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Travelling from China to London - BBC News

2017-01-18

China has launched a direct rail freight service to London, as part of its drive to develop trade.

China has launched a direct rail freight service to London, as part of its drive to develop trade and investment ties with Europe. London will become the 15th European city to join what the Chinese government calls the New Silk Route.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-38659170

Can your voice reveal whether you have an illness? - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Our voices can activate gadgets and authenticate ourselves to banks. But can they tell if we're ill?

Business

Our voices can tell us more than we think We can use them to sing, shout and whisper sweet nothings. We can use them to activate gadgets and prove who we are to banks. And now researchers believe they can also reveal whether we're getting ill. A US start-up called Canary Speech is developing a way of analysing conversations using machine learning to test for a number of neurological and cognitive diseases, ranging from Parkinson's to dementia. The project was born out of a painful personal experience for the firm's co-founder Henry O'Connell. "It has been my pleasure to have as a friend for nearly 30 years a dear gentleman who was diagnosed six years ago with Parkinson's disease," says Mr O'Connell. "My friend was told when the diagnosis was finally made that it was likely that he had been suffering from Parkinson's for over 10 years." As with so many diseases, early diagnosis can play a crucial role in effectively managing the condition, but recent research highlights the difficulties in correctly diagnosing it, with doctors often struggling to distinguish the symptoms. And the longer the condition goes undiagnosed, the more severe the symptoms become. "During the years before his diagnosis was accurately made, my friend, suffering from muscle and apparent nerve-related pain, was treated in several medical facilities," says Mr O'Connell. "The muscle and nerve-related pain were directly associated with a progressing Parkinson's illness. Because it went undiagnosed, proper treatment was delayed and his Parkinson's progressed potentially more rapidly than it would have under proper diagnosis and treatment." Canary Speech developed algorithms after examining the speech patterns of patients with particular conditions, including Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's. This enabled them to spot a number of tell-tale signs both pre and post-diagnosis, including the kinds of words used, their phrasing, and the overall quality of speech. For instance, one symptom of the disease is a softening of the voice - something than can be easily overlooked by those close to us. But Canary Speech's software is capable of picking up such small changes in speech patterns. Fellow co-founder Jeff Adams was previously chief executive at Yap, the company bought by Amazon and whose technology subsequently formed the core of the tech giant's voice-activated Echo speaker. Some studies suggest our speech patterns can give an early indication of Alzheimer's disease The overall goal is to be able to spot the onset of these conditions considerably sooner than is currently possible. In initial trials, the software was used to provide real-time analysis of conversations between patients and their clinicians. As with so many machine learning-based technologies, it will improve as it gains access to more data to train the algorithms that underpin it. And as more voice-activated devices come on to the market and digital conversations are recorded, the opportunities to analyse all this data will also increase. Some researchers have analysed conversations between patients and drug and alcohol counsellors, for example, to assess the degree of empathy the therapists were displaying. "Machine learning and artificial intelligence has a major role to play in healthcare," says Tony Young, national clinical lead for innovation at NHS England. "You only have to look at the rapid advancements made in the last two years in the translation space. Machine learning won't replace clinicians, but it will help them do things that no humans could previously do." It is easy to see how such technology could be applied to teaching and training scenarios. Voice analysis is also being used in commercial settings. For instance, tech start-up Cogito, which emerged from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, analyses the conversations taking place between customer service staff and customers. They monitor interactions in real time. Their machine learning software compares the conversation with its database of successful calls from the past. The team believes that it can provide staff with real-time feedback on how the conversation is going, together with advice on how to guide things in a better direction - what it calls "emotional intelligence". Cogito's software gives real-time tips to customer service staff as they talk to customers These tips can include altering one's tone or cadence to mirror that of the customer, or gauging the emotions on display to try to calm the conversation down. It's even capable of alerting the supervisor if it thinks that greater authority would help the conversation reach a more positive conclusion. The advice uses the same kind of behavioural economics used so famously by the UK government's Behavioural Insights Team, also known as the Nudge Unit. Early customers of Cogito's product, including Humana, Zurich and CareFirst BlueCross, report an increase in customer satisfaction of around 20%. As the internet of things spreads its tentacles throughout our lives, voice analysis will undoubtedly be added to other biometric ways of authenticating ourselves in a growing number of situations. Google's Project Abacus, for example, is dedicated to killing passwords, given that 70% of us apparently forget them every month. It plans to use our speech patterns - not just what we say but how we say it - in conjunction with other behavioural data, such as how we type, to build up a more reliable picture of our identity. Our smartphones will know who we are just by the way we use them. The big - silent - elephant in the room is how all this monitoring and analysis of our voices will impact upon our right to privacy. Follow Technology of Business editor Matthew Wall on Twitter and Facebook Click here for more Technology of Business features

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38637257

What Mrs Trump's hometown tells us about the next first lady - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Guy Delauney visits Melania Trump's hometown of Sevnica in Slovenia to meet those who knew her.

US & Canada

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. What was Melania Trump like in Slovenia? The President Burger is presented with a flourish - on a wooden board, surrounded by circular "dollar fries" and topped with a yellow crust of cheese "hair" which looks as if it might fly away at any moment. As tributes to the US President-elect go, it may not be the most respectful. But it is offered with the affection and gentle humour which it soon becomes apparent is a hallmark of Sevnica, a Slovenian town which just happens to be the place where Donald Trump's first-lady-to-be, Melania, spent most of her childhood. "We formed the burger so it would resemble Trump a little bit," chuckles Bruno Vidmar, the chef-proprietor of Rondo, a restaurant in the newer part of Sevnica. "It has hot peppers, because Trump's statements are hot - and it comes with dollar fries because he's a successful entrepreneur." The owner of the Rondo restaurant designed this burger to resemble Donald Trump The presidential tie-in seems to be serving Rondo well: on a weekday morning, the place is buzzing with an early lunch crowd from the nearby furniture and textile factories. Meanwhile a table full of smartly-dressed young women order another of Bruno's culinary creations dreamt up with Sevnica's most famous daughter in mind. "The 'Melanija' dessert is made out of sponge, then there's a layer of mascarpone and strawberries. It's light enough for a model - and we have it on good authority that Melania loves strawberries." Sevnica is a small place - so Bruno probably did not have to search long to find an authority on what Melania likes for pudding. Or, at least, what she did like when she was growing up as Melanija Knavs in this town of fewer than 5,000 people. Bar the addition of a branch of Lidl on the outskirts, little seems to have changed since she left for Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, as a teenager. The old castle - parts of which date back to the 12th Century - still overlooks Sevnica from its hilltop perch. The town itself is a tidy place with new and old sections, sitting alongside the River Sava and surrounded by forested hills. The Slovenian Tourist Board suggests that Sevnica is "an excellent destination for those who enjoy picnics and outings, hiking, cycling or fishing". If the roads had been less icy, it would certainly have been an enjoyable ride through the trees to Gostišče Ob Ribniku, a restaurant and guesthouse next to a small lake. Inside the traditional wooden chalet, you can chat to one of the people who can shed some light on the future first lady's early years. Sevnica is "an excellent destination for those who enjoy picnics and outings, hiking, cycling or fishing" according to the Slovenian Tourist Board "We were next door neighbours - and we used to go the same way to school," says Mateja Zalezina, who runs Gostišče Ob Ribniku with her husband, Dejan. "In the afternoon when we came back we used to hang out in front of the apartment block. Even then she was quite busy, because her mother was a fashion designer and Melania was one of the models for the Jutranjka company that did fashion for kids." Mateja laughs at the idea that she could have spotted that her neighbour would go a long way from Sevnica - never mind all the way to the White House. But she says that Melania could not help but stand out. "She was really good at school. She and her sister Ines were studying really hard. After school, we played a game called 'gumi-twist', an elastic band game, and she was really good at that. She had the figure of a model - really long legs - and she always won!" The restaurant is offering a three-course "Melanija Menu" in honour of Mateja's former playmate. But, like Rondo's eponymous offering, this does not feel like a culinary cash-in, just a low-key tribute, delivered with affection. "I'm really happy for her - she's achieved the maximum," says Dejan. "I hope everyone in Sevnica will watch the inauguration. We will be here at the restaurant with friends and will raise a glass to them both." Melania's former neighbour says America's next first lady studied "really hard" at school Back in the old town, beneath the castle, Sevnica's mayor Srecko Ocvirk is not planning any special events to mark the start of the Trump era. But he hopes the publicity will bring the town's charms to the attention of tourists. "The first visitors who came were journalists like you," he admits. "But we're now seeing there are rising numbers of tourists. We're also expecting more organised tour groups after the inauguration. Sevnica and the region will become better known because of this." At the town's primary school, one of the staff has certainly achieved a degree of local celebrity. Art teacher Nena Bedek was best friends with Melania until the future Mrs Trump left to finish her schooling in Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. Now Nena fields questions from her students about her friendship with Sevnica's most famous former resident - and marvels at the different paths their lives have taken. "It's a 'wow' effect for us and for me," she says. "She was a reliable girl and a very good friend. But she never wished to stand out - even though she was beautiful and hard-working. She loved to read and draw. She was brought up in a very artistic manner - she knew what was beautiful - due to her mother's job as a fashion designer. I have very fond memories and keep her very close in my heart." As for the town's various tributes - which include wine, slippers and honey as well as the culinary offerings - Nena believes they are in keeping with the Sevnica spirit. "They are very sympathetic and sweet - none of them are bad things - and it's also funny. I think it's still within limits - all in all it's sweet and nice." Rather like Sevnica itself, perhaps. You can hear Guy De Launey's report from BBC Radio 4's World Tonight via BBC iPlayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38642889

Rachael Heyhoe Flint dies aged 77 - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The women's cricket pioneer and Wolves vice-president dies aged 77 after a short illness.

Birmingham & Black Country

Rachael Heyhoe Flint, the former England women's cricket captain, has died aged 77. Baroness Heyhoe Flint, vice-president of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday after a short illness. She leaves behind husband Derrick, their son Ben, and her stepchildren Rowan, Hazel and Simon. Ben said the family was "deeply saddened". Heyhoe Flint, pictured with Wolves legend Steve Bull, was vice-president of the football club She also played in the first ever women's match at Lord's, against Australia, in 1976. During her career she played 22 Test matches and 23 one-day internationals. She was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2010. She also became a successful journalist, after dinner speaker and expert in public relations, which brought her back into contact with her beloved Wolves as she headed up the club's work in the local community. MCC president Matthew Fleming said: "Rachael Heyhoe Flint was a pioneer of women's cricket - she was the first global superstar in the women's game and her overall contribution to the MCC, cricket and sport in general was immense." Baroness Heyhoe Flint has been described as a pioneer of women's cricket Clare Connor, the ECB's director of women's cricket, said: "She was so special, so ever-present and now she has gone - but her impact can never be forgotten. "Rachael was one of our sport's true pioneers and it is no exaggeration to say that she paved the way for the progress enjoyed by recent generations of female cricketers." Among many others paying tribute to Heyhoe Flint was BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew, who said on Twitter: "Very sad news re Rachael Heyhoe Flint. Great champion of women's cricket, won first World Cup and one of life's real enthusiasts. #RIP." Clare Connor, pictured with Heyhoe Flint, said her impact could never be forgotten Heyhoe Flint's development of cricket was "immense", the ECB said in tribute Flags were flying at half mast at Lord's and Wolves' Molineux stadium. The club's players will also be wearing black armbands at Saturday's Championship game at Norwich. Wolves managing director Laurie Dalrymple said: "Everyone at Wolves is deeply saddened to hear the news that Rachael has passed away. "She was a wonderful lady who meant so much to so many people at the football club, in the city of Wolverhampton, and also much further afield. "Rachael's contribution to the world of sport, the local community, and in later years politics, cannot be measured, and neither can her seemingly never-ending kindness and generosity of spirit." The England Cricket Board said her development of cricket had been "immense". Baroness Heyhoe Flint was one of the first women admitted to the MCC When her playing career ended, Heyhoe Flint became one of the first women admitted to the MCC. In 2004 she became the first woman elected to the full committee. She was awarded the MBE in 1972, the OBE in 2008 and was made a life peer in 2011.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-38664893

AFC Wimbledon 1-3 Sutton United - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

Non-league Sutton set up a glamorous FA Cup fourth-round home tie against Leeds with a thrilling win at 10-man AFC Wimbledon.

Last updated on .From the section Football Non-league Sutton set up a glamorous FA Cup fourth-round home tie against Leeds with a thrilling replay win at 10-man League One side AFC Wimbledon. The Dons made a perfect start when Tom Elliott rose above the away defence to nod in Dean Parrett's free-kick. But they were left a man down for more than 75 minutes as Paul Robinson was sent off for hauling down Matt Tubbs. Roarie Deacon's stunner levelled before late goals from Maxime Biamou and Dan Fitchett caused an upset. The National League side will host Leeds at Gander Green Lane on Sunday, 29 January (14:00 GMT). • None Follow all the reaction from Tuesday's FA Cup ties • None Listen: 'I dared not dream about this' More than just money for Sutton Sutton were the lowest-ranked team left in the draw for the fourth round, but knew they had to overcome their near-neighbours - 51 places above them on the league ladder - before they could even think about hosting Championship promotion chasers Leeds in a money-spinning tie. The non-league club have reached the fourth round on two previous occasions, the last time coming in the 1988-89 season, when they memorably beat then-top flight opponents Coventry in the third round. But the reward for beating Wimbledon was worth much more to the Greater London club than that famous win 28 years ago. Sutton manager Paul Doswell compared winning the third-round replay to the Championship play-off final in terms of financial importance, estimating it would take their earnings from this cup run to about £500,000. This victory was more than just money. The jubilant celebrations from the away players and officials, plus their 300-odd travelling supporters, showed how much the victory meant. "It was an extraordinary night. We thought fitness might tell - with Wimbledon the fitter side - but the one-man advantage was the major factor. "It was a great start for Wimbledon, scoring that early goal, then the Robinson sending-off made it difficult for them. I though Sutton played too many high long balls and lacked creativity round the sides. "Wimbledon coped with everything until that late, late surge." What the managers said: Sutton manager Paul Doswell spoke of his "unadulterated joy" as The U's - 15th in the National League - set-up a home tie with Championship Leeds United. "I'm so pleased for my chairman, our directors who are all volunteers, for the 1,000 fans here and for the players. "Without being over-emotional about it, we have got a good chance against Leeds on our pitch. No one likes playing on it apart from us it seems. If they make seven or eight changes against us I think we will have a chance." Dons boss Neal Ardley meanwhile pointed unsurprisingly to the dismissal of Paul Robinson after 15 minutes as the key moment, though he added he had few complaints with the result. "You prepare for the game with 11 men but for most of it we had 10," he said. "Credit to Sutton, they kept going and got their just rewards in the end. "But we'll never know what would have happened if it was 11 versus 11. It's a big judgement call, to say that is a cast-iron sending-off early in the game. • None Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 3. Dan Fitchett (Sutton United) right footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Maxime Biamou. • None Attempt missed. Darius Charles (AFC Wimbledon) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. • None Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 2. Maxime Biamou (Sutton United) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Roarie Deacon. • None Jamie Collins (Sutton United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Attempt blocked. Adam May (Sutton United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. • None Goal! AFC Wimbledon 1, Sutton United 1. Roarie Deacon (Sutton United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. • None Substitution, AFC Wimbledon. Chris Whelpdale replaces Lyle Taylor because of an injury. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38565631

Donald Trump's waxwork unveiled at Madame Tussauds - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Compare the Donald Trump waxwork unveiled in London with the real person.

London

A waxwork of Donald Trump has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds in central London ahead of the President-elect's inauguration. Mr Trump's doppelganger replaces Barack Obama's waxwork in the set and joins various other world leaders at the attraction, including Vladimir Putin and Nelson Mandela. Mr Trump will be sworn in as the 45th US president on Friday. App users should tap on the image to compare the real Donald Trump with the waxwork

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38666249

Aleppo ‘haunted by violence and death’ - BBC News

2017-01-18

Jeremy Bowen reports from the ruins of eastern Aleppo where 40,000 people have returned home.

Jeremy Bowen reports from the ruins of eastern Aleppo where 40,000 people have returned home.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38668377

Why the NHS is performing miracles - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The NHS is in the middle of its toughest winter for well over a decade, but it could be so much worse.

Health

It has been a remarkable few weeks for the health service hasn't it? The worst waiting times in A&E for over a decade. Patients left for hours on trolleys. Vital cancer operations being cancelled. Hospitals across the country declaring major alerts. A humanitarian crisis in the making, says the Red Cross. But amid all this what we haven't heard is just how well the health service is coping. Given what it is facing, the NHS and, in particular, hospitals are performing miracles. How? Let me explain. The NHS is in the middle of the most sustained squeeze on its funding in its history. Until 2010, the budget increased by an average of about 4% a year once inflation is taken into account to help it cope with rising pressures. Since then, the average annual rise has been around 1% - and that will continue until 2020. The only period that comes close is the early 1950s when there was a cut in the NHS budget, prompting charging to be brought in for dentistry, prescriptions and spectacles. And that was pretty quickly followed by large cash injections to get the NHS back on track. There's nothing like that this time. Instead, the health service is being asked to carry on as normal with fewer doctors, nurses and hospital beds than many other developed countries - as the graphs below illustrate. Now international comparisons can be difficult. You could argue, for example, that Germany only has so many more beds because its counts long-stay beds reserved for elderly people in its health figures whereas in the NHS they come under the nursing home sector, which is separate. Nonetheless they pose an interesting question: are we simply expecting too much of the NHS? Anita Charlesworth, a health economist at the Health Foundation think tank and former Treasury official, thinks so. She says the NHS is being asked to provide "world class access" without the corresponding levels of funding and staff. Looked at like that, it puts the recent performance in a slightly different light. Faced with rising numbers coming in the front door (A&E) and increasing difficulty getting patients out the back (because of cuts to social care services), hospitals in England have found themselves full-to-bursting. In recent weeks, bed occupancy rates have hit 95%. Now that may not sound like the definition of being full, but it is well above the 85% recommended threshold for a hospital to work effectively. Above this level hospitals start to unravel, patients end up in the wrong places, infection rates start to rise and a backlog of patients builds up in corridors, in A&E and outside in ambulances dropping patients off. Yes, some of this has started happening, but in many respects you would have expected performance to deteriorate even more than it has. During the first week of the year - the most difficult so far this winter - more than three-quarters of patients arriving in A&E were still seen in four hours. Yes the rate of-called "trolley waits" - where patients admitted as an emergency are left waiting more than four hours for a bed - doubled to one in five patients. But the number of "dire" 12-hour waits only amounted to 0.5%. A week later bed occupancy rates had risen slightly - and guess what happened? Performance actually improved on many measures. Ask anybody working in the health service and they will say this is down to the dedication and hard work of hospital staff. Lord Kerslake, chairman of King's College Hospital in London and a former senior civil servant, has described the efforts of staff at his hospital as "extraordinary", while the BBC coverage over the past week or so has been full of doctors, nurses and managers recounting how everyone is pulling together. But there is more to it than that. The NHS has become very adept at managing pressure points. Daily reports are sent from hospitals to NHS Improvement, a newly-created regulator, about everything from the number of ambulances queuing outside A&Es to how many patients are stuck on trolleys inside. It means when there is a problem resources are immediately deployed by bosses at the centre. Extra managers are deployed, GPs and council care staff geed up and beds at local nursing homes used to move patients out of hospital. The result has been that the NHS has been able to - by and large - prevent the situation spiralling completely out of control and into a full-blown national crisis. Those involved in the process speak in admiration of the way the regulator has managed the situation. But make no mistake, this is fire-fighting and, as such, it can only last so long. An outbreak of flu or a sustained cold snap could alter the picture completely. And if it does not happen this winter, what about next? Or the one after that?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38603484

Lincoln City 1-0 Ipswich Town - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

Non-league Lincoln City reach the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 41 years with a victory over Ipswich at Sincil Bank.

Last updated on .From the section Football Non-league Lincoln City reached the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in 41 years as Nathan Arnold's injury-time strike secured a deserved victory over Ipswich at Sincil Bank. Arnold fired home in the first of four added minutes to secure a famous triumph against the Championship side. The Imps were dominant throughout and a bigger margin of victory against a team 59 places higher in the league pyramid would not have flattered them. They now host Brighton in round four. After twice coming from behind at Portman Road to earn a replay in the first meeting, Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy promised his side had noted the lessons of that scare. But if they had learned anything, his players were unable to put it into practice, managing just one decent attempt on the Lincoln goal in 90 uninspiring minutes. • None Reaction to all of Tuesday's third-round replays • None Chris Sutton cannot contain himself as Lincoln score late winner Graham Taylor was in charge of Lincoln the last time they reached the fourth round, so it was fitting the National League leaders matched that achievement on the night the club paid tribute to their former manager. Lincoln's run in the cup was just one highlight among many during Taylor's managerial reign between 1972 and 1977, which was followed by successful spells at Watford and Aston Villa before landing the England job in 1990. A minute's applause was held before kick-off in memory of Taylor, who died on 12 January at the age of 72, and he was remembered again later in the match with more applause and a show of lights from fans in the stands. But far and away the best tribute was saved until the end when Lincoln substitute Adam Marriott's pass sent Arnold sprinting clear of the Ipswich defence and he rounded the goalkeeper before knocking the ball into an empty net. What now for abject Ipswich? Former Ipswich defender Terry Butcher, who was at Sincil Bank for BBC Sport, did not hold back in his criticism of his old club. "I can't remember ever being so embarrassed and humiliated as an Ipswich fan," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "Ipswich lost the wrong way, not enough fight, not enough passion. "I am bitterly disappointed. Over the 180 minutes Lincoln have been by far the better team, it wasn't a fluke. This was a mid-table Championship side totally - and I mean totally - outplayed over two games "When you lose like that then Mick McCarthy will be concerned, but the club won't have any knee-jerk reactions." The margin of defeat could certainly have been greater but for a brilliant first-half save by Ipswich goalkeeper Dean Gerken, who stuck out a hand to somehow claw away Luke Waterfall's close-range header on the stroke of half-time. Danny Cowley's side put Ipswich's back line under pressure with a barrage of crosses, with burly striker Matt Rhead spurning one opening and midfielder Alex Woodyard heading a very presentable chance wide when unmarked. Ipswich's best opening came with a low Josh Emmanuel shot just before the hour, but Imps goalkeeper Paul Farman was always behind it and made a good save. Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy: "I should congratulate Lincoln. They deserved to win. From my point of view the way we lost the game was ridiculous. We had a chance to score ourselves and then seconds later they scored. "On the back of the performance on Saturday it was surprising how we played tonight. They controlled the game but I'm not going to stand here and give my team stick. "The fans want to see these upsets. It's great for TV but not for me unfortunately. The fans made their thoughts quite clear tonight. I'm not happy about producing that kind of football in front of the fans." Lincoln City's manager Danny Cowley: "The way they've worked day in, day out, is incredible. You can have great days like this if you put so much work in like we have. "I thought we competed really well and worked every minute so hard. We pressed from the front and actually thought we had great control in the game even against a Championship side like Ipswich. "What a brilliant finish from Nathan. Not an easy finish when the whole of Sincil Bank is hoping he sticks it in. It's a great night and an amazing feeling for the club." • None Attempt saved. Jack Muldoon (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Matt Rhead. • None Goal! Lincoln City 1, Ipswich Town 0. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Marriott with a through ball following a fast break. • None Bradley Wood (Lincoln City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Attempt missed. Jonas Knudsen (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. • None Attempt blocked. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Rhead. • None Attempt missed. Matt Rhead (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nathan Arnold. • None Attempt missed. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Matt Rhead with a headed pass following a set piece situation. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38565597

Is free trade good or bad? - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Free trade has been a dominant part of the post-WW2 global economy, but it is now being challenged.

