor of her remarks was that matters were improving - while there remained more to be done. Dr Simpson has now, in effect, suggested that Ms Sturgeon might reconsider that stance. Read more from Brian Ms Sturgeon responded by acknowledging that there was still work to do, but said "real progress" was being made. She later added: "Since 2007 there's been a 52% reduction in delays over four weeks, a 55% reduction in delays over six weeks, the number of delays over three days is down by 50%, the number of delays over four weeks has been reduced as well. "Having delivered the target of zero delays over six weeks, we've progressively toughened that target and we're now focusing on ensuring patients are discharged within 72 hours." That comment drew an angry response from Labour MSP Dr Richard Simpson, who subsequently made a formal point of order to the presiding officer. Dr Simpson said that the six-week target had been missed in every month since 2012. He also said that official statistics showed that more than 4,700 patients had been delayed more than six weeks despite being fit to leave since 2012, and nearly 400 in the past two months alone. Dr Simpson added: "We all know that nationalist rhetoric is divorced from reality but this is completely unacceptable. It was completely wrong to claim that these targets had been met when in reality thousands of patients had waited in hospital beds. "Our NHS is in real trouble. The health minister pledged to abolish delayed discharge by the end of the year. Instead it is going in the wrong direction. Meanwhile we see the first minister is making completely false claims about her government's record. "Patients and staff don't benefit from bogus claims about NHS performance. The first minister should correct the record, and this SNP government should get a grip of delayed discharge rather than bury their heads in the sand." But a Scottish government spokeswoman said: "The first minister was correct that the old six week target was met, on a number of occasions, under this government. "Subsequently, the Scottish government introduced new tougher targets that no patient should wait more than four weeks, and later two weeks, from when they are clinically ready for discharge. "Working with our partners in local government we've made the level of performance we expect tougher still, with an ambition for patients to be delayed for no more than 72 hours."

Labour has accused the Scottish first minister of misleading parliament over hospital bed blocking statistics.

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Overflow pipes at the Burry Inlet near Llanelli are used to help stop flooding. But the European Court of Justice ruled this broke clean water laws in a special conservation area. The Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water said they were investing in improvements. Though the UK has not been fined, it will have to pay legal costs in a case that also found a number of other breaches around the handling of waste water in England and Gibraltar. The problems stem from the UK's ageing Victorian sewers, engineering marvels of their time, but now out of date. The pipes were designed to mix both sewage and rainwater but over the years new housing developments and more frequent storms as a result of climate change have put pressure on the system. Welsh Water has 3,000 special overflow pipes which act as relief valves to deal with the extra sewage and rainwater but go straight into rivers and the sea. At the Burry Inlet there are 14 overflow pipes which discharge into an area supposed to be protected by UK and EU laws. It includes salt marshes and is a habitat for tens of thousands of wild birds during the winter. 2,200 hectares of saltmarsh - largest continuous area in Wales 20,000 waterfowl are supported 13,590 oystercatchers 35,000 wildbirds spend winter including curlew, godwit and shelduck The local cockling industry has also been hit but Welsh Water insisted this was not due to their discharges. It is investing in a £113m project to reduce the number of spills. RainScape involves reducing the amount of water that reaches the sewers through planting green spaces on streets and roofs to absorb rain and building channels to capture surface water. The UK argued the improvements would mean it could comply with EU clean water laws by 2020. However, the ECJ - which rules on disputes involving EU legislation - found the UK had acted "too late" and was failing in its obligations. Judges ruled spills contributed to the deterioration of water quality in the Loughor Estuary. A Welsh Government spokesman said: "We will continue to work with Natural Resources Wales and Dwr Cymru on a £113m programme to reduce the number of spills, improve water quality and reduce the risk of local flooding by 2020." Welsh Water added: "We have met the legal permits for water quality in the Loughor estuary and are aware of ever increasing environmental standards and the need to manage long-term challenges, such as climate change, in a truly sustainable away." The UK Government said all sites in England included in the judgement "now comply with the directive and plans are in place elsewhere across the UK to deliver compliance by 2020 at the latest".

The UK has been found to be in breach of EU laws over the amount of sewage and waste water discharged into the sea off Carmarthenshire.