Business

Trade makes the world go round, but how free can it remain? Free trade is something of a sacred cow in the economics profession. Moving towards it, rather slowly, has also been one of the dominant features of the post-World War Two global economy. Now there are new challenges to that development. The UK is leaving the European Union and the single market - though in her speech this week, British Prime Minister Theresa May promised to push for the "freest possible trade" with European countries and to sign new deals with others around the world. Most obviously Donald Trump has raised the possibility of quitting various trade agreements, notably Nafta, the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. Even the World Trade Organization (WTO) has proposed new barriers to imports. In Europe, trade negotiations with the United States and Canada have run into difficulty, reflecting public concerns about the impact on jobs, the environment and consumer protection. The WTO's Doha Round of global trade liberalisation talks has run aground. The World Trade Organization is based in Geneva and came into being in 1995 The case for trade without government imposed barriers has a long history in economics. Adam Smith, the 18th Century Scottish economist who many see as the founding father of the subject, was in favour of it. But it was a later British writer, David Ricardo in the 19th Century, who set out the idea known as comparative advantage that underpins much of the argument for freer trade. It is not about countries being able to produce more cheaply or efficiently than others. You can have a comparative advantage in making something even if you are less efficient than your trade partner. When a country shifts resources to produce more of one good there is what economists call an "opportunity cost" in terms of how much less of something else you can make. You have a comparative advantage in making a product if the cost in that sense is less than it is in another country. Economic arguments over free trade date back to the 19th Century If two countries trade on this basis, concentrating on goods where they have a comparative advantage they can both end up better off. Another reason that economists tend to look askance at trade restrictions comes from an analysis of the impact if governments do put up barriers - in particular tariffs or taxes - on imports. There are gains of course. The firms and workers who are protected can sell more of their goods in the home market. But consumers lose out by paying a higher price - and consumers in this case can mean businesses, if they buy the protected goods as components or raw materials. The textbook analysis says that those losses add up to more than the total gains. So you get the textbook conclusion that it's best to avoid protection. Many lower-skilled workers in developed economies feel they have lost out in the drive to globalisation And this conclusion is regardless of what other countries do. The 19th Century French economist Frederic Bastiat set it out it like this: "It makes no more sense to be protectionist because other countries have tariffs than it would to block up our harbours because other countries have rocky coasts." The implication is that unilateral trade liberalisation makes perfect sense. A more recent theory of what drives international trade looks at what are called economies of scale - where the more a firm produces of some good, the lower cost of each unit. The associated specialisation can make it beneficial for economies that are otherwise very similar to trade with one another. This area is known as new trade theory and the Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman was an important figure in developing it. The basic idea that it's good to have freer trade has underpinned decades of international co-operation on trade policy since World War Two. Free trade has been a cornerstone of the post-war world The period since 1945 has been characterised by a gradual lowering of trade barriers. It happened in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which began life in 1948 as a forum for governments to negotiate lower tariffs. Its membership was initially small, but by the time it was replaced by the World Trade Organization in 1995, most countries had signed up. The motivation was to end or reduce the protectionism or barriers to trade that went up in the 1930s. It is not generally thought that those barriers caused the Great Depression, but many do think they aggravated and prolonged it. The process of post-war trade liberalisation was driven largely by a desire for reciprocal concessions - better access to others' markets in return for opening your own. But what is the case against free (or at least freer) trade? First and foremost is the argument that it creates losers as well as winners. What Ricardo's theory suggested was that all countries engaging in trade could be better off. But his idea could not address the question of whether trade could create losers as well as winners within countries. Economic theory says if governments adopt protectionism, total losses will outweigh total gains Work by two Swedish Nobel Prize winners, Eli Hecksher and Bertil Ohlin, subsequently built on by the American Paul Samuelson developed the basic idea of comparative advantage in a way that showed that trade could lead to some groups losing out. Putting it very briefly, if a country has a relatively abundant supply of, for example, low-skilled labour, those workers will gain while their low-skilled counterparts in countries where it is less abundant will lose. There has been a debate about whether this approach fits the facts, but some do see it as a useful explanation of how American industrial workers (for example) have been adversely affected by the rise of competition from countries such as China. A group of economists including David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looked at the impact on areas where local industry was exposed to what they call the China shock. "Adjustment in local labour markets is remarkably slow, with wages and labour-force participation rates remaining depressed and unemployment rates remaining elevated for at least a full decade after the China trade shock commences. At this week's World Economic Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against isolationist moves that could spark a trade war Still if you accept that overall countries gain, then the winners could in principle fully compensate the losers and still be better off. Such programmes do exist. Countries that have unemployment benefits provide assistance to people who have lost their jobs. Some of those people will have been affected by competition from abroad. The United States has a programme that is specially targeted for people who lose their jobs as a result of imports, called Trade Adjustment Assistance. But is it enough? Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute, a think-tank in Washington writes: "The winners have never tried to fully compensate the losers, so let's stop claiming that trade benefits us all." Which arguments will Donald Trump be listening to in the White House? In any case, it is not clear that compensation would do the trick. As Mark Carney, the Bank of England governor noted, they may lose their jobs and also "the dignity of work". He is keen on maintaining open markets for trade, but recognises the need to do something about what you might call the side effects. To return to recent political developments - Donald Trump clearly did get support from many of those people in areas of the US where industry has declined. We don't yet know how he will address those issues when he takes his place in the White House. Perhaps his threats to introduce new tariffs are just that - threats. But the post-war trend towards more liberalised international trade looks more uncertain than it has for many years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38209407

Displaced Syrians return home to ruins of East Aleppo - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Large areas of East Aleppo are like ghost towns, but some families are returning to their old homes or moving into unoccupied buildings, says Jeremy Bowen.

Middle East

The Syrian army seized East Aleppo from the rebels in December For the people who have returned to the ruins of East Aleppo the old phrase "there's no place like home" has a whole new meaning. The eastern side of Aleppo has been pulverised. Running water and mains power are a memory. It is hard to find a building that is not badly damaged. Many look as if they could collapse at any time. Rubble from the buildings that were flattened by artillery fire, barrel bombs or air strikes block many of the streets. Dozens of bulldozers have been working for more than a month to clear a path through the debris. But the UN estimates that 40,000 people so far, and more every day, have decided to come back here. They are moving into their old homes or unoccupied buildings that look as if they might do, for a while at least. Abu Hussein, a man in his 50s, was remarkably cheerful as he stood with his wife Umm Hussein and looked down from their balcony on to the rubble that makes his street impassable for any vehicle. "Nothing is better or more beautiful than our home," he said. "It's the place to be in good times or in bad." Abu Hussein and Umm Hussein have returned to a shell of a home His family's flat is in Shaar, one of the poorest quarters in East Aleppo. The area is made up mainly of cramped concrete tenements five or six stories high - at least those still standing. In Abu Hussein's street, some buildings have collapsed in on themselves. Others have had the fronts ripped off, like dolls' houses in a nightmare, exposing beds still made up with sheets and blankets, and sofas teetering close to falling into the street. The street where the Husseins live is impassable for any vehicle Abu Hussein said he was happy because he was home, even though his flat was dark and cold. His wife cooks on a small charcoal grill on the stairwell. The glass in the windows has gone. It is so well ventilated that the dank mist of a winter's evening seeped in. He had spent much of last year with his in-laws, he said, and the sooner they tried to make a go of it back home the better. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Abu Hussein and his wife have a two-year-old son who is still with her parents. They have no jobs, and the small amount of money they had saved went long ago. "Of course we have hope," Umm Hussein said. "We'll rebuild and we'll find a solution." They left East Aleppo two days before the start last year of the major offensive by the Syrian army, backed by Russia and Iran, which by Christmas had beaten the rebels and reunited the city. During the years when the east was isolated, then besieged, it was possible to cross to government-controlled West Aleppo. Abu Hussein said the trip, which now takes 15 minutes, was possible for anyone who was prepared to take a 17-hour journey through territory controlled by Syria's galaxy of armed groups, including the rebel Free Syrian Army, Kurdish militias, the jihadists of so-called Islamic State, and the armed forces of the Syrian government. The United Nations, which spent more than $200m (£162m) on relief work in Aleppo last year, is particularly concerned that the poor in Shaar have come back out of desperation to a place that is still dangerous. Relief agencies have put water tanks in the streets. Children struggle through mud and rubble to help their families by carrying water home. The east was bombed into submission by Syrian government forces and their Russian backers Aleppo has changed since the government and its allies won the battle for the city last month. It no longer feels like a wartime city. Outgoing artillery fire is still a steady drumbeat, aimed at rebel front lines that are not far away. The country is at war. But Aleppo's war is over. In the ruins, people are thinking about the future. Slowly but steadily, some of Syria's millions of displaced people are returning, desperate or optimistic, or both. Aleppo, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, was Syria's largest before the war began in 2011 Large areas of the east side of the city are ghost towns, but there is every chance that more returnees will come back looking for a home once the weather gets warmer in the spring. The battle for Aleppo was the most decisive of the war. It is a long time since the war was merely a contest between President Bashar al-Assad and armed groups who wanted to destroy the regime. So many foreign powers have intervened that this has become an international conflict. Syria has layers of war and not all of them are about the future of the Assad regime. The intervention of Russia and Iran tipped the balance in Aleppo. Mr Assad and his allies can, for the first time, smell victory. Foreigners, not Syrians, are setting the pace. And at the moment it looks as if foreign powers will dictate how the war ends.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38653060

Snow blankets Italy's quake zone - BBC News

2017-01-18

Snow has swept Italy, with regions affected by last year's earthquakes hit particularly badly.

Snow and very low temperatures have been affecting Italy from the south to the north. The central regions of Marche and Abruzzo, which suffered in recent earthquakes, have been hit particularly badly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38658575

Australian Open 2017: Dan Evans hopes to move on from 'dark times' - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

British number three Dan Evans believes he has come through a difficult period after beating Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.

Last updated on .From the section Tennis British number three Dan Evans believes he has come through a difficult period in his career after beating world number seven Marin Cilic at the Australian Open. The 26-year-old caused a massive upset to beat the former US Open champion 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-3 and reach the third round. It comes after a struggle at the end of 2016 following a heartbreaking defeat by Stan Wawrinka at the US Open. "There were some tough times after the Wawrinka match," he said. "I still think about that match on the court today. It's not easy when you had the opportunity to close out the big match and then lose. "Yeah, I'm happy it happened. But, you know, hopefully there will be no more dark times, as you put it." World number 51 Evans squandered a match point in the fourth set of his third-round match with two-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka in September. He was devastated afterwards and finished the year with three defeats from four matches - all against lower-ranked opposition. But he is now into the third round of a Grand Slam for only the fourth time of his career - and the first time in Melbourne, where he will face Bernard Tomic. • None Day three: All the results Evans said the victory over Cilic was the "biggest" of his career, as he joined compatriot Andy Murray in the third round. He did it wearing shirts and shorts bought from a shop after his kit deal with Nike expired in December and was not renewed. "I just went to the store and bought a load of clothes the other day, plain clothes," he said. "What was it, Sunday? Sunday or Saturday, yeah. $19.99 (£12), the shirts are. "I think I bought about 18 shirts, something like that. I went back this morning to buy some more. They're not the best quality, to sweat in and wash. "I only wore one shirt today. I'm good until Friday." Evans will face Australian Tomic in the last 32, a man he beat in four sets in the second round of the 2013 US Open. It was a win the Birmingham player enjoyed, after the world number 27's father suggested he was not good enough to have a practice hit with his son. "I'm not going to bother saying anything about that again. He confronted me about that. We'll leave it at that," he said on Wednesday. "I'd say it's a 50-50 match. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to playing him."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38666651

Brexit: Key points from Theresa May's speech - BBC News

2017-01-18

Theresa May has set out her negotiation priorities for the UK to leave the European Union.

Theresa May has set out her negotiation priorities for the UK to leave the European Union.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38648470

Westmonster: Arron Banks launches anti-establishment website - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The businessman who bankrolled the Brexit campaign reveals his latest venture to shake up the political landscape.

Entertainment & Arts

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Amol Rajan reports on the launch of the Westmonster website Arron Banks, the former UKIP donor who bankrolled the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, is making a move into the media sector by backing an anti-establishment news website. I can reveal that Westmonster is co-owned by Michael Heaver, former press adviser to Nigel Farage. The 27-year-old, who together with Mr Banks will own 50% of the website, will edit it day to day. Modelled on the Drudge Report, the American aggregator site that generates huge traffic, Westmonster will be powered by the social media reach of Leave.EU, the campaign to which Mr Banks gave close to £7m - the largest donation in British political history. Leave.EU has nearly 800,000 followers on Facebook and Mr Heaver believes he can use that base to generate substantial traffic from day one. Westmonster will publish some original news, and Mr Heaver hopes to enlist more celebrity writers than backbench MPs. The site will launch with an article from Nigel Farage, and Mr Heaver is open about wanting to ape the opinionated, anti-establishment, highly provocative tone of Breitbart. This launch is significant for several reasons. It shows that the anti-establishment media which helped to power the campaign of Donald Trump is coming to Britain. It's no coincidence that Westmonster is launching the day before Mr Trump's inauguration - an event that will be attended, almost alone among Brits, by Nigel Farage, Arron Banks, and Mr Banks's business associate Andy Wigmore, who are together hosting a celebratory party on Saturday night in a hotel across the road from the White House. Banks has booked out an entire floor of the Hay-Adams Hotel on Saturday night, and - logistics permitting - the plan is for the new President to attend, along with his close friend the Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant. It also marks a significant acceleration of Mr Banks's involvement in British public life. I spent time with him in the nondescript offices of his insurance company on the edge of Bristol on Tuesday, with a Premier Inn on one side and the M4-M5 junction on the other. Arron Banks donated millions to the Brexit campaign He is an extremely intriguing character, as this superb profile for Radio 4 pointed out. He tweets vigorously and his politics do not fit into the anachronistic right-left spectrum through which so much of Westminster is still naively interpreted. For instance, he favours nationalisation of Britain's railways and some utilities over their present near-monopoly status, harbours a visceral hatred of many Tories, and has had several conversations with Labour MPs about wooing them over to the populist Momentum-style movement that he intends to launch in the coming months. I also revealed in December that he has expressed interest in more traditional media - that is, The Daily Telegraph. Now, as I put to him yesterday, he has become Britain's latest media baron. He helps to show how the rise of digital media has not so much blurred the distinction between media and politics as abolished it; how the culture wars raging in the US are being imported here; and how traditional media - including the BBC - face ferocious competition like never before. Watch my report for Wednesday's BBC News at Ten.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38650596

Wheelchair user Doug Paulley on winning bus buggy dispute - BBC News

2017-01-18

Wheelchair user Doug Paulley says the case "will hopefully make a major difference for disabled travellers".

Speaking after the judgement, wheelchair user Doug Paulley says the case "will hopefully make a major difference for disabled travellers". Wheelchair user Doug Paulley brought his case after he was told he could not get on a bus to Leeds in 2012 when a mother with a pushchair refused to move. He had argued operator FirstGroup's "requesting, not requiring" policy was discriminatory.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38664446

Barack Obama gives final news briefing as president - BBC News

2017-01-18

US President Barack Obama is giving his final news briefing at the White House.

US President Barack Obama is giving his final news briefing at the White House.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38668374

James Ellington & Nigel Levine: British sprinters 'truly blessed' to be alive - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

British sprinter James Ellington says he does not know how he or team-mate Nigel Levine survived a motorbike accident in Spain.

Last updated on .From the section Athletics British sprinter James Ellington says he does not know how he or team-mate Nigel Levine survived a motorbike accident in Spain. The pair will miss the 2017 season - including the World Championships - and Ellington posted on Instagram that he is "truly blessed" to be alive. The 31-year-old has a suspected broken leg in two places and both men have a suspected broken pelvis. Ellington said he is "overwhelmed" by the public's support. He added: "I truly am blessed as I do not know how me or my training partner Nigel are still alive. "Me and him are both strong characters and will be looking to bounce back from this horrific accident." British Athletics says its staff are with the athletes and are liaising with doctors over treatment. However, they are still waiting to find out the severity of their injuries from specialists. There will be no definitive update from doctors until the weekend or next week. Ellington and Levine say they were riding a motorbike when they were struck head on by a car travelling on the wrong side of the road. The incident happened on Tuesday evening, with Ellington and Levine part of a British Athletics group taking part in a warm-weather training camp. Any pelvic injuries to sprinters are potentially career-threatening and both athletes will need significant rehabilitation. Ellington, 31, is a 100m and 200m specialist and a two-time Olympian who was part of the gold medal-winning 4x100m relay teams at the 2014 and 2016 European Championships. Levine, 27, is a 400m runner who was born in Trinidad and raised in Northamptonshire. He won a European outdoor relay gold in 2014 and an indoor relay gold in 2013.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/38663811

Theresa May's Brexit 'deal or no deal' - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Theresa May's long-awaited speech on her strategy for Brexit leads Wednesday's front pages.

The Papers

Theresa May set out her Brexit strategy in a speech in London Theresa May's Brexit speech is pretty much the only story in town, at least as far as the front pages are concerned. It is the tough rhetoric which captures the headlines. The Times headline sums up her message to the EU as "Give us a fair deal or you'll be crushed". At the opposite end of the market, the Daily Star renders it as "May: I will crush EU". For the Daily Mail, the parallels with Margaret Thatcher are hard to resist. It says the speech showed the "steel of the new Iron Lady". Among the papers that opposed Brexit, the Guardian found the speech a "doubly depressing event" - a reality check for those who want to keep the UK in the single market while being riddled with its own streak of "global fantasy". But the Guardian acknowledges that as a political manoeuvre it was a huge success for Mrs May and has strengthened her authority. The Financial Times praises the prime minister's "bold vision" but warns that the road ahead will be perilous. The Daily Mirror says Brexit will be a rollercoaster ride and only the reckless would pretend that it will be easy to reach a good deal with other nations. The Sun's front page is mocked up as a Biblical tablet of stone with the single word headline "Brexodus". The paper says Mrs May could call a snap election if Parliament votes to reject the deal she negotiates. The Daily Telegraph praises the "steel behind" Mrs May's words and declares the speech "a defining moment in British politics". Matt's cartoon has a worker bricking up the Channel Tunnel and remarking: "Mrs May's Brexit is a little harder than we'd been led to expect". In other stories, the recently-retired head of the Serpentine Gallery in London, Dame Julia Peyton-Jones, features widely after becoming a mother at the age of 64. The Daily Mail says that instead of putting her feet up after a high-flying career, the woman known as the "Queen Of Arts" will now be busy raising her daughter, Pia. Dame Julia has not revealed further details, and the papers cannot say whether she had the child naturally or through a surrogate mother, IVF or adoption. The Times reports that Manchester United, the world's richest football club according to Forbes magazine, has defended the launch of three new replica kits each season by claiming that their fans want "newness". The paper thinks that argument flies in the face of concern expressed by parents at the high cost of funding their children's support for top teams. Each new United kit costs £88 pounds for a child's version. Manchester City, Spurs and Arsenal also bring out three new strips per season. Finally, the Daily Telegraph reports that intelligence agency GCHQ is launching a recruitment drive targeting teenage girls who know their way around social media. A nationwide competition will launch next month designed to attract thousands of potential female spies with the skills to protect the nation against cyber attacks. The Telegraph says the security services want to tackle their image as "male, pale and stale" by recruiting more "Jane Bonds" to their ranks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38659108

Who are the figures pushing Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin together? - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Advisers to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are promoting a stronger relationship between the two.

Europe

The question of whether Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has got material with which he could blackmail Donald Trump is for now unknowable and misses the point by a country mile: the two men think alike. Mr Trump's belief in American traditionalism and dislike of scrutiny echo the Kremlin's tune: nation, power and aversion to criticism are the new (and very Russian) world order. You could call this mindset Trumputinism. The echo between the Kremlin and Trump Tower is strong, getting louder and very, very good news for Mr Putin. As Trump signalled to Michael Gove on Monday, a new nuclear arms reduction deal seems to be in the offing linked to a review of sanctions against Russia. The dog that did not bark in the night is Mr Trump's peculiar absence of criticism of Mr Putin, for example, on the Russian hacking of American democracy, his land-grab of Crimea and his role in the continuing war in Eastern Ukraine. What is odd is that Mr Trump, in his tweets, favours the Russia line over, say, the CIA and the rest of the American intelligence community. But why on earth criticise the world leader with whom you most agree? Three men have egged along Trumputinism: Nigel Farage, who is clear that the European Union is a far bigger danger to world peace than Russia; his friend, Steve Bannon, who is now Mr Trump's chief strategist; and a Russian "penseur", Alexander Dugin. With his long hair and iconic Slavic looks, Mr Dugin is variously described as "Putin's Brain" or "Putin's Rasputin". Alexander Dugin is described as "Putin's Brain" He has his own pro-Kremlin TV show which pumps out Russian Orthodox supremacy in a curious mixture of Goebbels-style rhetoric and Songs of Praise. Mr Dugin is widely believed to have the ear of the Kremlin. He is also under Western sanctions for the ferocity of his statements in favour of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has cost 10,000 lives to date. Messrs Farage, Bannon and Dugin are all united that the greatest danger for Western civilisation lies in Islamist extremism. Mr Bannon aired his views in a right-wing mindfest on the fringes of the Vatican in 2014. He claimed that so-called Islamic State has a Twitter account "about turning the United States into a 'river of blood'". "Trust me, that is going to come to Europe," he added. "On top of that we're now, I believe, at the beginning stages of a global war against Islamic fascism." The danger is that in allying yourself with the Kremlin in the way they fight "Islamist fascism" in say, Aleppo, you end up siding with what some have called "Russian fascism" or, at least, abandoning democratic values and the rules of war and, in so doing, become a recruiting sergeant for ISIS. It is a risk on which Mr Dugin does not seem willing to reflect. My interview with him in Moscow did not end well. Dugin posted a critical blog entry after walking out of his interview with John Sweeney First, he dismissed the chances that the Russians hacked American democracy as "strictly zero". I asked him about the depth of Mr Putin's commitment to democracy. "Please be careful," he responded. "You could not teach us democracy because you try to impose to every people, every state, every society, their Western, American or so-called American system of values without asking…and it is absolutely racist; you are racist." Too many of Mr Putin's critics end up dead - around 20 since he took power in 2000. I have met and admired three: Anna Politkovskaya, Natasha Estemirova and Boris Nemtsov. Boris Nemtsov was murdered close to the Kremlin in 2015 Mr Nemtsov was shot just outside the Kremlin's walls. I asked Mr Dugin what his death told us about Russian democracy. "If you are engaged in Wikileaks you can be murdered," he countered. I then invited Mr Dugin to list the American journalists who have died under Barack Obama. Mr Dugin did not oblige but told me that ours was a "completely stupid kind of conversation" and walked out of the interview. Later, he posted a blog to his 20,000 followers, illustrated with my photograph and accusing me of manufacturing "fake news" and calling me "an utter cretin... a globalist swine". Such is the language of the new world order. A few days later I watched the press conference when Mr Trump closed down a question from a CNN reporter by accusing him of manufacturing "fake news". Under Trumputinism, the echo between Russia and America is getting louder by the day. Panorama: The Kremlin Candidate? BBC One, 8.30pm, Monday, January 16. If you miss it, you can catch up later online.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38639327

Australian Open 2017: Konta, Edmund & Watson aim for last 32 - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

British trio Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund attempt to make the Australian Open third round on Thursday.

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Coverage: Daily live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra; live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website. British trio Johanna Konta, Kyle Edmund and Heather Watson will attempt to reach the Australian Open third round on Thursday. Konta, who won the Sydney International last week, takes on Japan's Naomi Osaka at 00:00 GMT. The 25-year-old ninth seed beat Osaka 6-4 6-4 in 2015 US Open qualifying - their only previous meeting. Edmund plays Pablo Carreno Busta, while Watson will reach the last 32 if she beats Jennifer Brady. Like Konta, world number 46 Edmund is first on court, with Watson to follow at approximately 01:30 GMT. Konta began her campaign with a commanding 7-5 6-2 win over Belgian former top-20 player Kirsten Flipkens and, given her impressive early season form, will hope to improve on her run to the semi-final last year. However, Osaka's power is a threat to those ambitions. The world number 48 has hit the fastest female serve of the tournament so far at 123mph and delivered nine aces in her first-round victory over Luksika Kumkhum. The 19-year-old reached the third round at the Australian, French and US Opens last year. "I remember playing her and since then she's improved a lot," Konta said. "I know she plays a big game. She has big shots. I'm definitely prepared to go in for a battle." After losing in the opening round of the Australian Open in the past two years, Yorkshire's Edmund is into uncharted territory. The 22-year-old's only previous encounter with 30th seed Carreno Busta was a defeat on clay at a lower-tier Futures event in 2013. Should Edmund win, it will be the first time three British players have made it to the third round of the Australian Open. Watson's third-round defeat by Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013 is her best run in Melbourne and she will be favourite to match that with victory against Brady, who is ranked 35 places lower at 116.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38660203

Theresa May on Brexit: Then and now - BBC News

2017-01-18

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A look back at Theresa May's big Brexit speech - and at what she said before the EU referendum.

UK Politics

Theresa May giving a pro-EU speech in April (left) and delivering her Brexit address Theresa May has said the UK will emerge from Brexit as a "great, global trading nation", becoming "safer, more secure and more prosperous". But in April - before the EU referendum - the then home secretary gave a speech warning of the implications of a vote to leave the EU. Here's how some of the key quotes compare: April 2016: "So, if we do vote to leave the European Union, we risk bringing the development of the single market to a halt, we risk a loss of investors and businesses to remaining EU member states driven by discriminatory EU policies, and we risk going backwards when it comes to international trade. "But the big question is whether, in the event of Brexit, we would be able to negotiate a new free trade agreement with the EU and on what terms." January 2017: "I respect the position taken by European leaders who have been clear about their position, just as I am clear about mine. So an important part of the new strategic partnership we seek with the EU will be the pursuit of the greatest possible access to the single market, on a fully reciprocal basis, through a comprehensive free trade agreement." April 2016: "The reality is that we do not know on what terms we would win access to the single market. We do know that in a negotiation we would need to make concessions in order to access it, and those concessions could well be about accepting EU regulations, over which we would have no say, making financial contributions, just as we do now, accepting free movement rules, just as we do now, or quite possibly all three combined. "It is not clear why other EU member states would give Britain a better deal than they themselves enjoy." January 2017: "If we were excluded from accessing the single market, we would be free to change the basis of Britain's economic model. "But for the EU, it would mean new barriers to trade with one of the biggest economies in the world. It would jeopardise investments in Britain by EU companies worth more than half a trillion pounds... and I do not believe that the EU's leaders will seriously tell German exporters, French farmers, Spanish fishermen, the young unemployed of the eurozone, and millions of others, that they want to make them poorer, just to punish Britain and make a political point." The PM said China had expressed an interest in a trade deal with the UK April 2016: "It is tempting to look at developing countries' economies, with their high growth rates, and see them as an alternative to trade with Europe. But just look at the reality of our trading relationship with China - with its dumping policies, protective tariffs and industrial-scale industrial espionage. And look at the figures. We export more to Ireland than we do to China, almost twice as much to Belgium as we do to India, and nearly three times as much to Sweden as we do to Brazil. It is not realistic to think we could just replace European trade with these new markets." "And while we could certainly negotiate our own trade agreements, there would be no guarantee that they would be on terms as good as those we enjoy now. There would also be a considerable opportunity cost given the need to replace the existing agreements - not least with the EU itself - that we would have torn up as a consequence of our departure." January 2017: "We want to get out into the wider world, to trade and do business all around the globe. Countries including China, Brazil, and the Gulf States have already expressed their interest in striking trade deals with us." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May on EU and immigration April 2016 (responding to a question from the BBC): "What matters is that we have brought about changes in the free movement rules as a result of the negotiation." January 2017: "As home secretary for six years, I know that you cannot control immigration overall when there is free movement to Britain from Europe." April 2016: "With no agreement, we know that WTO rules would oblige the EU to charge 10% tariffs on UK car exports, in line with the tariffs they impose on Japan and the United States. They would be required to do the same for all other goods upon which they impose tariffs. Not all of these tariffs are as high as 10%, but some are considerably higher." January 2017: "And while I am confident that this scenario need never arise - while I am sure a positive agreement can be reached - I am equally clear that no deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain. "Because we would still be able to trade with Europe. We would be free to strike trade deals across the world. And we would have the freedom to set the competitive tax rates and embrace the policies that would attract the world's best companies and biggest investors to Britain."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38653681

Brexit memo to Boris Johnson: Don't mention the War - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The foreign secretary's evocation of the Great Escape didn't go down well in Europe.

UK Politics

Basil Fawlty discovered that some subjects were taboo Like some latter-day Basil Fawlty, Boris Johnson mentioned the War and didn't get away with it. The foreign secretary urged the French president not to "administer punishment beatings" on Britain for choosing to escape the EU "rather in the manner of some World War Two movie". Not surprisingly, uproar has ensued. Former Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Johnson had shown once again that he could be "supremely clever and yet immensely stupid". To some Britons, Mr Johnson's remarks will be seen as colourful but unexceptional language that echoes the popular World War Two film The Great Escape. To many of Mr Johnson's generation, these films were part of their childhood and are subject to frequent cultural reference. Former Prime Minister David Cameron has seen The Guns of Navarone more than 17 times and once quoted a line from the film in a party conference speech. I know one former Conservative cabinet minister who can quote reams from Where Eagles Dare. (Full disclosure, so can I). Yet this hinterland of war films from the 1960s and 1970s, seen by some today as jingoistic, can create a tin ear among some Britons when it comes to recognising how sensitive many Europeans remain towards this period in their history. The foreign secretary has form on this. During the referendum campaign last year he compared the EU to Nazi Germany, telling the Daily Telegraph both were attempting to unify Europe: "Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically." This caused a flurry of headlines and a social media storm that passed quickly. Yet the impact on EU politicians was lasting. One EU diplomat explained it to me like this: "You Brits don't understand us when we talk about European values. To us they are important because they are not Nazi values, they are not Vichy values, they are not fascist values, not the values of the Greek junta. They are the values of a different Europe. "So for that clown to compare us to the Nazis, well, that hurts and will not be forgotten." In other words, the global conflict from which the EU's forerunner emerged - and was ultimately designed to prevent recurring - lingers long in the mind on the continent. So perhaps the foreign secretary might take the advice of Gisela Stuart, the German-born Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, who said she was sure her fellow Brexit campaigner did not mean to be offensive but added: "For the next two years… just don't mention the war." Or maybe Mr Johnson might remember the last line of the Fawlty Towers episode when a ranting Basil is being led away by the nurses and one of the stunned German guests asks: "However did they win?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38670349

Inflation means inflation, but who wins? - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Sooner or later, the downward pressure on the pound since the UK's Brexit vote is expected to lead to upward pressure on the prices of most things we buy.

Business

Tesco's recent spat with Unilever has highlighted fears of a new inflationary surge The downward pressure on the pound since the UK's vote to leave the European Union is starting to lead to upward pressure on the prices of most things we buy. Brexit, as we have been told by the prime minister, means Brexit. But inflation also means inflation. The pound has repeatedly lurched lower in value since the outcome of the June 2016 referendum. Against the dollar, it is now worth 20% less than it was before the vote, and that fall is unlikely to be reversed in a hurry. The basic laws of economics dictate that this will translate into higher inflation: foreign firms exporting goods to the UK will continue to charge the same amount for them in euros, dollars or whatever, but they will cost more in sterling when the prices are converted. That goes for finished goods, such as food and drink or clothing, but also for raw materials that are processed here, such as car parts. Global supply chains mean that more than 50% of the components in cars "made in the UK" are actually sourced from overseas. Petrol, too, is likely to go up in price, because oil is priced in dollars. Shopping for clothes is likely to be more costly So higher rates of inflation appear to be a foregone conclusion. The question is, how much higher? What will the consequences be? And will anyone gain from this, or are we all set to lose out? One estimate of the extent of possible price rises has come from the former boss of Northern Foods, Lord Haskins, who told the BBC that he expected to see food price increases running at an annual rate of 5% by this time next year. He was speaking in response to supermarket chain Tesco's recent spat with Unilever, which was trying to pass on its higher costs incurred because of sterling's weakness - though that dispute has since been resolved. The cost of food is an important factor in calculating the overall inflation rate, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which is published on a monthly basis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Some economists are predicting that the CPI could hit 3% by the end of 2017. If overall inflation did climb to the level predicted by Lord Haskins, it could be nudging close to the highest rate in a decade. In recent years, there have been two peaks in CPI inflation, in September 2008 and September 2011. In both those months, it reached 5.2%. By historical standards, however, that pales in comparison with the levels reached in the 1970s, when the UK experienced several years of double-digit inflation. The worst year was 1975, during which prices went up by an eye-watering 24.2%. We are unlikely to return to those days. But of course, back then, the industrial climate was different, trade unions were stronger and large groups of workers were able to obtain pay rises to match, despite government attempts to impose wage restraint. Nowadays, substantial pay rises are harder to come by, so a lower level of inflation can have a bigger effect on living standards. If we have to spend more money on goods while our salaries fail to keep pace with rising prices, then we are all likely to suffer to some degree. It will certainly make Bank of England governor Mark Carney's job harder, because the Bank has a 2% inflation target. If it goes above that, it increases the likelihood that he will raise interest rates to combat it, thus making life harder for those who owe money, such as on mortgages. Mr Carney has said that "monetary policy can respond, in either direction, to changes in the economic outlook" - meaning that the next move in interest rates could be up or down. He has also spoken at length of the trade-off between price stability and other economic factors, meaning that the Bank will not necessarily rush to raise rates. Bringing inflation back to target too rapidly could cause undesirable "volatility in output and employment", he says. But at the same time, Mr Carney says "there are limits to the extent to which above-target inflation can be tolerated". If you have a student loan, the level of interest charged is linked to a slightly different measure of inflation, the Retail Prices Index (RPI), and is not subject to the Bank of England's decisions. But in most cases, a prolonged period of inflation reduces the value of people's debts, making them easier to pay off. If inflation were to stay at that 5.2% level for 12 years, your debt would, in effect, be worth only half as much in real terms, because you would still owe the same number of pounds, but each of those pounds would have declined in value. Pensioners may have trouble making their money last The outcome is similarly mixed for pensioners. In their favour, state pensions are guaranteed by what is known as the "triple lock". In other words, they rise each year by the inflation rate, average earnings or 2.5%, whichever is the highest. However, private pensions are not similarly protected. And to make matters worse, retired people are likely to spend a higher proportion of their income on food and fuel, which are particularly affected by the pound's big devaluation. Pensioners are also more likely to be living off income from savings, and savers are clobbered by high inflation. Just as inflation erodes the value of debts, it also reduces the spending power of money kept in bank accounts, because prices go up and your money doesn't, especially with the ultra-low interest rates paid by banks at the moment. So there is no unalloyed benefit from higher inflation for anyone. But some will feel more pain than others, while borrowers will certainly benefit more than savers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37676869

Family traced after plea over watch from torpedoed SS Athenia - BBC News

2017-01-18

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An appeal for information about the original owner of a watch gifted to a Scottish museum helps reunite members of his family.

Glasgow & West Scotland

The museum appealed for information about the owner of the watch An appeal for information about the original owner of a watch gifted to a Scottish museum has helped reunite members of his family. Sidney Worrall was a cook on board the SS Athenia, the first British ship to be sunk by Germany in World War Two. He gave his watch to a Canadian passenger and almost 80 years later it ended up at Glasgow's Riverside Museum. Sixteen members of his family responded to the museum curator's plea for more details about Mr Worrall. The SS Athenia was a transatlantic passenger liner built in Glasgow which sailed between the UK and Canada. The ship was sunk by a torpedo from a German submarine in September 1939, off the coast of Ireland. Mr Worrall was badly injured in the attack, which killed 117 people, and passed his watch to a Canadian man who was in the same lifeboat, Gerry Hutchinson. When Mr Hutchinson died, his son Rob donated the watch to the Riverside Museum. Family members Cath Muir and Dr Ernie Worrall were introduced when they viewed the watch at the Riverside Museum The Hutchisons believed Mr Worrall had died but the museum later learned he survived his injuries. He went on to marry and have a daughter and died in 1973. Family members said he never mentioned the watch he had left in the hands of a stranger. Among those to come forward in response to the museum's appeal for information were his granddaughter Cath Muir and nephew Dr Ernie Worrall, who did not know each other. Ms Muir said: "What a surprise it was when by husband told me there was an appeal for information on my grandfather. I remember him as a child. He was very badly burned when the Athenia was attacked and had many skin grafts on his face and legs. He told us that they were his maps of the world. "After returning from Galway he was pensioned out of the Merchant Navy due to the injuries he sustained, but he returned to sea to serve in the war, he felt it was his duty to do so, but that meant he had to forgo part of his pension. After the war he worked as a hospital porter in Law Hospital, Lanarkshire. "I am indebted to Gerry for keeping my grandfather's watch safe all these years and I look forward to bringing my own grandchildren to Riverside to see it on display soon." The seaman's nephew, Dr Worrall, added: "I was made aware of Riverside's search for my uncle Sid. My father had told me all about him being caught up in the torpedoing of the Athenia. "A day or so after the sinking, my grandmother's neighbour was at the cinema and saw on the Pathe newsreel that night my uncle being landed as a survivor in Galway. At the end of the picture show she told my grandmother, who at that point would have been unaware whether her son had been killed or had been rescued. "My grandmother hot-footed it down to the cinema just as the manager was closing up for the night and he kindly opened up and re-ran the newsreel for her while she sat in this empty cinema and was able to be reassured that he was indeed alive." He added: "Not only has Emily's detective work allowed me to learn more about my family's history, it has put me in touch with Cath and family I didn't know before." Rob Hutchinson, who gifted the watch to the Riverside, said: "I am delighted that the museum has been able to draw together the two ends of this very long story. "I look forward to one day seeing the museum's display and possibly meeting Sid's family. My father would have been so pleased." The watch will go on display as part of an updated SS Athenia exhibition at the Riverside which is expected to open in summer 2017. Curator Emily Malcolm said: "It is wonderful to welcome Cath and Ernie to Riverside, to show them Sid's watch and to introduce them to Rob in Canada. I am so pleased they got in touch. "We are delighted the family is happy to help Glasgow Museums complete Sid's story and put the watch on display. It's good that something so positive has come from such a disaster."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-38656923

Australian Open 2017: Angelique Kerber and Venus Williams reach third round - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

Defending champion Angelique Kerber withstands an onslaught from fellow German Carina Witthoeft to advance in Melbourne.

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Coverage: Daily live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra; live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website. Defending champion Angelique Kerber survived an onslaught from fellow German Carina Witthoeft to advance to the Australian Open third round. Kerber - top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time - struggled with her serve in a second-set tie-break before prevailing 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-2. The top seed, who was 29 on Wednesday, faces Czech Kristyna Pliskova next. Venus Williams beat Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-3 6-2 to reach the third round for the 13th time. Venus still going strong at 36 Williams, who played at her first Australian Open in 1998, is the oldest woman in the singles draw at 36 and is competing in her 73rd Grand Slam. "I have to talk about my age every interview!" the American said. "I've played some of the greats. "It's an honour and privilege to start that young, and play this old." She later pulled out of the doubles competition with her sister Serena as a precaution to rest a sore elbow. The 17th seed has never won the title in Melbourne, her best result finishing as runner-up to Serena in 2003. She will next play Duan Yingying after the Chinese player beat Varvara Lepchenko 6-1 3-6 10-8. • None Read: Old faithfuls - the athletes who just kept going World number one Kerber has started the year in less-than-convincing style, going out in the last eight in Brisbane and the second round in Sydney. And Witthoeft, 21, posed a far more serious challenge in this meeting than in the 6-0 6-0 defeat she suffered against her compatriot at Wimbledon in 2015. After a frustrated Kerber coughed up successive double faults in the tie-break, Witthoeft's powerful groundstrokes took the opening game of the decider against serve. But Kerber won the next four to regain control and avoid an upset. "To have this pressure is a privilege," she said. "It's completely new for me, but I'm doing well. I'm just trying to enjoy it." Best of the rest World number seven Garbine Muguruza advanced to the third round by beating America's Samantha Crawford 7-5 6-4. Meanwhile, Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, a three-time quarter-finalist in Melbourne, was a 6-2 6-1 victor over Australia's Jaimee Fourlis. But 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro is out after a shock defeat by Romania's world number 78 Sorana Cirstea. The Spaniard went down 7-6 (7-1) 6-3. Bouchard, a Melbourne semi-finalist in 2014 who is now ranked 47 in the world, won 7-6 (7-5) 6-2. Australia's Ashleigh Barty, in her first Australian Open appearance since 2014, moved to the third round for the first time with a 7-5 6-1 win over American Shelby Rogers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38659777

Retracing Tunisia beach attacker's movements in VR simulation - BBC News

2017-01-18

Virtual reality images retracing the route of the Tunisian beach attacker was shown to the inquest.

Virtual reality footage retracing the footsteps of the Tunisian beach attacker who killed 38 people in 2015, was shown to the inquest investigating their deaths. The inquest was also told a report from Jan 2015 for the UK government had raised concerns about security at the Riu Imperial Marhaba resort.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38655606

Marrying the man who saved my life - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Melissa Dohme was viciously stabbed more than 30 times by her ex-boyfriend. She survived against all the odds and found love in an unexpected place.

Magazine

Melissa Dohme, from Florida, was 20 years old when she was stabbed more than 30 times and left for dead by her ex-boyfriend. Against all the odds she survived, though she thought she would never have another relationship. But then, as she describes here, she found love in an unexpected place. Before the attack I was a college student working full-time in the reception of a local hospital. My dream was to become a nurse. I was dating Robert Burton, who I had met in high school. We hung out all the time, texting and talking. He was very charming and funny and kind of like a gentle giant. I noticed his behaviour changed, though, when I started applying to universities. He became very jealous. He would belittle me and not want me to succeed. He would lie about things and if I confronted him he had an explosive temper. I tried to break up with him but he told me that, as his girlfriend, I should be helping him, not abandoning him. He said he would kill himself if I left him. Melissa says Robert was funny and kind when they first met It escalated to physical abuse. One day in October 2011, I drove us home as he had been drinking. He said that I shut the door before he had finished speaking and that set him off. He started hitting and punching me. I was able to break free and run away to call the police, who arrived and arrested him. He was charged with domestic battery and sentenced to 10 hours in jail. I thought I was finally free of him. Over the next couple of months he left me alone. I learned through social media that he had another girlfriend, so I really thought he was over me. Then, on 24 January 2012, he called me at 2am. He had gone to court that morning for the battery charge and said he needed closure from our terrible relationship and just wanted a hug. If I saw him just one more time he said would leave me alone forever. I didn't listen to my intuition telling me it was wrong, and that was the biggest mistake I ever made. I took my pepper spray and phone, thinking I could protect myself if I needed to. As soon as I walked out there he reached his arms out for a hug, but he had a switchblade in his hand. He flipped it open and he started stabbing me over and over again. I remember the pain of the first few but after that I went into fight-or-flight mode. I tried to fight back and bite his hand. I was punching and screaming and doing everything I could, but I kept falling to the ground because I was losing so much blood. A young boy and girl nearby ran over because they heard me screaming, and the girl called 911. After seeing them Robert went and got a bigger knife with a serrated blade from his truck and attacked me with that. He had every intention of killing me. He knew the police were going to come and he wanted to get it finished. He left me lying in the road and I thought I was going to die. I just prayed to God to save me and give me a chance. I was drifting away when a police officer shone his light on me. I felt a rush of life come back to me and I was able to state my name and who had attacked me. My speech was very slurred because I had had a stroke from the loss of blood. My last few memories were in the ambulance. It was very bright and blurry and people were yelling and trying to stabilise me. They put the ventilator in to help me breathe and I knew that was a really bad sign. I thought, "OK, they think I'm about to die." They then said they needed to airlift me and they called for the helicopter. I later learned from the trauma surgeons that I died on the table several times and they had to resuscitate me over and over. My wounds were severe. I had a broken skull and jaw. My head and nose were fractured. He had severed my facial nerve, so I had paralysis on the right side of my face. They gave me 12 units of blood and the body holds about seven on average. It was a miracle I survived. That time in hospital seemed like one very long day, but I was actually in intensive care for several days. At one point I remember motioning for a pen from my family. I needed to know what had happened to my attacker. I couldn't use my right hand because it had been stabbed so many times, so I used my left to write: "Dead, alive or jail?" My family told me I didn't have to worry, that Robert had been caught and he was not going to harm me now. I felt very relieved. He had attempted to kill himself by taking sleeping pills and crashing his car into a wall but he failed. He woke up in hospital strapped to the bed with the police by his side. I faced a long road to recovery. Nineteen of the 32 stab wounds were to my head, neck and face so I didn't look like myself. I was missing teeth. My hair was shaved because they had to stitch up wounds on my head. Half of my face was paralysed. When I looked in the mirror for the first time afterwards I just sobbed. I was only 20 years old. It was devastating. However, my faith was strong and I knew I wasn't still here on Earth to be mad about what I looked like. I just felt blessed that I was alive. I had implants in my teeth and my scars slowly faded. I had nerve and muscle surgery in Boston, which helped regenerate my face and give me my smile back. I was keen to get back to school and work as soon as I could. I assumed I would be single for the rest of my life. I never thought anyone would want to date me because I was damaged and had all this baggage. But I thought I could still use my experiences to help others. I wanted to speak out to let people in abusive relationships know that they deserved to be loved and respected and valued.At one of my speaking events in October 2012 I was delighted to meet the emergency services team who saved my life. One of the firefighters, Cameron, invited my mom and me to go to dinner at the fire department the following week. I was really excited about it. Afterwards I couldn't stop thinking about Cameron. I knew that I had feelings for him but I was trying to ignore them. I wondered, "Am I feeling this way because he was one of the firemen who helped me?" But the more we talked the more we realised we had in common. He gave me his number and said, "You know we're here for you," but I thought maybe he was just being nice. Still, I knew I had to see him again so a week later I contacted him and said I had a thank you card for the team. He said I should pop over to the station. I gave them the card and thought I would then leave, but Cameron and I ended up talking for six hours. It felt like we could talk forever and that's when it became clear there was something special here. We had different dates, we had a barbecue - we love barbecue in southern Florida - and we went to a shooting range. Cameron showed me how to improve my shooting and I now have a concealed-carry permit. It makes me feel better, that I can protect myself. Cameron was by my side in August 2013 when I went to court to face the man who tried to kill me. When it was my turn on the stand Robert was staring at me. He was trying to intimidate me by staring me down but I refused to look away. At the end of the trial when all the evidence was being shown his head went down to the table. He finally had to face what he did and he realised he had no more power. He was given life without parole and I was so relieved and thankful. I walked out of there with my life back. Cameron and I continued dating. I went to St Petersburg College but decided not to study nursing - I wanted to dedicate my life to speaking out against domestic violence, so I studied Management and Organisational Leadership in Business. A couple of years later I was invited to give the first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game, in recognition of my work in schools talking about violent relationships. I was on the mound and there wasn't a baseball there so Cameron came out of the dugout to hand me one. Written on the ball were the words: "Will you marry me?" It was the most surprising moment of my whole life. And then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I couldn't speak for a moment as I couldn't find the words. It was just really incredible knowing that he put so much effort in and to making this surprise special for me. And I just I felt very blessed and over the moon. Of course I said yes. He gave me a beautiful diamond ring that he had picked out and we're going to get married in a few weeks. All the people that saved me, from the first police officer on the scene to the trauma surgeon, are coming.Today I just feel very blessed to be here. I know that the attack was just one day in my life and it will never define me. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38302839

All aboard the China-to-London freight train - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The Yiwu-to-Barking express is the newest way to send your freight from China to Europe.