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He also hailed improving ties between the US and Cuba as "an example of reconciliation for the whole world". The Pope was greeted by President Raul Castro after landing in the capital, Havana. The Pope is due to celebrate Mass on Sunday in Havana's iconic Revolution Square. He will spend four days in Cuba before flying to the US. Following his arrival on Cuba on Saturday, thousands lined the route of the Pope's motorcade to the home of the Vatican's ambassador to Cuba. Pope Francis - the first pontiff to hail from Latin America - is credited with helping the recent thaw in diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US. Mr Castro has thanked the Pope for his contribution. Speaking at the airport alongside President Castro, Pope Francis urged further support for Cuba's Catholics "so that the Church can continue to support and encourage the Cuban people in its hopes and concerns, with the freedom, the means and the space needed to bring the proclamation of the kingdom to the existential peripheries of society". He also called on Cuba and the US to "persevere on the path" of detente. On Thursday the Vatican said it hoped the Pope's visit would help bring an end to the 53-year-old US embargo and lead to more freedom and human rights on the island. Pensioner Diego Carrera told AP the visit was "like a breath of hope blowing over Cuba" because of the role that the Pope played in the reestablishment of relations with the US. On Friday the US announced eased restrictions on business and travel with Communist Cuba, the latest move by President Barack Obama to improve relations. At the scene: Will Grant, BBC News, Havana Disembarking to chants of "Christ lives" and other religious slogans, the Pope was welcomed off the plane by Raul Castro. He was quick to praise the pontiff for his leadership on issues of climate change and poverty and thanked him for his role in brokering talks with Washington. The Pope said he was in Cuba to "support and encourage the Cuban people in their hopes and concerns". While he didn't shy away from using the word "freedom" in his initial address, he is still unlikely to publically berate the Cuban government over its human rights record - choosing instead a more pragmatic approach. As the first Latin American pope, he's likely to receive a unique welcome from the Cuban people - many of whom remember when a commitment to atheism was a key part of the constitution. Cuba all set for Pope Francis Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, president of the Pope's native Argentina, also arrived on the island on Saturday and will attend the Mass in Revolution Square. Workers have been building a huge altar and stands for the congregation and choir on the square. Streets have been newly paved in Havana, and the cathedral has been renovated. In the city of Holguin where the Pope will celebrate Mass on Monday, the cathedral has been repaired and repainted. Nearly 1,000 Cuban and foreign journalists were expected to cover the visit. In 1998 Pope John Paul II became the first Pope to visit the island, saying: "May Cuba... open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba." His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, also visited Cuba in 2012. Francis's trip will later take him to the US, which he will also be visiting for the first time since his election to the papacy.

Pope Francis has called for the Church in Cuba to have "the freedom and the means" to pursue its mission, on his first visit to the island.

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The 31-year-old half-back joined Widnes until the end of the season after being told he did not feature in Tigers' plans for the rest of 2017. The former England playmaker was dropped at Cas for three games in March after an "internal investigation". Chase has swapped table toppers Castleford for bottom-of-the-table Widnes, who have won twice in 13 games. "It is a great signing for us and I'm excited we've managed to pick up someone of Rangi's quality to come into the side," Betts told BBC Radio Merseyside. "I know he's excited about playing as he wants to be playing regularly - he wants to start games and play 80 minutes. "He comes here, he's got a clean slate and he wants to go again. "He's up for the challenge as he knows we've got our backs against the wall, he knows the situation and he's been told that. He's up for the fight which was really exciting."

New Widnes loan signing Rangi Chase has a "clean slate" start at the Vikings, says head coach Denis Betts

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He is approaching the end of his 10th year in charge and thinks it is the right time to seek a fresh challenge. Cricket Scotland chairman Keith Oliver said: "There is no doubt that the governing body of cricket in Scotland is unrecognisable from where we were in 2004. "And the credit for this must go to Roddy and his staff." During Smith's time as chief executive, his management team have increased from eight to 25 and turnover has quadrupled. I am delighted that I leave an organisation in good health with a growing game and after a year of exceptional on-field performances by national teams at all levels Cricket Scotland reported a rise in participation figures for players, coaches and umpires during those 10 years. And the national side have secured a place at next year's World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand by beating Kenya in a qualifying event. Oliver, who has worked with Smith during that whole period, said: "Back then, we could not have imagined we would have won global qualifying events, played in world cups at youth and senior level, played One Day International games in front of thousands, run a fully professional national team as well as winning numerous development awards at a European and Global level. "I and all at Cricket Scotland wish Roddy every success in his next role." Cricket Scotland will start the recruitment process to find Smith's successor with the aim of having a replacement in place early in the new year. Smith said: ''I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Cricket Scotland and it's hard to believe it has been nearly a decade. "I am delighted that I leave an organisation in good health with a growing game and after a year of exceptional on-field performances by national teams at all levels. "Ten years is a long time for a chief executive of a national governing body and now feels exactly the right time to move on to my next challenge. "With a Cricket World Cup to look forward to early next year and a number of newly-appointed quality staff to work with, I am looking forward to handing over to my successor an organisation that is very well placed to succeed in the future." Cricket Scotland announced in June that it plans a new "world class" base in Stirling, relocating from Edinburgh, with a new pavilion at the home of Stirling County Cricket Club designed to host international matches.

Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith has announced that he will leave the role at the end of December.

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But the Premier League club say they want Allardyce to stay, insisting he is "very much key to our plans". Sunderland claim speculation about Allardyce has been "extremely damaging" and have urged the FA to "bring about a swift resolution to the matter". England are searching for a new boss after Roy Hodgson quit on 28 June. He resigned after the national team were knocked out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage by Iceland. Photographs that appeared to show Allardyce, 61, at the home of FA vice-chairman David Gill were published in the media in the past 24 hours. Allardyce had been on tour with Sunderland in Austria until he returned home at the start of the week, reportedly on transfer business. Sunderland said they agreed to let Allardyce speak with the FA as a "potential candidate" after he requested permission, but are upset discussions did not remain confidential. "After what was an extremely challenging season, we are keen to see a period of stability, both on and off the field, and we want him to remain as manager of our football club," read a club statement issued on Wednesday. Kevin Davies, who played under Allardyce at Bolton, thinks his former boss would be a good choice for England. "Where we are now as a nation, I think he is probably the right man," said Davies, who earned one England cap during his career. "Motivation-wise, he is fantastic, the best I have ever worked with. He knows how to get the best out of a player. "He has a lot of other strengths, too. He surrounds himself with the best people in the best roles, which allows him to plan and get the best out of his squad." Davies also thinks Allardyce will improve morale in the dressing room. "The atmosphere he will create will be similar to Wales or Iceland... that spirit, that togetherness, along with the ability that we have a lacked," said Davies. "I think he has always thrived on being the underdog and I think England are going to go into a lot of games as underdogs in the future, so it probably will suit the way England are at the moment. " Allardyce is not the only Premier League manager linked with the England job. Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, Bournemouth's Eddie Howe and Hull City's Steve Bruce have all been touted as possible candidates. United States boss Jurgen Klinsmann and former England manager Glenn Hoddle have also been linked with the job, but Allardyce is the frontrunner. The former West Ham, Newcastle, Bolton and Blackburn boss, who has one year left on his Sunderland contract, won a lot of plaudits for keeping the Black Cats in the Premier League last season. England begin their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign on 4 September, when they face Slovakia in Trnava. The two sides met at Euro 2016, battling out a goalless draw in Group B. Media playback is not supported on this device The England manager will be chosen by a three-man panel - Gill, FA technical director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Martin Glenn. They want the next boss to be a strong-minded, tactically savvy manager who will build a clear team identity and help shape the team into a cohesive unit. Allardyce was previously interviewed for the role in 2006 after Sven-Goran Eriksson left following that year's World Cup. Eriksson's assistant Steve McClaren got the job instead but he failed to guide England to qualification for the 2008 European Championship. Here's what Allardyce has since said about the England job: 2009 After missing out to McClaren: "I should have got it and I really don't know why I didn't. It had to be political for me, rather than my credentials. "Maybe my external look isn't to everybody's liking. It was the right time and the right job for me but not from the FA's point of view. "It seems foreign coaches are still all the craze for the top jobs and that is a great shame. I also think that Steve not being successful was a massive blow for British or English managers, because it has put us down a peg or two." 2015 From his autobiography: "I wanted to do a real knock-your-socks-off interview for the FA, so I put together a PowerPoint which looked at every single detail. "Nobody but nobody was going to beat it. But then Brian Barwick, the chief executive, told me there were no PowerPoint facilities at the interview venue, so I had to print off hard copies for the panel. So much for the progressive FA. "I should have got it and, as I'm a better manager now than I was then, I believe I should be in the running whenever it comes round again. That's not vanity or being full of my own importance. My track record entitles me to be considered." May 2016 Prior to Euro 2016: "That's gone. For me to be interested in the England job, Roy would probably have to leave at the end of the Euros. "And would England be interested in me? They say they are looking for an English manager, but will they do it? You've got this, 'what's sexier?' element now, rather than how good you are at doing the job."

Sunderland have given the Football Association (FA) permission to speak to their manager Sam Allardyce about the position of England boss.

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