Business

It's not on a boat, it's not on a plane, it's on a train. The newest way to send your freight from China to Europe involves spending 15 days on a train that doesn't have a buffet car in sight. On 3 January in Yiwu in eastern China, a bright orange locomotive pulling 44 containers laden with suitcases, clothes and an assortment of household goods set off on a 7,500-mile (12,000km) journey to western Europe. Ten containers were taken off at the German cargo hub of Duisburg. The rest made up the first cargo train from China to arrive in London at Barking's Eurohub freight terminal. London is the 15th European city to find its way on to the ever-expanding map of destinations for China's rail cargo. Last year, 1,702 freight trains made the voyage to Europe, more than double the 2015 figure. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Yiwu Timex Industrial Investments, which is running this service with China's state-run railways, says prices are half that of air cargo and cut two weeks off the journey time by sea. The UK's biggest supermarket, Tesco, doesn't have any goods on this particular train but does use rail to carry toys, electrical goods, homeware and clothing from China to European rail hubs such as Bratislava in Slovakia and Krasnaje in Belarus. Alistair Lindsay, Tesco's head of global logistics, says the supermarket prefers shipping its goods because this is the most environmentally friendly way, as well as offering the best value for money, but that "where we need to move products quicker we have that option to do it by rail". This decision would normally be driven by customer demand for particular products, he says. It demonstrates how market demand and the realities of globalisation are increasingly allowing China's President Xi Jinping to realise his ambitious plan to revive the ancient Silk Road. For centuries the fabled trade route from the ancient capital of Xian provided a link to the bustling markets of European cities such as Istanbul and Venice. In the 21st Century China has become the world's biggest exporter, with the export of goods totalling $2.28 trillion (£1.85tn) in 2015. The Silk Road provided a link to the markets of European cities like Istanbul and Venice This rail expansion is part of President Xi's "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) trade policy. For Beijing it offers another way to sustain its economic growth. Kazakhstan is one of the countries on the route and it was there that Mr Xi first outlined his vision in a speech in 2013 saying, "This will be a great undertaking benefiting the people of all countries along the route." Extolling the virtues of globalisation was a theme he repeated again at Davos this week. For some, this is as much political as economic, offering Beijing the chance to project soft power as well as demonstrating it has the influence to thread disparate nations from Russia to Spain together. China is also pushing its version of a "maritime silk road for example", by building a $1.4bn port city in Sri Lanka "[OBOR] is set to become Xi Jinping's grand legacy," says Dr Sam Beatson, of King's College London. "Regardless of the returns on offer... the policies will continue to be pushed as a means of seeking to fulfil Xi's dream under his leadership." One of the other legacies President Xi is trying to tackle is China's pollution problem. While rail cargo is not as green as sea transport it emits less carbon dioxide (CO2) than air travel. Freight transport accounts for about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions This is the "first argument when trying to get our customers to re-evaluate their options", says Johan Ignell, rail freight manager at Swedish cargo firm Greencarrier. It calculates that a 40ft (12m) container with 20 tonnes of cargo would account for just 4% of the CO2 emissions it would take to move it by air (though emissions would be more than halved again if it were moved by sea). Freight transport accounts for about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but it is "fraught with difficulty" to compare emissions from different transport modes, says Prof Alan McKinnon of Germany's Kuehne Logistics University. Prof McKinnon, one of the authors of a 2014 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), says "load factor, energy efficiency and power sources all make a difference and can be hard to ascertain". China is now the world's biggest exporter He adds: "While shifting air cargo to rail will certainly cut emissions, container shipping will continue to command a significant carbon advantage over transcontinental rail, particularly now that most vessels are slow steaming to save fuel." There is also a business case for this emerging trade route to grow. Not least among European companies looking to export to China. At the moment there are no plans to run a return train service from London but that could change quickly. China is already the European Union's second biggest export market - though there is an EU trade deficit in goods of about $190bn. For UK companies facing up to the reality of Brexit, China is an attractive proposition and the train carries new opportunities. Brand Avenue is a company that already exports British-made goods including cosmetics and jewellery to China, and chief executive Jody Jacobs says he's exploring moving to rail. "We deal a lot in goods which weigh a lot in comparison to their volume [which is] where airfreight becomes expensive, such as cosmetics and baby food. "So for us a service which is quicker than sea and cheaper than air is a great middle ground." For UK companies facing up to the reality of Brexit, China is an attractive proposition For established cargo companies rail also offers the potential for growth. Shipping lines have seen profits fall because of overcapacity attributed to the aftermath of the global financial crisis. The world's biggest shipping company, Maersk, told the BBC it is investigating "possible opportunities" in long-distance rail, though it sees them as supplementary to sea and air routes. China is planning another 20 European routes for rail freight, and with the world's demand for consumer goods continuing to grow, all the ingredients seem to be there for rail to help the global economy steam ahead in 2017 and beyond.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38654176

Does living to 100 mean we'll work forever? - BBC News

2017-01-18

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With more and more people expected to live until 100, how does that affect our working lives?

Business

Living longer may also mean working longer Will you live to be 100 years old? Even if you don't - it's pretty likely your children or your grandchildren will. While Brexit, China and Trump may be dominating the news out of this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, living longer is a hot topic in the cold and snowy mountain village, and one which many attendees are already grappling with. Current trends suggest most babies born since 2000 in developed countries such as the UK, US, Canada, France and Germany, will live past their 100th birthday. Put another way, for every 10 years since the 19th Century, life expectancy has increased by two and a half years, according to Jim Vaupel from Max Planck Institute of Demography, who has tracked global changes over the past 150 years. That's the equivalent of another six to eight hours every day. It may sound great - after all who doesn't want to live for as long as possible - but the reality is we may also be working for as long as possible to be able to pay for it. "If we live 30 years longer, then in order to retire at 60 we would have to save five times as much during our working lives. It's the end of retirement as we know it," says Lynda Gratton, who hosted a session on the topic in Davos. She is a psychologist, and professor of management practice at the London Business School, and has written a book on the topic. The effects of people living longer is one of the hot topics in Davos Rather than the three traditional stages of life: education, work and retirement, Ms Gratton expects people to have to constantly retrain as they shift careers and focus. Counter-intuitively, she suggests that one positive of having a longer career could actually mean a better work-life balance. If you're working for longer, then taking a couple of years out to look after children, or ageing parents for example, won't be such a big deal when your career lasts for 60-plus years, she suggests. Jo Ann Jenkins, chief executive at non-profit group AARP - the influential lobby group for older Americans - says working longer is already a reality for many in the US. In 2012, US employees aged over 50 made up almost a third of the workforce. By 2022 they're expected to make up 36%. The shift has already forced the group to change its name. The body used to be called the American Association of Retired Persons, but had to change it to just AARP because its members complained they weren't retired, but still working. "People used to think middle age started around 35. Now, most people think it's late 40s or early 50s. Same thing with one's working years. Someone who was 55 or 60 often used to be seen as over the hill. That's not the case today," says Ms Jenkins. She believes one of the big adjustments will be how to manage the increasing breadth of age groups in the workplace. "Years ago, one of the big questions was: can a man report to a woman manager? We've answered that question. Today, a big question is: can an older employee report to a younger manager? I think many organisations are still grappling with that." Of course, increased life expectancy isn't always matched by better health. Christophe Weber, the chief executive of Japanese pharmaceutical giant Takeda, says the key issue is how long people are remaining well. In Japan, around a quarter of the population is now over 60, and Mr Weber notes that this increasing longevity also means certain diseases such as dementia, for example, are on the rise. He says research and finding new medicines to address the issue will be crucial. "[People living longer] is a very nice evolution but the challenge is how you finance it," he says, adding that the healthier people are, the less costly it is. As far as work goes, he says people need "a soft landing carrier to retirement", suggesting while older people may remain at work, they're likely to work part-time, or in less hands-on mentoring roles. But if even the idea of working part-time when you're in your 70s seems depressing, Ms Gratton has some encouragement. She says the fact that you're likely to have to change jobs and retrain several times to remain employable over 60 years offers a natural break to take time out. "Take a gap year. Why should it only be the young who take gap years? You could take a gap year at 50, and travel around the world," she says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38652359

As it happened: Theresa May in Davos - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Rolling updates as Theresa May delivered a Brexit speech to world leaders in Davos.

UK Politics

Quote Message: I'm writing to let you know that, following a period of unpaid leave from Guardian News & Media, Seumas Milne has decided to continue in his role as the Labour Party's strategy and communications director, and is leaving the staff of the Guardian. I would like to thank Seumas for his brilliant Guardian journalism, and we hope he'll write for us again in the future." I'm writing to let you know that, following a period of unpaid leave from Guardian News & Media, Seumas Milne has decided to continue in his role as the Labour Party's strategy and communications director, and is leaving the staff of the Guardian. I would like to thank Seumas for his brilliant Guardian journalism, and we hope he'll write for us again in the future."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-38635035

Kim Kardashian will appear in the all-female Ocean's Eight - BBC News

2017-01-18

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The all-female Ocean's Eight film adds two new cast members - Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner.

Entertainment & Arts

Kardashian has reportedly already shot her scenes for Ocean's Eight The upcoming all-female Ocean's Eight film has just added a new cast member - Kim Kardashian. The reality TV star and her half-sister Kendall Jenner will make cameo appearances in the film. It will be the fourth movie in the Ocean's franchise in 17 years - confusingly coming after Ocean's Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen. Kardashian and Jenner were photographed in New York on Monday after reportedly filming their cameos. The pair will apparently appear in scenes set at a fictional gala being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kendall Jenner, Kardashian's half sister, has also shot scenes for Ocean's Eight One scene in the film features a jewel robbery at New York's annual Met Gala - an event packed with celebrities. The news comes three months after Kardashian was held at gunpoint during a robbery in Paris. She took a break from social media and public appearances as a result but has recently returned to Twitter and visited Dubai last week. Rihanna, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway are due to take some of the main roles in Ocean's Eight. Vogue editor Anna Wintour and fashion designer Zac Posen have also recently been spotted near the set - could they be making cameos in the same scenes? We'll find out when the film hits cinemas in June 2018. The original Ocean's 11 was released in 1960 and starred Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin - and was remade as Ocean's Eleven in 2001 with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Unlike Ocean's Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen, the new film won't have major roles for Pitt and Clooney. Matt Damon will reprise his role for a brief appearance, and James Corden and Damian Lewis will also have cameos. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38662090

Obama to 'process amazing experience' - BBC News

2017-01-18

US President Barack Obama has spoke of his plans for life after the White House as a private citizen "to process this amazing experience we've gone through".

US President Barack Obama has spoke of his plans for life after the White House as a private citizen "to process this amazing experience we've gone through". In his final news conference, Mr Obama told the White House press corps: "I want to do some writing, I want to be quiet a little bit and not hear myself talk so darn much.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38671712

Andy Murray column on Dan Evans, injury worries and inspiring the next generation - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

World number one Andy Murray on fellow Briton Dan Evans, injuring his ankle and inspiring kids to take up tennis.

Coverage: Live radio and text commentary of every Andy Murray match on BBC Radio, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app. Watch highlights on BBC Two and online from 21 January. I'm really happy and excited for Dan Evans, who is getting closer and closer to the top of the game. I've known him a long time. I first met him when we played a Davis Cup tie probably nine, 10 years ago. You spend a week together in the build-up and since then I've seen him a lot at various events. He used to have a reputation of maybe not working that hard but every time I have been on the court with him, he has been fantastic. He's a natural competitor. Once you get him on the match court, he always tries his best and gives his best effort and I really respect that. Away from the court, he's a pretty relaxed guy. He doesn't take himself too seriously and he likes to have a good time, but when he's playing, he's focused. He's a very talented player. I haven't spoken to him loads about his tennis. He has a team around him that is doing such a fantastic job. If he keeps doing what he's doing, who knows where he could end up? It's exciting to see how good he is going to be. We still don't know what his limit is. 'We want to inspire kids to pick up a racquet' It's a really promising time to be part of British tennis. A number of players are close to the top of their game and that's really good. I definitely think that having a number of different players, with different personalities and backgrounds and playing styles, is really positive. I hope it keeps going that way. A lot of kids might watch tennis and hate watching me. But some might love watching Johanna Konta, or Dan, or Kyle Edmund or Heather Watson. The more choice there is, the more role models people have to look up to and that is a really positive thing. 'I was worried about my ankle' There was a moment of panic when I went over on my ankle during my match against Andrey Rublev. You don't know how bad it is until you get up and you're also a bit shocked about going over. Once I got up and started moving around, it was still a bit concerning because it was sore. I'm walking around on it fine now - it's sore, but it's OK. For now, it's all about icing it and keeping it elevated. I had an ice bath after the game and I'll be keeping it cool for the next few days. It's all good. Facing Rublev did give me a few flashbacks to when I was first starting out. I played Rafael Nadal when I was 19 at the 2007 Australian Open. Going out for the first time against one of the top players does influence the way you play. I expected Rublev to come out going for his shots, because he had nothing to lose. He got off to a pretty quick start but once I settled down, I played some good stuff. He's a good player though and definitely one to watch in the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38661264

Dancing With The Stars: Hughie Maughan in fake tan storm - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Hughie Maughan sends viewers into a spin with the intensity of his fake tan on a TV dance show.

Europe

Hughie Maughan has laughed off the comments about his appearance on Dancing With The Stars An Irish dance show contestant has sent viewers into a spin with the intensity of his fake tan. Hughie Maughan's teak tone under the spotlight had viewers doing their own keyboard tap dance. The Dublin man was appearing on Irish broadcaster RTÉ's Dancing With The Stars at the weekend. Hughie told RTÉ's Ryan Tubridy he had laughed off the comments, claiming he had "thick elephant skin". "The entire place was staring at me and the whole studio was looking at me, laughing and were gobsmacked," he added. "I just found it funny. I'm one of those types of people, I'm bonkers when it comes to certain things. He has performed on the show with dance partner Emily Barker "It's made people speak about me which is probably a good thing, I am on a TV show… Isn't that the point of television?" Hughie's boyfriend Ryan Ruckledge was among those who contributed to the comments sparked by his partner's polished visage. "He really shouldn't have taken tanning tips from me," he joked, before adding, "bad boyfriend advice hahah sorry". The pair met on Channel 5's Big Brother programme last year. His boyfriend Ryan Ruckledge was among those who tweeted Others compared Hughie to Ross Geller from the hit US TV show Friends when David Schwimmer's sitcom character has a spray tan fiasco. Host Nicky Byrne said: "Hughie, you are trending on Twitter - we don't know why."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38649706

Man creates carousel on Helsinki open water - BBC News

2017-01-18

A 200-tonne ice carousel has been created on a frozen bay in Helsinki. The carousel is said to be 36 metres in diameter.

A 200-tonne ice carousel has been created on a frozen bay in Helsinki. It is said to be 36 metres in diameter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38668375

Canadian couple shocked as ‘micro-pig’ grows into 670lb giant - BBC News

2017-01-18

A Canadian couple are shocked to find Esther the ‘micro-pig’ has grown into a 670lb giant

A couple in Canada were more than a little surprised when their ‘micro-pig’ grew into a 670 pound giant. They were duped into thinking Esther would remain pint-sized, but she has now grown 10 times her original size, and is heavier than a fully grown female polar bear. Steve Jenkins is the man who brought Esther home and he told 5 live Drive the couple had “no idea at all.” This clip is originally from 5 live Drive on 17 January 2017.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38658829

The successful women embracing ‘girl power’ - BBC News

2017-01-18

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Could a club for "girly girls" really help improve female equality in the workplace?

Business

Shelley Zalis says "trying to be a man is a waste of a woman" "Embrace your inner girl" is not a phrase you'll hear very often, particularly in the macho world of business where "manning up" is more de rigueur. Yet if you attend any major business conference this year, then you're likely to come across "The Girls' Lounge". It might sound like a name dreamt up by an unimaginative spa owner or an all-female pop-band, but in reality it's a professional networking space for women. On the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos - a place where male attendees outnumber females five to one, the space is just being prepared. A peek through the windows show that it's all white sofas and cushions, some adorned with glitter pink writing. The decor is soft and unashamedly feminine. Lounges at previous conferences have included beauty treatments, such as face masks and manicures. Aside from the patronising use of the word "girl", surely the idea that women need a separate mingling space, and such a stereotypically feminine one to boot, is doing little to further the case for female equality? Shelley Zalis - who started The Girls' Lounge five years ago - is unapologetic: "This is their boys' club - for women to get to know other women. "There are masculine and feminine styles of leadership and we encourage women to find and lead with their strengths. We need both [styles] or we're all the same," she says. Ms Zalis resolutely refuses to apologise for using the word "girl", arguing the word "woman" is too associated with the traditional hierarchy where female leaders conform to male leadership styles. Beyond Ms Zalis' deliberately provocative and attention-grabbing approach, her point is that women need to take on leadership in whichever way they choose, not emulating the male, institutional model. "We have to stop fixing the women. We have to fix our mindset and recalibrate our mindset on equality and understand men and women are all equal. Until society and corporations value the individual strengths of each person we won't progress," she says. And in The Girls' Lounge, underneath the seemingly fluffy interior, there's plenty of hard facts. In it, for example, there are ten clocks from various countries. Based on a nine to five day, they point to the time a woman should leave work according to the wage gap in the country. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, male attendees outnumber female by five to one The US clock points to 3.20pm, highlighting the fact that women there earn only 79% of what men earn. To make the same point, men in the Girls' Lounge are charged $1 for a bar of chocolate, while women pay 79 cents. While Ms Zalis' initial aim was simply to provide a space for women to feel less isolated at male dominated business events, the Girls' Lounge now hosts serious talks on addressing inequality and has attracted some heavyweight commercial partners including Unilever and Google. The Girls' Lounge is part of The Female Quotient, the firm founded by Ms Zalis which aims to advance workplace equality. The firm has conducted research for consumer goods giant Unilever showing the extent to which underlying bias is holding back progress on the issue. The study, published on Tuesday, showed that not only do an overwhelming 77% of men believe that a man is the best choice to lead an important project, but also the majority (55%) of women. More so, men and women overwhelmingly believe that men don't want women in top corporate positions, according to the research, which interviewed more than 9,000 men and women across eight markets. Unilever changed its adverts last year to make them less gender stereo-typed Unilever's chief marketing officer Keith Weed said the poll pinpointed how traditional beliefs and norms were still holding back women's progress. "Men have intellectually bought into [the] whole area of gender inequality, but acting on it there's still a long way to go. We are holding stereotypes in our head that we fit people into," he said. Mr Weed said addressing the issue was not just "a moral issue but an economic issue". The firm, behind more than 400 brands from Ben & Jerry's ice-cream to Dove soap, last year pledged to remove sexist stereotypes from its own ads. Mr Weed said while it was too early to measure the impact of this change, its previous research had shown that progressive ads were 12% more effective. Erica Dhawan is optimistic about the future of gender equality Yet, Erica Dhawan, a female chief executive of consultancy Cotential, perhaps offers some hope. In her thirties, she says she identifies herself as part of several groups: a millennial, an Indian American, and has never thought there's anything that either women or men could do better. "We can't solve age old problems with old solutions. We need to redefine inclusion in today's modern world and by bringing new perspectives we can improve gender equality. I'm extremely optimistic I believe we need to broaden the conversation. Ms Zalis also believes the new corporations which have emerged in the past couple of decades, such as the tech giants such as Facebook and Google, could help to adjust the balance. "Most traditional corporations were founded over 100 years ago when women weren't in the workplace. Newer firms have equality in their DNA," she says. Hopefully that heralds a future where there will be no need for a girls or boys club but just clubs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38638325

Masters 2017: Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins progress to quarters - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

World and UK champion Mark Selby beats Mark Williams in a final-frame decider at the Masters, while Barry Hawkins thrashes Shaun Murphy.

Last updated on .From the section Snooker World and UK champion Mark Selby began his Masters campaign with a thrilling final-frame 6-5 win over Mark Williams. Selby, the world number one, made breaks of 139, 109 and 62 to lead 3-1, but Williams hit back to level, before the pair shared the next two frames. Three-time winner Selby snatched a tactical ninth frame, Williams forced a decider, but a kick on the blue allowed Selby in for a 89 clearance. In the last-eight, Selby faces Barry Hawkins, who thrashed Shaun Murphy 6-1. Hawkins made 89 and 79 as he punished Murphy's errors to take the first four frames, and a 85 put him one away from victory. Murphy pulled one back, but opponent Hawkins - who was trounced 10-1 by Ronnie O'Sullivan in last year's final, made 50 to progress. Leicester's Selby won the UK Championship title last month to go with his triumph at the Crucible in May and is now bidding to become only the fifth player to hold all three BBC titles at the same time. Ironically, opponent Williams is the last player to achieve the feat in 2003, and the Welshman had a chance to oust Selby in the first round at Alexandra Palace but for an unfortunate kick while on 20 in the 11th frame. "If I am playing the blue, I would punch it in to take the kick out of the equation," Selby told BBC Sport. "But Williams rolls them in and he has won things that way so why does he need to change? "He did not win frames in one visit but he is such a clever player. He shut me out for a little while. "Coming here, winning all three tournaments has been on my mind. It is such a tough tournament to win but it will be better if I just go out and play." The invitational tournament sees only the top 16 players in the world compete and Selby's win was the fourth match to be won on a decider after Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Allen and Marco Fu all held their nerve to progress. "What an unbelievable match. I feel so sorry for Mark Williams. There is no worse way than to lose on a kick, it is a horrible way to lose. "After that, Mark Selby showed why he is the world number one." Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news and reports on the BBC app, or if you want to get involved yourself, read our Get Inspired guide.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/38667864

Pat Nevin: Has Mourinho revitalised Rooney? - BBC Sport

2017-01-18

BBC football analyst Pat Nevin asks whether Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has helped Wayne Rooney rediscover his hunger.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38669544

Drone footage shows huge Antarctic ice crack - BBC News

2017-01-18

Aerial video shows a huge ice crack which is forcing British Antarctic Survey staff to leave their base.

Drone footage shows an Antarctic ice crack which opened late last year. The British Antarctic Survey is to pull all staff out of its space-age Halley base in March because of the crack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38658836

Natalie Portman on playing Jackie Kennedy - BBC News

2017-01-18

The actress says her latest role is "a portrait of grief and incredible sorrow".

Jackie Kennedy is remembered for her style and elegance, as well as what happened in Dallas in 1963, but a new film examines what life was like for the wife of JFK before and after his assassination. Natalie Portman, who plays the former first lady, spoke to Tom Brook about the role, and about her thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38662080

Couple 'risk lives' at North Yorkshire rail crossing - BBC News

2017-01-18

A couple with a toddler "risked their lives" by climbing over a locked level crossing gate near Scarborough, Network Rail have warned.

A couple with a toddler "risked their lives" by climbing over a locked level crossing gate near Scarborough, Network Rail has warned. The company has just released CCTV footage of the incident, which happened on New Year's Eve. It shows two adults climbing over a 6ft-high locked gate at Seamer station and then running across the tracks in front of a train.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-38664000

Russian skeleton athletes have suspension lifted by IBSF - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

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Four Russian skeleton athletes, including 2014 Olympic champion Alexander Tretiakov, have their provisional suspensions lifted.

Winter Sports

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) has lifted the provisional suspension of four Russian skeleton athletes, including Sochi gold medallist Alexander Tretiakov and bronze medallist Elena Nikitina. The Russians were suspended following the second McLaren report which alleged "a state-sponsored doping programme" in the country. The IBSF said there was currently insufficient evidence to continue with the provisional suspension. Further investigations will be carried out by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and IBSF into alleged doping. The two 2014 Winter Olympic medallists, along with Maria Orlova and Olga Potylitsyna, will be free to compete at next month's bobsleigh and skeleton World Championships in the German resort of Konigssee. The championships were due to take place in the Russian city of Sochi, but it was stripped of its hosting rights by the IBSF in December, following the publication of the McLaren report. Britain's Lizzy Yarnold, who won gold in Sochi, is due to compete in Germany.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/38548269

Week in pictures: 31 December 2016 - 6 January 2017 - BBC News

2017-01-08

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A selection of the best news photographs from around the world, taken over the past week.

In Pictures

A man prepares graves for inmates who died during a prison riot in the city of Manaus in Brazil. The 17-hour uprising was the deadliest in Brazil in years and resulted in the deaths of 56 inmates.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38517449

David Price: British heavyweight to fight Christian Hammer on Eubank Jr undercard - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

British heavyweight David Price will fight on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr's latest bout in London next month.

Last updated on .From the section Boxing British heavyweight David Price will fight Germany-based Romanian Christian Hammer at London's Olympia next month. The fight on 4 February will be on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr's latest bout , when he takes on Australian Renold Quinlan. However the super-middleweight main event could be under threat, with Quinlan threatening to pull out . Liverpool heavyweight Price, 33, will take on Hammer, 29, who has only four defeats in his 24-bout career. One of those losses was a nine-round defeat to Tyson Fury in February 2015. Hammer's most recent fight was a victory against Erkan Teper in October, the German who beat Price in 2015 before failing a drugs test. Price has won two fights, each inside two rounds, since the defeat to Teper.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/38547536

Swim team swaps pool for snow - BBC News

2017-01-08

The swim team at US university Georgia Tech couldn't make it to their event, so they did the relay in the snow outside their hotel.

The swim team at US university Georgia Tech couldn't make it to their event, so they did the relay in the snow outside their hotel.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38547477

Newspaper headlines: May's 'shared society' and 'rebel's' Brexit meeting - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Brexit continues to be the focus of some front pages, while the Sunday Telegraph leads on comments from an article written by Theresa May in the newspaper.

The Papers

Sir Ivan Rogers resigned from his position last week The Sunday Times leads with a claim that Britain's former ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, held secret talks with David Cameron before Christmas to warn that Theresa May was failing to plan for the risk of a "disorderly" Brexit. A source tells the paper Sir Ivan fears a hard Brexit "will lead to mutually assured destruction between Britain and the rest of the EU" and that the UK will "crash out" with nothing. The paper adds that news of his meeting with Mrs May's predecessor will fuel "the fears of her allies that senior officials were in private contact with leading Remain supporters". In The Observer a Canadian official warns that Britain risks a "catastrophic" Brexit because the government is so dismissive of the concerns of trade experts. John Langrish helped to negotiate a trade deal between the EU and Canada - a process which took more than a decade - and believes a British agreement could take just as long because of the complexities involved. He writes that "undoing nearly 45 years of integration and shared law will not be pleasant" and cannot be done in a "mutually beneficial" way in the two-year time frame. The Sunday Express says the man named as Donald Trump's new ambassador to the EU supported Brexit and believes Britain will be "moved to the head of the queue" when it comes to negotiating a new trade deal with America. Professor Ted Malloch, a friend of former UKIP leader Nigel Farage who lives in the UK, tells the paper the leverage Mr Trump can provide could offer an alternative to hard or soft Brexit. "7,000 Hospital Beds Are Lost Under Tories" declares the Sunday Mirror, as it cites official figures showing the number of acute beds that have closed since 2010. It says government plans to save £20bn over the next five years will mean even more hospital places will disappear. Chris Moulton, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, tells the Sunday People hospitals "are at rock bottom" and can't afford to cut back any more. NHS England responds that lengths of stay have fallen significantly, with many patients being discharged the same day. After Saturday's warning by the Red Cross about the state of the health service, the Observer accuses the government of a "woeful" response to the looming funding crisis. It advises Theresa May that a failure to address the issue in her speech on Monday "will speak volumes about where her true priorities lie". For the Mail on Sunday, it is a "scandal" that is unacceptable in "a country as rich as ours". It suggests it can be readily tackled, by diverting the money set aside for foreign aid. Education leaders are said by the Sunday Telegraph to be concerned about government plans to place student feedback at the heart of a new ranking system for universities. Academics warn the measures could lead to institutions giving in to student demands, however unreasonable they may be. One professor, Lady Woolf, describes the new approach as a "direct threat to academic standards". The Department for Education insists it is critical to ensuring young people can access high-quality teaching. With the headline "Jail Tinmates", the Sunday Mirror reveals that tinned tuna has been placed on the list of prison contraband. Prison inspectors have found that inmates are getting friends to smuggle in the canned goods because of the poor quality of food in jail. It says Muslim prisoners are having to supplement their diet because of a failure to prepare halal foods separately. And the Sun on Sunday carries a "world exclusive" interview with a man from Gloucester - who is four months pregnant. Hayden, who was born a girl but is now legally male, says he has delayed his hormone treatment to have a baby using donor sperm.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-38545668

Syria conflict: Car bomb kills dozens in Azaz - BBC News

2017-01-08

At least 43 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz, near the Turkish border.

At least 43 people have been killed in a car bomb blast in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz, near the Turkish border. The explosion occurred outside a courthouse in the town, just 7km (four miles) from the Turkish frontier.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38541465

Referee Mike Dean one of Premier League's best - Mark Halsey - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Mike Dean remains one of the Premier League's best referees despite an "indifferent" festive period, says ex-colleague Mark Halsey.

Last updated on .From the section Football Mike Dean remains one of the Premier League's best referees despite an "indifferent" festive period, says former official Mark Halsey. Dean has received criticism for some of his recent performances and the number of red cards he has shown - five in 15 matches this season. Ex-Premier League referee Halsey thinks Dean can come across as "arrogant". He also believes only a handful of referees are "trusted" for the league's most important games. Dean, who has been a Premier League referee for 16 years, controversially sent off West Ham's Sofiane Feghouli during the Hammers' defeat by Manchester United on 2 January, while the red card was later rescinded by the Football Association. That dismissal was the official's 26th since the start of the 2013-14 season - the highest number by any current Premier League referee in that period. "If you look back over the December period, he has had an indifferent period," Halsey, 55, told BBC Radio 5 live. "I have disagreed with some of his decision-making, especially the sendings-off. "It is not an easy job to do. He is one of the most experienced and is a very good referee - one of the best of the bunch we have got. "He does come across as a little bit arrogant. I would like to see that taken out of his game and perhaps he would get a lot more respect from the paying public and the media. "But that is not the way he is off the pitch - if truth be told, the players like him." • None Listen to more from Halsey on BBC Radio 5 live Halsey, who retired in 2013, says the standard of officiating has "got steadily worse" since Keith Hackett retired as general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in 2010. "Mark Clattenburg is by far our best referee, then there is Martin Atkinson, Michael Oliver, Andre Marriner, Anthony Taylor and Mike Dean. The top games, the big derbies, can only be refereed by four or five referees. The PGMOL do not trust the others to take control of those games," he said. Halsey also criticised the new way referees are assessed. There is now an "evaluation system" that can take up to 10 days to issue feedback rather than an assessor at the ground. He added: "It could be 10 days before you get closure on a game on a Saturday. You can go into your next game without any closure on a previous game. "Look at the top referees, they are confused. There is no leadership or direction coming from within." 'Clattenburg could go to China' Clattenburg, 41, has said he would consider officiating in the Chinese Super League. He refereed the finals of the FA Cup, the Champions League and the European Championship in 2016. Asked if he would be surprised if Clattenburg went to China, Halsey added: "No I wouldn't. There is no love lost between Clattenburg, the FA, and PGMOL. "There is a lot to sort out. It needs a massive overhaul. We have got excellent referees not being coached correctly - people involved in referring who have never been involved in referring at that level." Take part in our Premier League Predictor game, which allows you to create leagues with friends.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38549470

Entertainment Week in Pictures: 1-7 Jan - BBC News

2017-01-08

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A look at some of the events in the world of entertainment and arts over the past week, including the first cast photo of Pitch Perfect 3.

Entertainment & Arts

The new judges of The Voice UK were pictured together ahead of the launch of the show's first series on ITV. Sir Tom Jones, Jennifer Hudson, Gavin Rossdale and Will.i.am make up the panel of the talent competition, which has switched channels after five years on BBC One.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38521682

Florida airport shooting: Shouts of 'run, run' - BBC News

2017-01-08

Passengers describe what they saw and heard during a shooting at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida.

Travellers have been stranded at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida after a gunman opened fire earlier on Friday, killing five people. The suspect has been identified by police as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, an Iraq war veteran. Some airport passengers described what they saw and heard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38541460

The US Air Force's commuter drone warriors - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Once soldiers left their families and went off to war. But drone pilots commute to work - and war - each day. They speak to Vin Ray about their strange double life.

Magazine

Drone pilot Lt Col Matt Martin says his role is "surreal" In the past, soldiers went off to war and left their families behind. But drone pilots commute to work - and to war - each day. Vin Ray was given rare access to the only US Air Force base devoted entirely to flying drones, where he discovered the pilots' strange double life. If you're a drone pilot, there's a strong possibility you live in Las Vegas. And your commute to work is against the traffic. We were told to drive northwest out of the city on US Route 95. The road stretches out through the barren, inhospitable scrub of the Nevada desert. Pay attention, we were told, because the signpost is small. In fact, it's very small. But we eventually arrived at our destination: Creech US Air Force Base, a small, flat, city in the desert. And the only air base devoted to flying drones. Inside the base, comparisons with science fiction are hard to avoid. A drone looks like a conflation of a giant insect and a light aircraft. It's unmanned. Standing by a runway, we watch a drone land and pass right in front of us. The camera underneath its chin, swivels quickly sideways and looks right at us - someone, somewhere on the base, is watching us. I'm escorted through a non-descript door in the side of what looks like a beige metal shipping container. It's cramped inside. At the far end there's a pilot seated on the left, who flies the drone and fires the missiles. The sensor operator sits on the right - they operate the camera and fix the laser on the target for the missile to hit. They're focused on a bank of screens, switches and buttons. This is today's kind of cockpit. But it doesn't feel like a battleground. For a start, there's a sensory deficiency. From my experience on the ground, you can taste war - you can smell it and you can certainly hear it. In here there's a just a mute video. But that's not the only difference. Traditionally, soldiers in a war zone are based together. They have each others' camaraderie, and they're separated from their families. But it's not the same if you're commuting to work every day. Obviously, the drive itself is simple. But the psychological journey is altogether different. Imagine. Between six in the evening and six in the morning you might collect your kids from school, pick up some groceries on the way home and help make dinner. But between 6am and 6pm you have a licence to kill. This commute is familiar to Lt Col Matt Martin. He's a hugely experienced former drone pilot. He exudes a quiet strength and a ready charm. But he talks about his schizophrenic existence, his inability to have a normal life and the strain it took on his family. "It's a surreal enterprise," he says. "You only have the drive to work and then you're flying. So for me, I would take that drive to switch gears. I would step into my cockpit and be totally immersed in flying the drone. Then a few hours later I would step out and be back in Las Vegas, in a totally different time zone, different time of day." Here's what the base commander Col Case Cunningham told me: "When they walk through the gate, they're in a war. Although physically they are at home, mentally they're at war. So in effect we're asking them to redeploy every single day, to go back home and be parents and be loved ones - and then come back to war again". Such are the new frontiers of the modern battlefield. These drone pilots can sit in Nevada and watch a potential target 8,000 miles (12,000km) away for months on end, building up what they call "patterns of life" - building what's been called a "remote intimacy" with their prey - all in the knowledge that, one day, they may kill them. A conventional fighter pilot will fire missiles and then head back to base. But drone pilots are required to circle for some hours afterwards, to assess the damage. The picture they're looking at is extraordinarily clear - and the damage is often in the form of body parts. Small wonder that Creech now employs a psychologist for drone pilots suffering stress. Drones are globalising the battlefield, blurring the boundaries between war and home. As we get ready to leave the base, the moon rises over the mountains and darkness falls quickly. There's a long traffic jam as some of the 3,500 air staff wait at the gates to leave the base - a snake of red tail lights heading back to Vegas and the warmth of their families. And when they get home? Well, friction can stem from one simple question: "How was your day?" Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38506932

FA Cup: Pedro strike puts Chelsea ahead against Peterborough - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Pedro finds the top corner of the net to put Chelsea 1-0 up against Peterborough in their FA Cup third-round tie at Stamford Bridge.

Pedro finds the top corner of the net to put Chelsea 1-0 up against Peterborough in their FA Cup third-round tie at Stamford Bridge. Watch all the best action from the FA Cup third round here. Available to UK users only.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38545730

Brazil prison riots: What's the cause? - BBC News

2017-01-08

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A spike in violence violence in Brazil's prisons has cast a spotlight on failures its penal system.

Latin America & Caribbean

A spate of violence in Brazil's prisons has cast a spotlight on a system which appears to be near a state of collapse. Almost 100 inmates lost their lives in the first week of January alone - brutally murdered, the guards apparently unable to stop the bloodshed. But how has it come to this? A crackdown on violent and drug-related offences in recent years has seen Brazil's prison population soar since the turn of the century. The prison in Roraima state where 33 inmates were killed on 6 January held 1,400 inmates when a deadly riot started. That is double its capacity. Overcrowding makes it hard for prison authorities to keep rival factions separate. It also raises tensions inside the cells, with inmates competing for limited resources such as mattresses and food. In the relatively wealthy state of Sao Paulo, a single guard oversees 300 to 400 prisoners in some prisons, Camila Dias, a sociologist at the Federal University of ABC in Sao Paulo and expert on Brazil's prison system, told Reuters. That means it is relatively easy for prisoners - and gangs - to take control of the facilities. As a result, "when the prisoners want to have an uprising, they have an uprising," Ms Dias said. Killings are already common within the walls of Brazil's prisons - 372 inmates lost their lives in this way in 2016, according to Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper - but this recent surge has been linked to the breakdown in a two-decade truce of sorts between the country's two most powerful gangs. A lack of guards means prisoners can take control, experts say. Pictured: A riot in 2014 Up until recently, the Sao Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC) drug gang and Rio de Janeiro's Red Command had a working relationship, supposedly to ensure the flow of marijuana, cocaine and guns over Brazil's porous borders and into its cities. But recently they have fallen out - although the exact reasons why remain unclear. And following the government crackdown on criminal gangs, there are thousands of members of both gangs locked up inside Brazilian prisons. Rafael Alcadipani, a public security expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation think tank in Sao Paulo, told Reuters it means any feud between the two sides on the streets will almost certainly spill over into the largely "self-regulated" jails. "We see that as soon as we have a gang war, these killings are inevitably going to happen because the state has no control over the prisons," he said. The army patrols outside a prison in northern Brazil where more than 30 inmates died Following the deadly riots in Amazonas, state governor Jose Melo asked the federal government for equipment such as scanners, electronic tags and devices which block mobile phone signals inside prisons. His request illustrates the lack of basic equipment in prisons which house large numbers of prisoners. He also said that the state police force was struggling to cope and requested that federal forces be sent. Poorly-trained and badly-paid prison guards often face inmates who not only outnumber them but who also feel they have little to lose as they face long sentences already. Following the 1 January riot, which left 56 inmates dead in a prison in Manaus, the Brazilian government announced a plan to modernise the prison system. But with Brazil going through its worst recession in two decades and a 20-year cap on public spending in place, it is hard to see how the government plans to fund it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-38534769

Can factory serve the perfect cuppa? - BBC News

2017-01-08

Former naval officer Andrew Gadsden explains how he came to open a tea room in a factory warehouse in Portsmouth.

It might be a noisy tea room, but you won't find many that get you this close to the source of the manufacturing process. Former naval officer Andrew Gadsden explains how he came to open his tea room, All About Tea, in a factory warehouse in Portsmouth. This video is part of a series from the BBC Business Unit called My Shop. The series focuses on distinctive, independent shops and is filmed on a smartphone. To suggest a shop email us. For the latest updates about the series follow video journalist Dougal Shaw on Twitter or Facebook.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38533947

Mark McCall: High tackle guidelines will see more sent off for 'accidental' challenges - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Saracens boss Mark McCall fears more matches will have players sent off as referees begin to interpret new guidance on high tackles.

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union Saracens boss Mark McCall fears more Premiership matches will have players sent off as referees start to interpret new guidance on high tackles. Sarries had Richard Barrington red-carded after 10 minutes in their draw with Exeter after hitting Geoff Parling with his shoulder in a collision. "It wasn't a reckless challenge and it wasn't a dangerous challenge, it was just an accident," he said. "It's luck of the draw and you're going to end up with a crazy situation." Under new rule interpretations brought in at the start of 2017 any contact with the head in "reckless tackles" will be penalised by referees with at least a yellow card. Barrington knocked former England lock Parling out as he supported what was a high tackle by skipper Brad Barritt - who went unpunished. "That would have been accidental a while ago and now it's a problem, now it's red card in a match of big significance and it's 15 versus 14," McCall told BBC Radio 5 live. "In the old days red cards were for reckless, dangerous challenges and we're going to end up with a lot of games 15 against 14 or 14 against 14 for challenges which aren't reckless or dangerous, but are accidental and just happen."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38543671

Snow covers Greek beach as Europe freezes - BBC News

2017-01-08

Icy temperatures across southern and eastern Europe have left more than 20 people dead and blanketed the Greek islands and southern Italy in snow.

Icy temperatures across southern and eastern Europe have left more than 20 people dead and blanketed even the Greek islands and southern Italy in snow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38550369

10 things we didn't know last week - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Emails are more likely to contain grammatical mistakes when sent on Mondays, and more news nuggets.

Magazine

1. Emails you send on Mondays contain more grammatical mistakes than those sent on other days. 2. The Queen of Sweden thinks her palace is haunted by ghosts. 3. You can use a display computer in an Apple store all day and no-one will ever ask you to leave. 4. Gary Lineker and Jonathan Agnew regularly receive soiled loo paper in the post. 5. It's possible to travel by train all the way from Yiwu in eastern China to Barking in east London. 6. The British government thinks people have £433m of pound coins stashed away in their homes. 7. In the US, at least one person a week is shot by a toddler. 8. Only one member of the US Congress identifies as unaffiliated with any religion. 9. There are 79 organs in the human body, one more than previously thought. 10. The most popular condiment eaten with chips in Australia is chicken salt. Which contains no chicken. Seen a thing? Tell the Magazine on Twitter using the hashtag #thingididntknowlastweek Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38517967

FA Cup: FA chief Martin Glenn says it plans to increase prize fund - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

The Football Association plans to increase FA Cup prize money in the coming years, according to chief executive Martin Glenn.

Last updated on .From the section Football The Football Association plans to increase FA Cup prize money with the aim of helping lower league clubs, says chief executive Martin Glenn. In October, the FA signed a six-season overseas broadcast rights deal for the FA Cup - reportedly worth £820m. Glenn said the FA could raise the current £25m fund because of the deal, which starts from the 2018-19 season. "The FA Cup is a great way of redistributing money to the lower leagues," Glenn told BBC Radio 5 live. "The prize fund is £25m," Glenn told Sportsweek. "We're looking to increase that over the coming years and hopefully benefit the smaller clubs." Glenn also said the FA may look at introducing a "unity" payment which would help split money more equally. Under the current system, clubs receive a larger amount of money if their game is televised. Sports minister Tracey Crouch warned last month that the government will legislate to force through FA reforms if the governing body does not make changes itself, setting a deadline of April for the FA to "set a path to reform". Glenn reiterated some of the concerns of five former FA executives, including previous chairman Greg Dyke, who said the organisation was held back by "elderly white men". Figures show that of the FA Council's 122 members, 92 are aged over 60, eight are women and four are from ethnic minority backgrounds. "It's over-represented by white males who are quite old and it doesn't reflect the people actually in the game and that's the opportunity," said Glenn. "With council reform, we'd like to see term limits and the government would like to see term limits so you can't stay there for life. "You might do three sets of four years and then move on so fresh blood can come through." The FA Cup third round saw many top-flight sides rotate their squad, with Bournemouth making 11 changes before they lost 3-0 away at League One side Millwall. But Glenn said he is happy for teams to use the competition to juggle their resources. "I think Bournemouth were an outlier. Eddie Howe can make his own reasons for it," he said. "It doesn't upset me. The Premier League teams really understand the value the FA Cup brings them. "People want to do well in the cup, but the positive side is that these bigger clubs have big squads, you want to give people game time. "Giving a chance for young players to get real-game experience is not a bad thing."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38546432

European Champions Cup: Racing 92 7-32 Munster - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Munster honour the memory of Anthony Foley with a bonus-point victory over Racing 92 in their rearranged European Champions Cup tie.

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union Munster scored four tries to thrash Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup tie rearranged after the death of their head coach Anthony Foley in October. Simon Zebo, CJ Stander and Andrew Conway all touched down as the visitors led 25-0 at the break in Paris. Niall Scannell dived over to secure the bonus point before Matthieu Voisin scored a consolation try for the much-changed French champions. Victory moves Munster top of Pool 1, three points clear of Glasgow Warriors. The Irish side have now won nine out of 10 competitive games since the sudden death of Foley at their team hotel prior to the original date of this fixture. They face Pro12 rivals Glasgow at Scotstoun next Saturday before the return leg in Limerick on 21 January against last year's runners-up Racing, who are still without a point in this season's competition. The significance of the match was marked at the Stade Yves-du-Manoir with the home side - led by former Munster fly-half and current Racing coach Ronan O'Gara - wearing red shirts with Foley's name and the number eight on the back for their pre-game warm-up. The Racing fans also raised a banner of Foley's nickname 'Axel', while there were 30 seconds of applause prior to kick-off. Fittingly in honour of back-row forward Foley, Munster's pack dominated both the scrum and the line-out from the start, with number eight Stander scoring a remarkable try to cap a man-of-the-match performance. After charging down Benjamin Dambielle's attempted clearance for Rory Scannell to gather, Stander rejoined the line to hand-off Racing flanker Chris Masoe on the 22 and maintain his momentum over the try line despite the attentions of two defenders. A fine showing from the Munster pack continued after the break, as hooker Niall Scannell touched down from the back of a rolling maul for the bonus-point try. Both sides made extensive changes for this tie but with perhaps differing aims - Racing moving fly-half Dan Carter to the bench and resting several stars, while Munster were able to recall wing Zebo and scrum-half Conor Murray, Building on the control exerted by their pack, the Ireland international pair routinely threatened with ball in hand as Murray's miss-pass set Zebo free to score his 50th try for Munster and their 400th in European competition. Murray was also involved for his side's third try on the brink of half-time, running down the blind side of a maul and putting in a grubber kick to the corner for Conway to collect and finish. The only blemish on Munster's performance came when Murray and Zebo failed to field substitute Carter's grubber kick, with Racing full-back Juan Imhoff able to kick ahead and Voisin gathering to score. Yet the visitors eased through the final stages to set up a potential Pool-deciding clash with Glasgow next weekend. Replacements: Chavancy for Laulala (57), Carter for Thomas (57), Brugnaut for Vartanov (51), Lacombe for Chat (51), Gomes Sa for Ducalcon (51), Williams for Van Der Merwe (62), Fa'aso'o for Masoe (57). Replacements: Saili for Taute (56), Earls for R. O'Mahony (56), Archer for Murray (66), Kilcoyne for Cronin (56), Marshall for N. Scannell (62), Williams for J. Ryan (66), Foley for D. Ryan (74), O'Donoghue for O'Donnell (48).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38531902

The woman who looks after celebrities' skin - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Su-Man Hsu runs a skincare company, but she started life in a mud hut in Taiwan. How did she make her journey from there to facialist to Hollywood celebrities?

Business

Can you imagine telling an Oscar-winning actress that her face was sagging? It sounds like the stuff of a peculiar dream. But that's precisely what London-based facialist Su-Man Hsu did. And the actress? None other than Juliette Binoche, star of films such as Chocolat, The English Patient and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Su-Man describes the French actress's arrival for her appointment for a facial treatment like this: "She came... and I said, 'What's happened to you? Stagnating body, sagging, sagging.'" Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Ms Binoche didn't speak to Su-Man for the whole of the session. "I thought, 'OK then, it's got to be something I said, I'll just move on and forget about it,'" Su-Man recalls. But the story doesn't end there. A year later her phone rang and on the other end was Juliette Binoche, in London for work, asking Su-Man to come and see her. Glowing - but Juliette Binoche and Su-Man Hsu had a sticky start to their relationship Su-Man recalls that Ms Binoche reminded her of what she'd said and quite how badly it had gone down. "I said, 'Why did you call me then?' She said because she tried it in France, she tried everywhere and no-one [was] like me. And from then on we became best friends, we're still in contact with each other and I became her facialist." It was a turning point for Su-Man. She says that on the strength of Ms Binoche's recommendations her business took off. Other celebrity fans include the actresses Anne Hathaway and Freida Pinto. It's a good story to dine out on, but actually it's just one stop on a journey where, in Su-Man's words, "everything's just emerged. A beautiful accident." Su-Man's parents didn't speak to her for almost two weeks when she said she wanted to pursue a career as a dancer Su-Man was born in Taiwan and lived in a tiny village until she was 14, in what she describes as a mud hut. "Outside's raining, inside's raining, and you need to put all the pots and pans [out], otherwise you'd just slip away. And in the summer you sometimes see little baby mice fall from the ceiling," she says. They had four neighbours and after that there was nothing between them and the next village except rice fields. The family had no car but would use a cart drawn by oxen to get around. Su-Man was the youngest of 10 siblings and her illiterate parents struggled to support the family. On days when there was no rice to eat, everyone - including the animals - would eat porridge. Or, she says, they would shoot the swallows living in the roof with a slingshot, and then barbecue them. Su-Man's route away from her parents' smallholding was to become a dancer - despite her mother and father's opposition to it as a career. She worked in Germany, where she met her British-Pakistani husband, and then in Brussels. Su-Man was the rehearsal director for Akram Khan's dancers at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012 When the couple came to live in the UK, Su-Man performed her final dance in the King and I at the London Palladium, and then embarked on her second career looking after people's faces. She didn't, however, say farewell to dancing completely. One of the highlights was still to come - she was rehearsal director for dancer Akram Khan's ensemble at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. Su-Man was already well-versed in Shiatsu massage techniques, having used them to help her recuperate after an accident at the age of 20. So when she came to set up Su-Man Skincare she developed treatments that combined massage with her own serums and toning products. To start with she made those in her kitchen and tried them out on herself and her clients. When clients began to ask her whether they could buy the products, she took the plunge and ordered 5,000 jars (the minimum order) to sell them in. Su-Man explains that her technique combines nature and science and is a mix of Eastern skincare, based on prevention of problems, and Western science, which corrects them. If you spend just five minutes extra on your face, she promises, it will repay you by looking younger and happier. The power of touch: Su-Man Hsu at work With this belief in natural methods for skincare, she has no time for customers who go down the artificial route offered by Botox. Her message to those who are tempted is unequivocal: "You go there, don't come back to me." And with a dancer's view of the world, she adds: "The body is designed to be moved, it's not designed to sit there like a wall. If you can't see your expression when you speak, it's almost like you wipe out your history. "You don't want people to know who you are, what's your future, where you come from. That saddens me." Although Su-Man's business includes Hollywood stars amongst its clientele, she is keen to stress her belief in not forgetting how and where you started. Her products, she says, are rooted in her background. She takes her cue from the way her mother looked after them as children, using whatever was to hand. Su-Man has travelled a long way from her first home, but says it's crucial to remember your roots "We used rice water on our face, and used flour mixed with egg, things like that, as a mask, or even hair shampoo. We would collect roots from the mountain and we would chop it and put it in the water to wash our body. "We used the leftover green tea to splash on our face to soothe it because we were exposed to such intense sun, and discarded water melon, rubbing our face, exfoliating, all that stuff." And just to make sure that she keeps all that in mind, almost every day while she meditates Su-Man listens to a track which plays her the sounds of her village at night. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38368726

Orphaned baby otter in roadside rescue - BBC News

2017-01-08

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An "almost lifeless" baby otter is rescued from the side of a busy main road after being initially mistaken for a discarded "old mail sack".

Cambridgeshire

The baby female otter was "lifeless and unresponsive" when she was found at the side of the road An "almost lifeless" baby otter was rescued from the side of a busy main road after being initially mistaken for a discarded "old mail sack". Cyclist Robert Spooner spotted her in the dim light near Peterborough. "I couldn't just leave it there," he said, so he carried the otter to his mother's house, who looked after it until rescue centre volunteers arrived. They said the otter had made a "great recovery" but would not have survived in the wild without his help. Mr Spooner said it took him a "few seconds" to realise what he had come across at the side of the road a few days before Christmas. The otter responded well to treatment and was able to go for a swim at the rescue centre A passing motorist did not have time to help, but a pedestrian offered to push his bicycle while he scooped up the otter and carried it to his mother's house. "She was a little surprised when I arrived with it," he said. She called Fenland Animal Rescue and kept the otter hydrated, and warm in a box. The otter was "lifeless and unresponsive" when it was first found, but "soon responded and recovered well", Joshua Flanagan, from rescue organisation, said. He then had to find a new home for the creature. Otters are social creatures and ideally should be with others of a similar age "Otter pups are entirely dependent on their mothers for the first year of their lives. "Coupled with them being a social species, it is best that they are recovering in an environment with other otters of a similar age," he said. After contacting sanctuaries across the country they eventually found a new home for the otter - more than 500 miles (800km) away on the Isle of Skye. The International Otter Survival Fund has agreed to take her in. The otter pup is being transferred to a centre where there are otters of a similar age But transferring her there has not been simple for the volunteers. So far they have managed to get her to a "half-way house" near Manchester. She will then be driven to the Scottish border where she will be handed over to a member of the otter charity for the final leg to the Isle of Skye. "When she is of age and independent, she will be released back into the wild in a suitable area," Mr Flanagan added. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-38467791

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Aston Villa - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

A much-changed Tottenham side score two second-half goals to see off Aston Villa and move into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Last updated on .From the section Football Ben Davies scored his first goal for Tottenham as the eight-time winners ground out an FA Cup third-round win over a stubborn Aston Villa side. After a dreadful first-half showing, Spurs improved and the Wales left-back found the breakthrough against their Championship opponents with a deft header. Son Heung-min then wrapped up the victory when he converted Moussa Sissoko's pass to put Mauricio Pochettino's side in Monday's fourth-round draw. Tottenham have moved into third place in the Premier League on the back of a five-match winning run, but their second string struggled to click against a Villa side set out to frustrate. Without the rested Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen, the hosts were short of ideas and the tie looked destined for a replay until unlikely goalscorer Davies arrived inside the penalty area. Villa mustered one shot on target all game and Steve Bruce will now turn his attention to overhauling a seven-point gap to the Championship play-off places. • None Watch all of the latest FA Cup highlights and reaction here • None All of the third-round reports in one place Tottenham were excellent in beating Premier League leaders Chelsea 2-0 in midweek but, perhaps unsurprisingly, were nowhere near that level in the opening hour. Of the XI who started against Chelsea, only Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier kept their places - and it showed. Alli, Kane and Eriksen had contributed 30 of Spurs' 51 goals this season, and 11 of 33 assists, before kick-off and without them Pochettino's side looked toothless. Stand-in striker Vincent Janssen, who has scored just three penalties in 23 appearances now, was particularly lightweight and it was only when Alli finally replaced him after an hour that Tottenham found a way through. It was another replacement, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, who crossed for Davies to head home before Son - who had moved up front once Janssen went off - buried the second. A top-four finish remains Pochettino's most pressing assignment but, after a dismal Champions League campaign, a first FA Cup win since 1991 is also surely high on his list. Six at the back, one shot on target Villa were beaten FA Cup finalists in 2015 and Bruce took Hull to Wembley a year earlier, but a repeat never looked likely as the visitors effectively played with a back six for large periods. With top goalscorer Jonathan Kodjia away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, they posed little threat and their only real chance came when James Chester and then Gabriel Agbonlahor had shots blocked from the same free-kick. A return to league duty now awaits. Villa were 19th when Bruce took charge in October, but after just three defeats in 14 games since they could challenge for a place in the play-offs. What the managers said Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "It's always difficult in the FA Cup, but we played a team that had very good organisation and it was tough to break them. We had lots of possession and a lot of patience to try and build from the back. "At 0-0 we changed the system a bit to try and change the game and from that we scored. "I'm pleased for the players that haven't played too much, it's important for them to build their confidence." Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce: "We had to defend well and run a million miles because they are a very good side. We had a big chance in the game. "I was a touch disappointed with the goal because they didn't have to do much - one cross into the box and we didn't deal with it. "You need your goalkeeper to play well and Sam Johnstone looks a very good young goalkeeper - I think he'll relish the challenge to play week in, week out. "They are a very good side and that has to be the aspiration for us at Aston Villa." This year Tottenham have taken Manchester City to the cleaners, beaten Chelsea and were the better team against Manchester United for 60 minutes. A trophy is the obvious thing they are missing. The big thing Mauricio Pochettino has changed is the mentality. It's about delivering it now. Vincent Janssen is making life far too easy for defenders. He keeps coming towards the ball instead of getting into the six-yard box where he could actually score goals. He is taking the easy way out and he looks to me that he is frightened of missing chances. Unless he starts getting into the right areas, he is not going to score goals. The stats you need to know • None Tottenham have won nine of their past 10 games in all competitions against Aston Villa, including the past three. • None Spurs had just one shot in the first half at White Hart Lane for the first time since failing to register one against Hearts in a Europa League qualifier in August 2011. • None Excluding penalties, Vincent Janssen has had a total of 33 shots without scoring in all competitions for Spurs - the most of any Premier League striker. • None Son Heung-min has scored as many goals already this season as the whole of the last campaign for Tottenham (eight). • None Attempt saved. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Josh Onomah. • None Attempt blocked. Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. • None Attempt missed. Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick. • None Attempt missed. Josh Onomah (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. • None Offside, Aston Villa. Aaron Tshibola tries a through ball, but Ross McCormack is caught offside. • None Leandro Bacuna (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 2, Aston Villa 0. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko. • None Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Attempt saved. Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ben Davies. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38481612

CES 2017: China vows to innovate not imitate - BBC News

2017-01-08

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At CES in Las Vegas, China is shedding its reputation as the counterfeiting capital of the world.

Technology

LeEco sounds French to some - but the firm is a home-grown Chinese venture China's disregard for intellectual property, and a turn-a-blind-eye culture when it comes to blatant counterfeiting, is notorious - the butt of many jokes. And it’s been fair. In China they don't just counterfeit devices, they counterfeit entire shops - a knock-off Apple store was closed down in 2015. Instances like this play into the West’s view of China as the world’s shameless imitator. A place where great ideas from the US and Europe go off to be assembled as cheaply as possible. It's time to update that view. At CES, the US's biggest trade show, Chinese companies could be found competing not only on price, but on fantastic ideas and design. As China's consumers have matured - and by that I mean, got a lot richer - so too has its technology industry. Like many a British popstar, China is intent on breaking America. But the question is whether Chinese firms can earn greater trust from Western consumers. Occupying a sizable booth in CES's North Hall is LeEco. It's pronounced "Luh" and "eco" as in ecosystem. On display here is a concept Tesla-like sportscar, some Smart bikes with Google's Android software built in, and a 12in (30cm) TV. The point: they do a lot. Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, chief executive of LeEco, has been at CES this year LeEco was for a while known as the Netflix of China, a company that streamed content and eventually started making its own original material. Now it's branching out quickly into hardware - and started selling devices in the US at the tail end of last year. "People assume LeEco… they think it sounds French,” says Kenny Mathers, from LeEco's marketing team. "Our name means joyful ecosystem. When consumers get to pick up our products they’re delighted with build quality and design." Sounding French is a good thing for a Chinese company, Mathers acknowledged, as it removes a trust barrier for people used to words like Apple rather than, say, Xiaomi. That said, I’ve heard at least five different pronunciations of LeEco this week. Looking around the booth I spotted what looked very much like a GoPro camera, and I put it to Mathers that even here we're still seeing a disregard for Western intellectual property. "I wouldn’t say that," he said. "I would say that there’s a lot of innovation in our products. We've had a huge number of innovations in our phone line - we were the first company to remove the audio jack." He is of course referencing Apple’s controversial decision to remove the headphone socket from its latest iPhone - though I’m not sure that’s been a particularly popular move by either company. LeEco won't be drawn on reports of its money woes - back in China it’s reported that Haosheng Electronics, one of LeEco’s suppliers, is taking legal action over unpaid bills. LeEco has denied reports it has failed to meet its financial obligations. According to the latest figures from research firm Gartner, sitting third in the global smartphone sales race - behind Samsung and Apple - is Huawei. Already the biggest supplier of telecoms infrastructure in Europe, Huawei was one of the early entrants into Western markets - though in the US it was coy. The company made Google's Nexus 6P, released in 2015, but until now hadn't undertaken any serious attempts at pushing its own brand. Huawei unveiled its Mate 9 phablet at the Las Vegas tech show The new Mate 9, a so-called phablet, is the company's first high-end device to be launched in the US. One stand-out feature is a built-in voice assistant. Curiously, while the company makes its own AI assistant, it has opted to integrate Amazon’s Alexa into this device instead. I wondered if it was because US users might not trust a Chinese firm with such broad data gathering. But Richard Yu, Huawei's chief executive (for the consumer side of things), gave a simpler explanation. "Amazon Alexa is the best in this country,” he told me. "We want to bring to the consumer the best services. In the China market we have our own - we have no intention to do this [in the US] in the short term." Last year, Huawei had an unexpected gift: Samsung’s devices kept on catching on fire. "Their problem has given Huawei more opportunity to be in the market," Mr Yu said, though he felt the Mate 9 would have given Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 a run for its money even without the problems. He said China deserved its reputation as an imitator in years past, but was quickly shaking off that image. "Chinese vendors are getting stronger and stronger on innovation. "It's not like 10, 20 years ago where many in China would learn [from the West]. There is more original innovation from China now. One Chinese telecoms firm, ZTE, impressed CES crowds with a spot of American basketball - on stilts "Thirty years ago China was a very poor country. Like North Korea. Very poor. Nothing. "Within 30 years everywhere in China is changing, growing. In Huawei we have huge investment in innovation." This year he said he expected the company to spend $10bn (£8.1bn) on research and development - roughly in line with Apple. But spend isn't everything. No amount of money can buy a Steve Jobs or a Jony Ive. And the cultural boundaries are proving both frustrating and fascinating - what is a massive hit in China can fall desperately flat elsewhere. But while American firms have struggled to make headway in China, Chinese firms are accelerating into the West. With high specifications and low prices, you shouldn't bet against them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38541208

Huge rotor blade artwork installed in Hull for City of Culture 2017 - BBC News

2017-01-08

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A 250ft-long rotor blade forming a new art installation is lifted into position in Hull.

Humberside

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A 250ft-long rotor blade forming a major new art installation is lifted into position. A 250ft-long (75m) rotor blade forming a new art installation has been lifted into position in Hull. "The Blade" is the first in a series of temporary commissions marking Hull's year as UK City of Culture. The 28-tonne structure will remain on display in Queen Victoria Square until 18 March. The artwork was transported from the Siemens factory on Alexandra Dock, where it was made, through the city overnight in a complex operation. More than 50 items of street furniture had to be removed to allow it to reach the square. It arrived on Sunday morning and large crowds gathered to watch it slowly lifted into its final position by late-afternoon. Large numbers of people gathered to watch the blade being lifted into place It runs across the whole length of the square, rising to 16ft (5m) at one end allowing traffic to pass beneath it Project director Richard Bickers said it had been a demanding effort. "Blade is not only a dramatic artistic installation, but in terms of its transportation and exhibition, a significant engineering feat. "A major challenge we encountered was manoeuvring the structure through Hull's narrow city centre streets." The artwork has been designed by Nayan Kulkarni who said he was impressed by the smooth operation to install it. "They did a study, they did a drawing, they planned the route meticulously. "The drawings looked difficult, the movements through the city were graceful, I mean it looked effortless." The huge structure was made by workers at Siemens' new Alexandra Dock factory It was transported from the factory to the city centre overnight More than 50 items of street furniture, including traffic lights and lamp posts, had to be temporarily removed B75 rotor blades - which would normally form the top of a wind turbine - are the world's largest handmade fibreglass components to be cast as a single object, organisers said. Martin Green, CEO and director Hull 2017, said: "It's a structure we would normally expect out at sea and in a way it might remind you of a giant sea creature, which seems appropriate with Hull's maritime history. "It's a magnificent start to our Look Up programme, which will see artists creating site specific work throughout 2017 for locations around the city."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-38547052

CES 2017: Searching for the sounds of tech - BBC News

2017-01-08

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CES is an overwhelming visual feast - but can this year's gadgets delight the ear as well as the eye?

Technology

Can CES delight the ear as well as the eye? CES is a visual feast of lights, colour, people, costumes - and of course endless gadgets. There are plenty of striking pictures from the show floor. But are any of the exhibitors interested in delighting your ears? Rather like the city of Las Vegas itself, it has its own distinctive beat. There's the hubbub of chatter. The hiss of vending cart coffee machines. The thumping bass and discord of various sound systems vying for attention. The amplified echo of a hundred demonstrations. The ringtones and message alerts from thousands of mobile phones. And also - this being a tech fair - the whizzes and ticks and buzzes and bings of robots and drones. Robots make quite a racket - just what you'd expect at a football match After hours of stalking the vast halls of CES besieged by visuals, I decided to try and find beguiling sounds instead. Things did not get off to a good start. The first robot I encountered - a service machine designed to guide people around museums - responded to my greeting by asking me whether I was "fickle after kissing". Its mortified owner told me it was confused. It wasn't the only one. Next, I asked one of the show guides where I could find some interesting noises, and was promptly escorted to a section of the show floor dedicated to in-car speakers. I had to explain that as much as I admire Lady Gaga, the strains of her hit Bad Romance blasting out of the back of a Jeep rammed floor-to-ceiling with sub woofers wasn't what I had in mind either. It was in a start-up zone called Eureka Park that I struck audio gold. Some gadgets, like the cuddly Talkies, can't wait to speak up I was drawn in by the sound of crickets - very incongruous in a giant exhibition hall with no natural light, let alone greenery. It was coming from an air purifier called Clair with a built-in Bluetooth speaker nestling at a tiny stand towards the back. "When people sleep they need fresh air and also this kind of sound can help people sleep better," said a spokesman who introduced himself as Bono from South Korea. "So, we put them both together." It's the sort of stuff that's perfect for radio, in fact. After that, I captured the warm American male tones of a virtual assistant designed for cars and the staccato gunfire of a man who was evidently immersed in a VR game of mortal combat that only he could see. Next came machine-like marching sounds from a team of forearm-sized Aelos robots playing miniature football, and a delegate attempting to play Let It Be by The Beatles on a Magic Instruments digital guitar. It's supposed to be easy to learn. Perhaps he tried the wrong tune. The Emys robot has a natural sounding voice - and looks like a cross between ET and a Ninja Turtle I bonded with natural-voiced Emys, a Kickstarter-funded desktop robot that looked like a cross between ET and a Ninja Turtle. It has been designed to teach young children foreign languages (did you know that castle in Spanish is castillo?). I also hugged a gurgling Talkie - a cuddly little monster with wi-fi that you can use to exchange voice messages with your children. Olly, a robot that claims to adapt to the personality of its owner, told me about feeling both happy and sad in a mournfully child-like voice. "By the end of the day I'll be dead," complained an uncomfortable promotions girl, fidgeting in a pair of towering stilettos. "And if I'm not - just kill me." Meanwhile, a little bat-shaped speaker chimed like a casino slot machine, as it tried to re-establish a connection with the smartphone it was supposed to be streaming music from. What's the sound of CES? It's all of those things. All at the same time. All day long. And it's music to my ears. Listen to Zoe's radio report on The World This Weekend, on Radio 4 at 13:00 GMT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38540739

Is your child a cyberbully and if so, what should you do? - BBC News

2017-01-08

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What should you do if you find out your child has been bullying others online?

Technology

One in five teens claims to have been cyberbullied but few admit to being the bully Parents worry about their children being bullied online, but what if it is your child who is doing the bullying? That was the question posed by a BBC reader, following a report on how children struggle to cope online. There is plenty of information about how to deal with cyberbullies, but far less about what to do if you find out that your own child is the source. The BBC took advice from experts and a mother who found out her daughter had been cyberbullying her school friends. Nicola Jenkins found out that her 12-year-old daughter was posting unpleasant comments online from her teacher Few parents would want to admit that their child was a bully but Nicola Jenkins has gone on record with her story. You can watch her tell it here. "Nobody thinks that their own child is saying unkind things to other children, do they? I let them go on all the social media sites and trusted the children to use it appropriately. "Our form tutor phoned me up during school hours one day to tell me that there'd been some messages sent between my daughter and two other friends that weren't very nice. One of the children in particular was very upset about some of the things that had been said to her. "Her friend's mum spoke to me about it and showed me the messages that had been sent. When I approached my daughter about it, she denied that there had been anything going on. It took a while to get it out of her, but I was angry with her once I actually found out that she had been sending these messages. "I spoke to her teacher and to the other parents, and between us we spoke to the children to let them know that they can't be saying unkind things and to just make them aware that whatever they do is recorded and can be kept. And they all did learn a lesson from it. "I removed all the social media websites from her so she wasn't able to access them for a while and then monitored her input and what she's been saying to people. "But it did make me feel angry and quite ashamed that my daughter could be saying things like that to her friends, but she has grown up a bit since then and she's learnt her lesson. "You want to trust your children, but they can get themselves into situations that they can't get out of. "And as they get older, they look at different things. I know my son looks at totally different things to what my daughter does, so it's just being aware of what they are accessing and make sure that they are happy for you to look at what they are looking at as well." There is plenty of advice for parents on coping with cyberbullying but less on what to do if your child is the bully According to not-for-profit organisation Internet Matters, one in five 13-18 year olds claim to have experienced cyberbullying but there are few statistics on how many children are bullying. Carolyn Bunting, general manager of Internet Matters, offers the following advice: "First, sit down with them and try to establish the facts around the incident with an open mind. As parents, we can sometimes have a blind spot when it comes to the behaviour of our own children - so try not to be on the defensive. Talk about areas that may be causing them distress or anger and leading them to express these feelings online. "Make clear the distinction between uploading and sharing content because it's funny or might get lots of 'likes', versus the potential to cause offence or hurt. Tell them: this is serious. It's vital they understand that bullying others online is unacceptable behaviour. As well as potentially losing friends, it could get them into trouble with their school or the police. "If your child was cyberbullying in retaliation, you should tell them that two wrongs cannot make a right and it will only encourage further bullying behaviour. Stay calm when discussing it with your child and try to talk with other adults to work through any emotions you have about the situation. "Taking away devices can be counterproductive. It could make the situation worse and encourage them to find other ways to get online. Instead, think about restricting access and take away some privileges if they don't stop the behaviour. "As a role model, show your child that taking responsibility for your own actions is the right thing to do. Above all, help your child learn from what has happened. Think about what you could do differently as a parent or as a family and share your learning with other parents and carers." Twitter's image has been tarnished by trolls Many critics blame social media for not doing enough to deal with cyberbullying. Abuse is prolific on Twitter and it has pledged to do more, including improving tools that allow users to mute, block and report so-called trolls. Sinead McSweeney, vice-president of public policy at Twitter, explained why the issue is close to her heart: "As a mother of a seven-year-old boy, I've always tried to strike the right balance between promoting internet safety and encouraging the type of exploration, learning and creativity that the internet can unlock." She offered the following advice: "If you find that your child is participating in this type of behaviour, a good first step is to understand the nature of the type of material they're creating, who is the target, and try to ascertain their motivations. "If the bullying is taking place on a social media platform, make sure to explain to them why the behaviour is inappropriate and harmful, and to supervise the deletion of the bullying content they have created. If it continues, it may be worth seeking additional advice from a teacher or trusted confidant." The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38529437

CES 2017: Roam-E drone takes flying selfies - BBC News

2017-01-08

A new type of fold-up drone that follows its owner taking selfies is previewed at the CES tech show.

A new type of fold-up drone that follows its owner about taking selfies is being previewed at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Roam-E uses facial recognition software to keep on course and stays airborne with just two rotors. But could it pose a safety risk? Chris Foxx reports. Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38541534

Premiership: Wasps 22-16 Leicester Tigers - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Wasps hold off a tremendous fightback from Leicester to beat a Tigers side in their first match since Richard Cockerill's sacking.

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union Wasps flanker James Haskell was taken off the field just 36 seconds into his comeback game after appearing to be knocked out in the win over Leicester. Haskell, who had been out for seventh months with a toe injury, came on as a second-half substitute but was forced off after a tackle on Freddie Burns. Peter Betham's try reduced the deficit but Jimmy Gopperth's penalty ensured Wasps returned to the top of the table. Leicester, playing their first match since the sacking of director of rugby Richard Cockerill, suffered a third successive defeat, albeit one with the consolation of a losing bonus point, and are fifth in the table. Tigers will come away from the match with many positives under head coach Aaron Mauger, which did not look likely during the first-half blitz from Wasps. Wade scored his ninth Premiership try of the season early on, before Taylor was put over in a drive and Robson crossed following a fast break out by man of the match Thomas Young. After the break Tigers came out strongly, and after Betham finished off a move started by Tom Brady, Burns' penalty made it 19-16. But Dan Cole's yellow card for being offside helped the hosts regain some impetus, and Gopperth's kick from the resulting penalty made it a six-point game. Tigers made late changes in search of a potentially decisive try, but poor handling from Betham and George Worth in particular cost them dearly. The match attracted Wasps' best Premiership attendance of the season of 27,930, with the club having been watched by well over 50,000 supporters in two successive games at the Ricoh Arena for the first time. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young: "The first half, we came out of the blocks, got some quick ball to play off and we were probably disappointed that we didn't come away with some more points on the board. "Once you give a team like Leicester a bit of momentum, it's very hard to snatch it back. I thought we were in total control in the first half, and pretty much hanging on for dear life in the last 10 minutes. "You know the players Leicester have got, they are a proud bunch and never know when they are beaten. "I am pleased we have won - I don't want to downplay that - but we constantly talk about learning from every game." Leicester head coach Aaron Mauger: "I don't think you could ever question the character of our guys. We talked about playing for each other before we got on the bus. "I was really proud of the way the guys responded in the second half. I thought we put ourselves in a situation to win the game. "There was a lot of emotion going around, especially in the first part of the week, but everyone has taken responsibility for the situation. "We have lost some good men this season due to our performances, and we are all responsible for that." For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38501396

NHS running blade fuels boy's Paralympic goal - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Ben Moore is one of the first children in England to receive a false leg for sport, on the NHS.

Health

At the age of 10, Ben Moore took a brave decision. He chose to have the lower part of his right leg amputated and was fitted with an artificial limb. Ben was born with a condition known as fibular hemimelia - giving him a foot with only three toes and a leg that failed to develop. It left him struggling to walk and frequently in pain. Ben was fitted with an artificial leg after his amputation - which he says was fine for walking around school, but which did not match his sporting ambitions. Frustratingly for a boy already keen on sport in primary school, he could not keep up with his friends. However, his prosthetist Clare Johnson recommended him to become one of the first children to be fitted with a false leg designed specifically for sport by the NHS - and now his sights are set on competing at a future Paralympics. Ben, now 13, says: "It has turned out really well. All my PE teachers like it that I've got a prosthetic leg and that I'm still doing sport. They say I have a lot of grit and zest!" He was fitted with his new blade just before Christmas and switches between that and his other prosthetic leg depending on what he is doing. Ben says his blade means he can now compete on the sportsfield "Ben has been empowered by his blade," says Clare. "We hope it will give him a level playing field so he can compete with his peers and participate in more sports with a lighter prosthetic." Clare adds that although she was able to make an attachment for Ben's disordered right leg as he was growing up, it was not possible to include the sort of components that could give him a spring in his step. After three weeks practising with the blade, Ben returned to Clare's treatment room at Brighton General Hospital and tried jogging, running and playing indoor tennis. He has also just taken on his able-bodied cousin in a straight race and won. "The blade feels good," says Ben. "The spring of it is the bit that makes me go faster." "I wanted the blade to do more running, so I didn't have to stick with cricket and stuff like that to do with upper body. I wanted to do more things with my lower body, run faster and get a bit more speed in football." There are about 1,500 children in England who have lost all or part of a limb and 1,100 of them either lack a leg or have one which does not work properly. It is the first time the NHS has fitted some of them - in Brighton, North Cumbria and Luton - with false legs especially designed for sport. Ben is one of "several hundred" children who will receive sports prostheses each year While Ben has his blade, a child from Cumbria has been given a water limb called a "swim fin" which will make swimming with friends possible. The £1.5m programme is intended to help what the NHS says will be "several hundred" children each year. The cost of a blade, together with the follow-up training and assessment, is estimated at around £1,000, but it could be several times that amount in the private sector. Clare says that by preserving the health of the children who get prostheses, the scheme could actually save money. She says it also supports the health service's campaign to encourage healthy lifestyles among children. "I don't like the idea that there are a lot of obese children and couch potatoes. I like to think that I have given (Ben) the blade and that he will show to other children that if he can do it, then everyone can do it. Sport is for everyone, not just a small elite." Kathleen Moore says her son is a fighter Ben's mother Kathleen is proud of her son's determination to play different sports, which have also included touch rugby. "He's been up against it," she says, "but despite everything he fought back and he's a little fighter to this day. Now he's got the blade, the sky's the limit." Don't bet against seeing Ben competing for Great Britain in a future Games.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38517649

James Haskell: Wasps boss jokes about 35-second return by England flanker - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Wasps boss Dai Young jokes about James Haskell's "outstanding" contribution after he lasts less than a minute on his return.

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union Wasps director of rugby Dai Young joked about James Haskell's "outstanding" contribution after he lasted just 35 seconds on his return from injury. Haskell, 31, made his first appearance since playing for England against Australia last summer as a replacement in Wasps' 22-16 win over Leicester. He appeared to be knocked out after tackling Freddie Burns but was then able to walk off the pitch. "The most important thing is that he is fine," said Young after the match. Speaking to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, he added: "He would have obviously have wanted a lot more, but thankfully he is OK. "Everybody was concerned initially but once they seen he was OK, he is getting a little bit of stick in the dressing room. "It was an outstanding 35 seconds, wasn't it?" • None Match report: Wasps return to the top after holding off Leicester fightback Asked about Haskell's chances of playing against Toulouse in the European Champions Cup next week, Young said: "It all depends on what the medical team say now and after looking at him. "It will be tight and fingers crossed he will be available, but obviously player welfare is the most important thing." Young said that Haskell would have to "go through the protocols" introduced around concussion, adding: "It's a six-day protocol, so he has got to tick all the boxes." England head coach Eddie Jones will surely be relieved that Haskell's latest setback appears not to be serious, as he has several injury problems among his forwards in the build-up to the Six Nations. Billy and Mako Vunipola have already been ruled out of the tournament and former skipper Chris Robshaw is to see a specialist about a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Joe Launchbury has a calf problem and George Kruis is out of action with a fractured cheekbone.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/38550179

Qatar Open: Novak Djokovic beats Sir Andy Murray in final to end Brit's winning streak - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Novak Djokovic withstands a comeback from Sir Andy Murray to defend his Qatar Open title and end the Briton's winning streak.

Novak Djokovic withstood a comeback from Sir Andy Murray to defend his Qatar Open title and end the Briton's winning streak of 28 consecutive ATP Tour matches. Murray remains world number one despite the 6-3 5-7 6-4 defeat by the Serbian world number two. The Scot saved three match points to come from a set and a break down to win the second set and level the match. But Djokovic broke in game seven of the decider to win in two hours 54 minutes. Both players now head to Melbourne for the Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam, which starts on 16 January. "Its a tough one to lose," said Murray, 29. "It was high level tennis, some of the points were physically tough. But it's a great way to start the new year and I look forward to the next few weeks." This was the 36th meeting between the pair and Murray had won the last time they met at the ATP Tour Finals in November, a victory that kept him at world number one. The Scot has never beaten the Serb after losing the first set and he was soon trailing as Djokovic broke in the eighth game following a string of unforced errors from Murray. Djokovic broke again in the second set and served for the match at 5-3 but Murray fought back and reeled of four straight games to level. The 12-time Grand Slam champion looked to be tiring in the third and was 0-30 on his own serve at 2-3 down but he fought back to hold and then broke Murray for the third time in the match as he won his second title in Doha. "To win here, against the biggest rival, is a dream start," said Djokovic, who was penalised a point in the second set for smashing his racket. Djokovic is the defending champion in Melbourne, having won his sixth Australian Open title last year as he condemned Murray to a fifth defeat in the final of the tournament. The end of his winning streak will be less of a concern to Murray than the fact he was beaten by Djokovic - who appears to be nicely back on track. The world number two played a phenomenal deciding set - showing great resilience after Murray had turned the second set on its head. The win is sure to give Djokovic renewed confidence as he heads to Melbourne as a six time Australian Open champion. But Murray also looks to be in fine form: if they stay free of injury, these two look likely to dominate 2017 as well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38543404

Giant wire spool rolls down Pennsylvania motorway - BBC News

2017-01-08

A wire spool that fell off a truck rolls down a Pennsylvania motorway with cars swerving to avoid it.

A wire spool that fell off a truck in south-western Pennsylvania continued down a motorway with cars swerving to avoid it until it came to a stop.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38544525

CES 2017: VR flight kit turns slobs into Superman - BBC News

2017-01-08

A virtual reality contraption aims to give gamers a full-body workout while simulating the sensation of flying.

But a start-up has created a virtual reality contraption that simulates flight while giving players a tough workout. Chris Foxx met the firm's co-founder at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38541530

CES 2017: Amazon's virtual aide Alexa shouts above rivals - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Many products at CES the year feature voice-activated virtual assistants - but Amazon's Alexa is in far more than most.

Technology

A fridge with personality was launched at CES this year Virtual assistants are everywhere at CES this year - but one speaks louder than the rest. Amazon's Alexa has popped up in a bewildering list of devices including fridges, cars and robots. Manufacturers are clearly interested in making their appliances voice-operable, and many see Alexa as a great way to do this. But having Alexa also allows the appliances to gain capabilities, such as streaming music and turning smart lights on and off. How did Alexa come out on top and how will it benefit Amazon? The firm was quick to notice the potential of voice control following the rise of smartphone apps that could interact with appliances, answers tech analyst Dinesh Kithany at IHS Technology. "Alexa's rivals haven't been promoted quite as well," he told the BBC, though he noted companies adopting the assistant must think of genuinely useful ways to integrate it into their products. Manufacturers are able to design new "skills" for the assistant - meaning the AI is not limited to what Amazon has built in. Alexa can, with a quick bit of programming, be adapted to lock car doors or tell you when your washing machine's cycle will finish. Perhaps this is how Amazon has cornered so much of the market - by explicitly designing a flexible AI that allows companies to implement it as they see fit. Over the last seven years, the world has witnessed the rapid proliferation of Google's Android operating system - now in more smartphones than any other OS by far, as well as many TVs, watches and computers. Part of this meteoric rise is down to the fact that Google gives Android away for free to device manufacturers - just like Amazon is doing with Alexa. Despite the search giant having a long history of voice recognition research, it has only just started promoting its own Google Assistant to third parties. That gives Amazon first-mover advantage. Who would have thought an online retailer would be leading the virtual assistant revolution? While a glance around CES's show floors suggests Alexa is poised to dominate, it's worth remembering that this is a US trade show. Amazon is not quite as global a company as Google or Microsoft - the online retailer doesn't have a website for countries in Scandinavia, the Middle East or Africa, for example. And not all implementations of Alexa make the assistant easy to access, notes Lauren Goode at news site The Verge. She tested headphones by OnVocal that make the aide accessible - via a tiny button that needs to be pressed to activate it. "You'd kind of think that walking around while wearing these is just as good as having an Echo strapped to your body. It's not," she wrote. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. She's the star of CES even though her creator isn't exhibiting on the show floor. Amazon's Alexa was the first voice assistant to turn up in a compelling consumer product, the Echo speaker, rather than just on a smartphone. Although Google Home has now joined the fray it's clear who's in the lead. Across CES, you can hear Amazon's creation at work. Who'd have thought a few years back that an online retailer with a patchy record when it comes to hardware devices would be the single most influential player at a consumer electronics event? In the past, it has been Apple and Google who've been able to dominate CES without even turning up - now Amazon is looking like the tech industry's thought leader. Nvidia has chosen to integrate Google Assistant with its new streaming box While Alexa may be popular, it certainly has rivals. Nvidia announced at CES that its media streaming device, Shield, would feature Google Assistant - allowing users to display photos on their TV screens via voice command, for example. It can also connect with the Nest smart thermostat and adjust the temperature - or turn on smart home devices. Microsoft's Cortana will, of course, be available in Windows 10 devices - a wide array of which were launched this week. But curiously, despite publishing a teaser video for a Harman Kardon speaker featuring Cortana last month, the product failed to materialise. Harman Kardon told the BBC that the device was "not ready for display". A Harman Kardon speaker featuring Cortana, though teased in December, was not at CES The battle of the AIs doesn't even end there. In October, Samsung acquired fledgling AI Viv and is expected to launch it with the firm's Galaxy S8 smartphone later in 2017. It is worth noting that the South Korean tech giant has also agreed to buy Harman Kardon. Will Viv nudge out Cortana in future Harman Kardon speakers and one day give Alexa a run for its money? It's anyone's guess at this point. And there was an interesting announcement from Mattel's Nabi brand, which makes child-friendly tech. Its new Aristotle speaker incorporates Alexa and will soon feature Cortana, too. Parents can even set it so that children speaking to the device must say "please" when uttering a command. It should be no surprise that more than one branded virtual assistant can be accessible via a single device - they are summoned from the cloud, after all. In the future, other appliances might allow users to call on the virtual assistant of their choice by name for specific tasks. Not just one digital butler, but a whole staff. Apple's Siri is not to be forgotten. It can be used to interact with several smart home devices unveiled at CES - including a smart smoke detector by Netatmo and Chamberlain garage door openers. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Even more voice-activated assistants are entering the market - Olly the robot develops a different personality to suit each of its users Voice control is "the way of the future", said tech analyst Adam Simon from Context. "It has really galvanised the smart home market," he said. "At last we've got something bringing it together." One downside cited by some is the potential for a greater proliferation of microphones and AIs to erode privacy - particularly in intimate settings such as the bedroom. But Mr Simon told the BBC that consumers would decide whether or not to tolerate this. "My own inclination is that people will accept that this is a necessary evil," he said. Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38539326

Wayne Rooney: Man Utd captain honoured to match Sir Bobby Charlton goals record - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Wayne Rooney targets home games against Hull and Liverpool after matching Sir Bobby's Charlton's Manchester United scoring record.

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney says he is "honoured" to be level with Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time leading goalscorer - but wants to break the record soon. His FA Cup strike against Reading took Rooney, 31, to 249 goals in 543 games, reaching the landmark 215 matches and four seasons quicker than Charlton. "It's a proud moment," he said. "We've got two home games coming up this week so hopefully I can get the next one in one of those." United play Hull City in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Tuesday (20:00 GMT kick-off), before taking on Liverpool in the Premier League at 16:00 on 15 January. "This club is a huge part of my life and I'm honoured to be up there alongside Sir Bobby," said Rooney after Saturday's 4-0 win over the Royals at Old Trafford. • None Listen: Rooney was always going to break records - Moyes 'He was always going to break records' United manager Jose Mourinho said: "A more special day will arrive. It was great but I want one more goal. He is an amazing guy in the group and we all want him to do it. To have Wayne as the top scorer in a club like this is magnificent for him." Reading boss Jaap Stam, who played 127 times for United, added: "Wayne has been a great player from the beginning. He is a player who works very hard for the team and you could see that in the game. With the quality he has as an individual and the quality players he is playing with, it makes him an outstanding player. "It is not surprising he has scored this many goals. Even when they are 4-0 up, he is still sprinting and running for the ball." In 2015, Rooney surpassed World Cup winner Charlton's England scoring record of 49 goals and has since taken his international tally to 53. The United landmark comes during a season in which the England captain has been left out of the starting line-up for both club and country, his record-equalling goal being just his fourth of the campaign. Former United manager David Moyes, now at Sunderland, added: "First of all it's congratulations. To even get mentioned in the same breath as Sir Bobby Charlton, who for so many people is a great for what he did with England and Manchester United, is an achievement. "You have to give Wayne Rooney credit for the limelight he has had to work under and the pressure people continually put on him. "He has had a great career. It comes to an end at some time in football and sometimes you drop off a little bit but Wayne was always going to break the records in my eyes. The times I have worked with him he was always very good. A great player, a great trainer and someone who always wanted to go about his business well." How has Rooney done it? The signs were there from the very start that Rooney's could be a stellar Old Trafford career. In his first game following a £27m move from Everton in 2004, he scored a hat-trick against Fenerbahce in a 6-2 Champions League win. He has not looked back since, reaching double figures in every season at the club, including a career-high 34 in all competitions in 2009-10 and 2011-12. Rooney and Charlton are ahead of some of the finest players that Manchester United and British football has known. Charlton, who came up through the United youth system, spent 17 years at Old Trafford before finishing his career with spells at Preston and Irish side Waterford United. And despite his consistency over such a long period, he never managed to hit the 30-goal mark in a single season, coming closest when he struck 29 times during his third season at Old Trafford. Despite Rooney's scoring bursts, his goals have not come at the fastest rate. Tommy Taylor, who was a two-time title winner with United in the 1950s, holds that honour, just ahead of former Netherlands international Ruud van Nistelrooy. Rooney's ratio of 0.459 goals per game puts him eighth on the list, while Charlton (0.328) does not even make the top 10. Where does Rooney rank in list of Man Utd greats? Rooney has secured his place in Manchester United history and Old Trafford's hall of greats with his record-equalling goalscoring feats. However, he will have to resign himself to never being held in the same esteem, and place of legend, as the likes of Charlton, George Best and Denis Law. Indeed, despite his lofty place in United's record books, the 31-year-old will never be revered by United's supporters in the same manner as the maverick Old Trafford catalyst Eric Cantona, the great leaders Roy Keane and Bryan Robson, and brilliant home-grown products such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. This may seem brutally unfair given his contribution to United's successes, but there are several factors at work when his place in the club's historical affections is measured. Rooney was an expensive import from Merseyside, while Charlton, who survived the 1958 Munich air disaster, led United to their first European Cup in 1968 and stands alongside his great mentor Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson as an iconic Old Trafford figure. Best and Law came alongside Charlton as United's 'Holy Trinity' as the club emerged from the tragedy of Munich, while Cantona was the great transformer in the early 90s and the likes of Robson and Keane were world-class players and warriors. Rooney's chequered history with the club and its fans will also have an impact on his legacy when his contribution to United - a truly great one when judged solely in a football context - is reflected upon. In many eyes, Rooney will never quite be forgiven for the episode in October 2010 when he decided he wanted to leave, then further strained his relationship with club and fans by issuing a statement which effectively said United lacked ambition and questioned the quality of his team-mates. This was resolved within days when he signed a new five-year-contract, but the memory has lingered for many. There was another disagreement late in the 2012-13 season as Ferguson prepared for retirement and made it clear Rooney again wanted to leave - a claim that led to the player being jeered by some fans as he collected his title winner's medal at Old Trafford. Fans and those who record history and legends take these matters into account. What must also be remembered is that Rooney has had a stellar United career littered with trophies, brilliance and game-changing moments. He fully deserves to be remembered as one of the greats of Old Trafford. There will, however, be many more remembered before him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38543968

Weekend Edition: The week's best reads - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Stories you may have missed in the past seven days, including the women who invented the "Brazilian" wax and the spy who was an imposter son.

Magazine

"Are you crazy? I'm not touching you there." That was the response when Brazilian Janea Padilha asked a beautician to remove most of her pubic hair in the late 1970s. But that was then and Janea, who went home and did it herself, so inventing the Brazilian wax, is one of the J Sisters. Their salon in New York now turns over millions of dollars a year catering to the grooming demands of the rich and famous. "It's an inspirational story of self-made women who came from nothing, illegal immigrants who made it in America," says Laura Malin, author of a forthcoming book about the sisters. In 1977, Dutch woman Johanna van Haarlem finally tracked down the son, Erwin, she had abandoned as a baby 33 years earlier. She immediately travelled to London to meet him. What followed was a scarcely believable story of deception and heartbreak, ending in Erwin van Haarlem's unmasking in court as an imposter and Soviet spy. More than two decades after his release from prison, the man newspapers called the "spy with no name" was living in Prague, where Jeff Maysh went to hear his story. "It was on the second day of our trek that I realised it was missing," says Eloise Dicker. "We had packed up the tents and loaded the horses. I reached up to the horse's mane to pull myself up and saw that my wrist was bare. 'My mum's bracelet! It's gone,' I thought, and immediately burst into tears. That bracelet was a physical part of my mother who is no longer physically in the world. It became part of me, and now was gone." Some weeks later, having returned to Europe from Kyrgyzstan and made peace with the loss, Eloise received a Facebook message that changed everything. "Ever since guns entered the country, Japan has always had strict gun laws," says Iain Overton, author of Gun Baby Gun. "They are the first nation to impose gun laws in the whole world and I think it laid down a bedrock saying that guns really don't play a part in civilian society." Tough regulations extend to the police, who rarely use firearms - so how do they deal with incidents of violence and what is the effect of strict gun laws on crime in Japan? After an hour's bus journey through forest from the town of Mae Sot, Mae La appears suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere. In the morning mist, thousands of bamboo huts cling to steep limestone crags. It is the largest of nine refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, and home to almost 40,000 people. Many families have been there for decades, but instances of suicide in women before and after childbirth appeared worryingly high. Researcher Gracia Fellmeth went there to find out why young women have been killing themselves. "Magazine stories come and go," says National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. "But I had not seen the plight of endangered species getting better so I thought about what I could do to actually make a difference." The answer he decided on was to make professional studio-style portraits of species close to extinction. He has now photographed more than 6,000 species in 40 countries and the results, preserved in the National Geographic Photo Ark, are amazing. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38522061

Joint bank accounts: For better or worse? - BBC News

2017-01-08

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The convenience of a joint bank account is popular among couples with shared household bills - but there are pitfalls too.

Business

A barnacle removal bill is an unlikely inspiration to set up a joint bank account. Yet, for two keen sailors, opening an account together was the most efficient way to organise the costs of running their boat. Fees for maintenance, mooring, and fuel all needed to be paid, so the yacht-owning duo stepped into their local bank branch on the south coast of England and signed up. The manager that day was Eric Leenders, now the managing director of retail banking at the British Bankers' Association. "Typically joint accounts are used by couples for pooled income and expenditure, the trigger is often when they move in together and start paying the bills," he says. "But, on occasions, they are used to share funding for a particular project." It is the mundane reality of keeping heads above water financially - rather than keeping a vessel shipshape - that prompts most people to open a joint bank account. Any couple or group of people can open an account together, generally a regular current account with some added terms and conditions. Yet, experts stress there are benefits and pitfalls to sharing a bank account with anyone - even within an intimate relationship. Today, couples are living together and marrying later in life. Having increasingly led independent financial lives, the relevance of joint accounts may be questioned. While the vast majority of banks and building societies offer them, they do not collect and share any data so we can only speculate that the popularity of these accounts is fading. Fiona Cullinan, a 48-year-old digital editor, says she never had a joint bank account, even during more than two years of marriage - until last month. "This is probably a legacy of not wanting to argue about money and also being independent, as once bills and standing orders are set up, it is hard to shift everything over - or so I thought," she says. "In September I lost one of my jobs and so a joint account started to make more sense to help with cash flow. It was really simple and took about 30 minutes at the bank to set up. "Now that everything doesn't go out from my account, it is a lot less stressful. A secondary bonus is that the burden feels more shared as my husband is now more involved in household finances - he set up a household budget spreadsheet to check things are on track each month. I now feel we are more of a team." Applying for a joint account is much the same as opening a current account individually. Applicants often tick a box to make the account a joint version, then fill in their individual section of the form and provide the normal proof of address and identity. Many banks allow customers to add a second name to an existing account, following the normal checks. Convenience is generally the main benefit, with the account used to pay household bills, although wages are often still paid into an individual's own current account. "Two people with two accounts often become two people with three accounts," says Eric Leenders, of the BBA. There is no limit on the number of people who can sign up, but primarily they are used by couples who are married, in civil partnerships or who live together, or by friends who share a home. Banks says that couples separated by work postings are also among those who are keen. Mr Leenders says that reward or packaged current accounts can lend themselves to joint opening owing to household benefits, such as insurance, that may be included. He stressed that anyone signing up should read the terms and conditions to check the extent of this cover. The Money Advice Service, a government-funded, independent organisation, points out there are limitations for anyone who needs longer term access to someone else's finances. "If, for example, you have an elderly relative who is having trouble keeping on top of their money - a joint account is not your best bet," it says. Couples' finances have been used in comedy turns such as the Joint Account TV series The key decision when setting up the account is whether one individual can withdraw money, sign cheques and make payments or whether both, or all, need to sign. This is made official under what is known as the mandate. This should also cover the rules over who must give permission for changes in the terms of the account or close it. Whatever the decision, all parties usually get a payment card and a cheque book, if it is available with the account. Digitally, each person will have their own log-in details, with their own password, so this needs to be set up individually. In reality, this means each remembering another password, although mobile banking now uses encrypted password saving and fingerprint logins. Joint accounts allow people to share the rewards and convenience, but they also share the risk. Opening a joint account means a couple will be co-scored by credit reference agencies, so if one has a poor credit history it can affect the other. Getting out of debt also falls to both, or all, of those signed up - as a group and individually. Typically, each account holder is responsible for paying back all the money owed, so one could become liable for repaying the other person's debt. A bank might take money from that person's sole account to cover the overdraft in the joint account - but only if both accounts are with the same bank. "Banks are not in the business of making good customers bad customers," says Mr Leenders, pointing out that banks' lending code requires them to treat customers sympathetically. He stresses that people should inform their bank about a relationship breakdown, or any sign of transactions that have not been agreed, to freeze the account - otherwise it can be difficult to retrieve this money. Cases that have gone to the financial ombudsman include: At its worst, extravagant spending by one partner from the joint account, or sole control of a joint account can be a sign of financial abuse. Spending jointly earned money, taking out loans in a partner's name, demanding payment for utility bills from their own savings, or scrutinising every penny that a partner spends are all signs of such bullying, charities and the TUC say. Worse, it can be the forerunner of even more serious emotional, or physical, abuse. Women are often the victims, but men - particularly those with disabilities - can also be vulnerable. Under the Serious Crime Act - implemented in 2015 - coercive and controlling behaviour between partners, which could include financial abuse, became illegal for the first time. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38508810

Your pictures: My own bed - BBC News

2017-01-08

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Each week, we publish a gallery of readers' pictures on a set theme. This week it is "My own bed".

In Pictures

Anna Grayson: "This is a scene I had been thinking of shooting anyway, in honour of Tracey Emin. The aftermath of the Christmas hols seems to have given my bed the right feel. I bumped into Tracey Emin a few years ago, and she kindly agreed to let me photograph her (it is in the frame on the right above the bed). She was very encouraging about the importance of doing art, and not long after that I chucked in work and went to art college. One of the things I enjoy doing is recreating famous works of art as photographs. So this is an homage and thank you to Tracey."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38510863

Jeremy Corbyn: Red Cross NHS warning 'unprecedented' - BBC News

2017-01-08

The Red Cross is warning there is a "humanitarian crisis" in its hospitals in England, something the NHS denies.

The Red Cross is warning there is a "humanitarian crisis" in its hospitals in England, something the NHS denies. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the remarks from the charity were "unprecedented" and "the biggest wake-up call ever".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38543947

Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth Argyle - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Liverpool's youngest ever starting line-up are held to a frustrating draw by resolute League Two side Plymouth Argyle in their FA Cup third-round tie at Anfield.

Last updated on .From the section Football The youngest Liverpool starting line-up in the club's history were held to a frustrating draw by resolute League Two side Plymouth Argyle in their FA Cup third-round tie at Anfield. The hosts, whose side had an average age of 21 years and 296 days, had 80.3% possession in the first half but struggled to break down their gritty opponents, with Sheyi Ojo failing to take their best chance when he missed a header from close range. Divock Origi also had a goal disallowed for a foul on Gary Miller before Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp brought on first-team regulars Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino in search of a breakthrough. Sturridge sent a 25-yard shot just wide, looped a header over and fired into the side-netting - but the Reds could not find the cutting edge to break down an organised and disciplined Plymouth. Craig Tanner would have been clean through on the Liverpool goal but for a Kevin Stewart challenge as the Pilgrims earned a replay at Home Park. Both sides now go into the fourth round draw, which will be made live on BBC Two and online from 19:00 GMT on Monday. • None Watch all of the latest FA Cup highlights and reaction here • None All the FA Cup third-round reports in one place Liverpool boss Klopp made 10 changes for the game - including defender Joe Gomez returning to first-team action for the first time since 1 October, 2015 following a knee ligament injury, and 17-year-old forward Ben Woodburn making his first start for the club. And, despite his side enjoying plenty of possession - 87.2% after the first 15 minutes - they could not find the creativity to pierce the banked masses of Plymouth players. Ojo failed to make proper contact with a header from five yards and Woodburn - showing some neat footwork at times - had a shot saved, but chances were few and far between for the youthful Reds, who managed just four efforts on target from 28 overall. German Klopp said before the game he could be criticised if his team selection backfired and, even with the introduction of Sturridge, Lallana and Firmino, his much-changed side could not find a winner. Such was the effort and application put in by Plymouth, who are second in League Two, Klopp congratulated their players on the pitch after the final whistle. The visitors set up in a 4-5-1 formation and their focus on containment rather than posing any attacking threat resulted in keeper Luke McCormick having the most touches - 52 - of any Pilgrims player. It was a team effort, but centre-backs Sonny Bradley and Yann Songo'o epitomised the dogged spirit and endeavour of their side and were key to the result. Plymouth took nearly 9,000 fans to Anfield and, although they had little to cheer from an attacking point of view with their team managing just three touches in the Liverpool box, they were celebrating at the end and have a replay to look forward to at Home Park. "The character and work rate we showed was unbelievable," said Plymouth midfielder Graham Carey. "The atmosphere has been brilliant and it will be the same when they come to our place. I've come here as a fan before - the hairs are standing up on the back of my neck." What they said: Liverpool manager Klopp: "They created small spaces and we made our own problems. A game like this is not easy to make exciting. "We had a young side so that's difficult. We can do better and if we do better then we have a good chance of making the next round. "With our other line-up it could be possible that the result was still the same - not likely, but possible. It was a good experience for the boys." Plymouth boss Derek Adams: "We had a very good defensive display. We allowed Liverpool the ball. When we had the ball we still created a couple of opportunities. "We had gone in at half-time at 0-0 and that was important. We knew Liverpool might start the second half at a better tempo and we coped with that well. We knew we would get a bit of belief as well. "We've had a couple of opportunities in the game that we might have done better with, but that would be asking too much." On an injury to Gary Miller: "He's either got a broken ankle or ankle ligament damage. We'll see what happens. It's disappointing for him and the team." Former Wales and Arsenal striker John Hartson on BBC Radio 5 live "Plymouth gave everything. They have left everything out there on the Anfield pitch. "Liverpool paid the price for too many changes. They never really created enough opportunities for their strikers. It's a day to give Plymouth the credit." • None The Reds have drawn four of their past five FA Cup matches at Anfield 0-0. • None Liverpool had 76.7% on Sunday. Only against Burnley and Sunderland in the Premier League this season have they had more in a game. • None The last fourth-tier side to claim a draw in an FA Cup game at Anfield were Doncaster Rovers in January 1974. • None The Pilgrims avoided defeat in an FA Cup game against a top-flight team for the first time since drawing against Everton in the fourth round in 1989 (before losing the replay). • None Liverpool midfielder Kevin Stewart made the same amount of successful passes (53) as the whole Plymouth team during the first half. Liverpool go to Southampton on Wednesday for the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final (19:45 GMT kick-off), while Plymouth continue their League Two promotion challenge when they host Stevenage on Saturday at 15:00. • None Attempt blocked. Divock Origi (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Lallana. • None Attempt missed. Lucas Leiva (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. • None Sheyi Ojo (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Attempt blocked. Kevin Stewart (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Lallana. • None Attempt missed. Jake Jervis (Plymouth Argyle) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. • None Attempt missed. Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Sheyi Ojo following a corner. • None Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is blocked. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold. • None Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Adam Lallana with a cross. • None Attempt missed. Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Roberto Firmino with a cross. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38481646

The Black Dahlia: Los Angeles' most famous unsolved murder - BBC News

2017-01-08

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As the 70th anniversary of the Black Dahlia murder approaches, the public fascination with Elizabeth Short and her grisly death hasn't dimmed.

US & Canada

As the 70th anniversary of the Black Dahlia murder approaches the public fascination with Elizabeth Short and her grisly unsolved death hasn't dimmed. James Bartlett takes a look at how Los Angeles remembers the famous murder. Few people noticed the dark-haired woman when she was dropped off at the swanky Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, but when her torso was found nearly a week later, Elizabeth Short became a household name. On the morning of 15 January 1947, Betty Bersinger was walking with her young daughter along a barely developed street in the planned neighbourhood of Leimert Park when she saw what she thought was two halves of a tailor's mannequin. Short had been cut in two, neatly at the waist, and drained of blood. She had been mutilated, her intestines removed, and her mouth slashed from ear to ear - a gruesome cut known as a Glasgow Smile. Her body had then been washed clean before being dumped in an empty field. An ensuing media frenzy followed, thanks to the "brutal, misogynistic and ritual nature" of the killing, says Glynn Martin, former Los Angeles police sergeant and historian. More than 50 suspects were interviewed, both male and female - some of whom confessed to the crime. But the murder was never solved, only adding to the crime's mystique. There was also the connection to the glamour of the area. "She lived in Hollywood, had aspirations to be an actress," Martin says. The murder became "a sad cliche - the ultimate warning tale". "A starry-eyed young girl comes to Hollywood, and things go very bad for her," he says. Then, of course, there was the memorable nickname, a twist on the previous year's Veronica Lake-Alan Ladd film The Blue Dahlia, and reference to Short's striking dark hair. In the decades since, the Black Dahlia case has inspired university theses, art projects and the name of a death metal band, as well as references in video games and television shows. In 2006, it even got the major motion picture treatment, an adaptation of James Ellroy's best-selling novel inspired by the case. Ellroy himself says he doesn't have any hope the culprit will be found. "It's never going to be solved because it was not meant to be solved," he says. Kim Cooper and her husband Richard Schave run Esotouric's literary, crime and culture bus tours of Los Angeles, and Cooper says that many people who come on their Black Dahlia tour "have their heads full of misinformation". "While we debunk the many theories about possible killers, we try to focus on the story of Elizabeth Short as a person." But even the tour operators can be surprised, like when an older man joined one of their true crime tours, claiming a connection to the Black Dahlia. "He told us that he had been a paper boy at the time, and had rushed to be one of the first at the crime scene. It was the first naked woman he ever saw," Cooper says. "I think it affected the rest of his life." Like the 19th Century killings by Jack the Ripper in London, Short's murder continues to bring forth new theories. Most recently, Steve Hodel, a former homicide detective, claimed his physician father George was the killer, and also responsible for other notable murders. A cadaver dog searched Hodel's former home in 2013 and seemingly "alerted" for human remains - though, of course, Short's body had long been found. During my research for Gourmet Ghosts, a series of true crime books, I found that many talkative Los Angeles bartenders claim their joint was actually the last place Short was seen alive, not the Biltmore. Some theorised her murder was the result of a date turned violent, or that the perennially-broke Short left to hitchhike home, a common practice at the time, and got into the wrong car. "I was regularly asked about the Black Dahlia on the reference desk," says Christina Rice, senior librarian of the photo collection at the Los Angeles Public Library. One woman came in looking for maps from 1947 because "she was going to use her psychic abilities to solve the murder". The only copy of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner's microfiche for the second half of January was stolen years ago, Rice says, adding Short was just one of many women brutally killed in the post-war years in California. The Biltmore, where you can buy a Black Dahlia cocktail As soon as the corpse was discovered, the Los Angeles Herald-Express and the sensationalist Los Angeles Examiner made full use of the cosy relationship that all newspapers had with the Los Angeles police department. At the time it was common to see suicide notes and bloodstained bodies - albeit sometimes airbrushed or altered, like Short's naked body, onto which photo editors superimposed a blanket - on the front page. Suicide photographs even added arrows showing how victims had taken their final fall. The Examiner also added complete fabrications to the Black Dahlia story, exchanging in their reporting the suit Short had been seen wearing for a tight skirt and blouse and implying sexual misadventures. The newspaper also deceived Short's mother about her daughter's death, using a ruse about "Beth" winning a beauty contest, then flying her to Los Angeles before telling her the real news - ensuring the scoop of a mother responding to the tragedy. Officially the case remains open, and today, the Biltmore Hotel serves a Black Dahlia cocktail of vodka, Chambord black raspberry liqueur and Kahlua. The drink, perhaps appropriately, tastes bitter. James Bartlett is a writer and author of Gourmet Ghosts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38513320

FA Cup: Chelsea 4-1 Peterborough United highlights - BBC Sport

2017-01-08

Chelsea captain John Terry is sent off on his first start since October as the Premier League leaders overcome League One Peterborough 4-1 in the FA Cup third round.

Chelsea captain John Terry is sent off on his first start since October as the Premier League leaders overcome League One Peterborough 4-1 in the FA Cup third round. Watch all the best action from the FA Cup third round here. Available to UK users only.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38545733

Saving Sally: The little Filipino film that needed saving - BBC News

2017-01-08

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The cult Filipino romance, with its gadgets and animated monsters, and the fans who saved it from obscurity.

Asia

Set in an animated Manila, 'Saving Sally' has been billed as a teenage love story It's a tale of unrequited teenage love terrorised by giant animated monsters in the chaotic streets of Metro Manila. Saving Sally tells the story of Marty, a young aspiring Philippines comic book artist, played by Enzo Marcos. He falls in love with his best friend Sally, a gadget inventor - portrayed by Filipina actress Rhian Ramos - who is also the centre of Marty's universe. The story quickly unfolds with stunning cartoons which tell the story of Marty's lonely world. Like every love story, there are numerous complications and challenges for the hero. Namely defending the love of his life from a beastly rival and her difficult parents, who take the form of monsters because to Marty, that is simply what they are. "Sadly, Marty also has the innate ability to do nothing about everything despite his vivid fantasies of defending Sally from the big bad world," described the film's director Avid Liongoren. Marty often dreams of defending Sally from the evils of her world While it has been described as a "typical teen movie about love, monsters and gadgets", the film also touches on serious issues prevalent in Philippine society. "On the surface, it's a fun and straightforward love story, with good laughs and visual gags that reference Filipino as well as Western pop culture," said screenwriter Charlene Sawit-Esguerra , who wrote and conceptualised the film. "But it also touches on darker themes like physical abuse and escapism." Saving Sally's darker themes are mixed in with the teenage love story After an arduous 10-year journey and a series of setbacks, the team's efforts paid off. Saving Sally gained an entry into the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The annual festival serves as an outlet to better promote local talent in the Pinoy film industry. But the MMFF sadly still could not save Sally. The humble film was not widely shown in local cinemas. The Philippine skyline takes centre stage in this film, which features stunning artwork Its creators said the answer could lie in the nature of the domestic cinema industry. Largely unregulated, Philippine cinemas have built a notorious reputation for favouring commercial successes movies like Hollywood blockbusters and "manufactured" romance dramas. "They pick the films that they think people will watch. So it is more of a perception that since ours is a small, non-studio film, no-one would want to watch it," explained Mr Liongoren. Ms Sawit-Esguerra said "demand" was often a deciding factor before a film could be considered for screening. "Theatre owners here think that local audiences will only watch films starring big-names and A-list stars, produced by major studios. Saving Sally has neither," she said. "Because of this, many cinemas don't want to take the risk and would rather see how audiences responds to our movie first." Saving Sally earned a festival entry but was not widely screened in cinemas To film critic Oggs Cruz, another problem with the film lay in its animation, the very thing that its makers fought so hard to create. "While most Filipinos enjoy animated films, the animated aspect in Saving Sally doesn't favour its commercial ability," he told BBC News. "It is an adjunct of the main characters and I don't think it has any effect in its marketability. Sadly it won't entice children or adults." "A lot of Filipinos are proud of their heritage but ironically, they would rather watch the latest Star Wars movie than support local film festival entries. "It's a losing situation for the film makers whose work will get pulled out for more commercially viable movies that will earn more money." The show's creators turned to the power of social media and launched an online campaign to save Sally, calling on audiences to contact theatre owners demanding they screen the film. "Let your voices be heard. Please help us make noise and reach out," read a Facebook post on the movie's official page which drew close to 50,000 reactions and was shared more than 10,000 times. Thousands of curious Facebook users and fans began to show their support for the film by leaving comments and writing posts using the hashtags #ShowSavingSally and #ImSavingSally. "It was worth the wait and our money. Great storytelling and amazing animation - good job," gushed Dicay Galvez from Makati city who shared his joy in finally being able to catch the film. "I cannot imagine the love and passion that went into this film, it may be a typical love story but the entirety of the movie itself is a work of art," wrote Ace Antipolo in an Instagram post. "Big movie companies in the Philippines just don't put this kind of effort anymore but the efforts of a small group of people who worked for 10 years just to complete this beautiful masterpiece will be cherished forever." "I guess business is business but I just don't understand why some cinemas saved spots for other movies over Saving Sally. Please show it in Bacolod," said Fraire Acupan. Given its animation-meets-real life component which plays out heavily, and its slacker hero, Saving Sally has drawn comparisons with popular 2010 geek sleeper hit Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. But will Sally see a similar indie cult following to that which Scott Pilgrim enjoyed? Its makers said the public response "has been incredible" and fan demand played a crucial role in boosting the film. Saving Sally was shown on around 50 screens to begin with, but was expected to close at 86 screens. "Theatres have relented to the barrage of messages from Filipino youngsters wanting to see our film," said Mr Liongoren. Ms Sawit-Esguerra said: "Saving Sally surpassed what it was expected to earn, according to Industry experts. It also made it to the top four of the festival films based on how it did at the Philippine box office." She also added that they have received offers for a North American release but that has not yet been finalised. "We've also been invited to film festivals in Portugal, Spain and Belgium," she said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38486968

Syria conflict: The biblical river at the heart of a water war - BBC News

2017-01-08

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From ancient to modern times, Syria's Wadi Barada has been a vital water source, says Diana Darke.

Middle East

The Barada river runs through the heart of Damascus The flashpoint for Syria's war, six years old this March, has in recent days taken the form of an elemental struggle over water. The drinking water supply to some 5 million residents in the Syrian capital, Damascus, was cut on 23 December by the Damascus Water Authority, who say rebels have contaminated it with diesel. Rebels deny this, saying bombing by the government has damaged the infrastructure. The historic water source of Ain al-Fijeh lies in the valley of Wadi Barada, 18km (11 miles) north-west of the capital, where a cluster of 10 villages has been under rebel control since 2012. Local people joined the revolution early on in protest against government neglect, corruption and land grabs made legal under new state land measures, where whole hillsides were requisitioned for sports clubs and luxury hotels. Both sides have blamed the other for damaging the water supply Water provision to Damascus has been drastically reduced On 22 December the Assad government, using barrel bombs dropped from helicopters and supported on the ground by Lebanese Shia militia fighters of Hezbollah, began a campaign to take control of the strategic valley and springs. The timing was significant, just days before the announcement of the countrywide ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey on 29 December. The Barada Gorge was cut through the Anti-Lebanon Mountains eons ago by the Barada river, which still runs through the centre of Damascus. Today the river is just a shadow of its former self, diminished for most of the year by drought and pollution to a dirty trickle by the time it reaches the city centre. But in earlier times it was the source of the city's legendary fertility, and the reason for its location in an oasis of gardens and orchards known as the Ghouta. The river was and still is fed by the meltwaters of Mount Hermon, Syria's highest peak. Mentioned no less than 15 times in the Bible, it retains its snow-capped summit till early June. The amount of snowfall in winter is a direct indication of how much water Damascus will have throughout the year. The Barada river, known in ancient times as Abana, was supplemented through seven further rivers whose course was diverted by means of elaborate channels constructed as far back as the Roman era. Guided by aqueducts into the centre of Damascus, the city was fed by a complex network of waterways and channels that allowed water to flow in and out of every house. Sophisticated Ottoman water distribution points throughout the city also allocated water in agreed quantities to the public bathhouses, mosque ablution areas and public drinking fountains. Even today most houses have a special drinking tap in their kitchen directly connected to the spring. In high summer families would come to Wadi Barada on Fridays and holidays, often renting a riverside platform for the day. Rigged up as tent awnings open only onto the river side, they formed an idyllic private arbour where families could relax, enjoying the coolness of the fast-flowing river. Little iron ladders were fixed onto the platforms, so that children could climb down and swim. A swimming platform and ladder used by picnicing families along the river In the 16th Century it was along the banks of the Barada river on the outskirts of Damascus that the first coffee houses grew up. Pilgrims would assemble, waiting for the annual Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca to set off in one huge joint caravan, protected in numbers from raiding desert tribesmen. Many engravings from the 19th Century show scenes of coffee houses on the banks of the brimming Barada. Near the village of Souq Wadi Barada, huge gaping holes in the cliff above can be still be accessed. They are part of the original Roman water system: elaborate tunnels cut into the rock, conducting the meltwaters into the aqueducts of Damascus. On sections of the old Roman road between Baalbek and Damascus, inscriptions in Greek, the official language, and in Latin, the language of the soldiers, can still be seen, describing how the road was rebuilt higher up to avoid destruction by flooding. Latin inscriptions can be seen at the side of the road above Wadi Barada For Hezbollah too the battle is a geographical one. They regard this area as their backyard, connected to their Baalbek stronghold in Lebanon. The Syrian government claims there are fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) present in Wadi Barada, to justify its ongoing campaign. Local residents insist there are only Free Syrian Army moderates. Since both UN monitors and Russian officials have been denied access to the area by Hezbollah checkpoints, the truth remains hidden - as so often in Syria - behind the fog of war, or in this case, beneath the waters of the Barada. Wadi Barada and villages in the valley Diana Darke graduated in Arabic from Oxford University and is the author of several books on Middle East society, including My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Crisis (2016). Follow her on Twitter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38532338

CES 2017: Nokia Android phone spurns the West - BBC News

2017-01-08

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The first Android smartphone to carry Nokia's brand is announced as a China exclusive.

Technology

The Nokia 6 is the first Android smartphone to bear the brand under a deal with HMD Global The first in a series of Nokia-branded Android phones is to be released exclusively in China. The device will be marketed in partnership with the local internet retail giant JD.com. The team behind the Nokia 6 phone said the handset's "premium design" would appeal to the local market. The announcement coincided with the final day of the CES tech show in Las Vegas, where other new mobile phones and gadgets have been launched. Nokia no longer manufactures phones that carry its name but has instead licensed its brand to another Finnish company, HMD Global. Until now, the only phones that had been released under the deal had been more basic "feature phone" models. HMD Global may wait to unveil details of Android smartphones for other markets until next month in Barcelona The Android device had been highly anticipated and marks Nokia's return to the smartphone market after a series of Windows Phone models. Nokia also briefly sold Android-based handsets - known as Nokia X - in 2014. Microsoft used Nokia's brand for a short time after buying the company's mobile devices the same year, but later referred to the devices solely by their Lumia name. Nokia once dominated the mobile phone market but struggled after the launch of the iPhone a decade ago, and the subsequent release of Google's Android operating system. HMD Global had previously indicated it would release several Nokia-branded Android phones in 2017. It is expected to provide details of at least some of the other launches at another trade show - Barcelona's Mobile World Congress - in February. "The decision by HMD to launch its first Android smartphone into China is a reflection of the desire to meet the real world needs of consumers in different markets around the world," the firm said in a statement. "With over 552 million smartphone users in China in 2016, a figure that is predicted to grow to more than 593 million users by 2017, it is a strategically important market where premium design and quality is highly valued by consumers." HMD Gobal sells feature phones, including the Nokia 150, in other parts of the world The Nokia 6 phone runs Android 7.0 - the latest version, also known as Nougat - and features: The specifications are mid-range, and so is the price: 1,699 yuan ($245; £200). That makes it slightly more expensive than Huawei's Honor 6X but cheaper than Xiaomi's Mi 5s. "Nokia remains one of the most recognised mobile phone brands on the planet," commented Ben Wood from the CCS Insight technology consultancy. "HMD Global will be hoping it can capitalise on this as it seeks to relaunch Nokia devices in 2017. "It will be hoping the brand will help it stand out in the incredibly crowded Android smartphone market, which is characterised by cut-throat competition and a sea of design sameness. " Brandon Ackroyd, Head of Customer Insight at Tiger Mobiles believes that Nokia will launch the Nokia 6 globally if the device has a successful launch in Asia. "If the Nokia 6 performs well in China then it's highly likely we will see a new international variant of the handset sometime in 2017. We'll be keeping our eyes on the certification websites in the coming months looking for a variant with more connectivity options like GSM, LTE, and CDMA that will make the device compatible with networks worldwide." Follow all our CES coverage at bbc.co.uk/ces2017 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38546676

Peter Sarstedt's most famous song - BBC News

2017-01-08

Peter Sarstedt, who took Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? to the UK number one spot in February 1969, has died aged 75.

Peter Sarstedt, who took Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? (Ray Singer: United Artists) to the UK number one spot in February 1969, has died aged 75. His family said he had been battling Progressive Supranuclear Palsy for six years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38549476

After Brexit: What happens next for the UK's farmers? - BBC News

2017-01-05

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From the environment to subsidies, trade tariffs to animal welfare, farming has the most to lose - and gain - from Brexit.

Business

Farming has the most to gain - and lose from Brexit Of all UK industries, farming could lose or gain the most from Brexit. At worst Brexit could devastate the farming sector; on average 60% of farm incomes come in the form of EU subsidies. The report by Informa Agribusiness Intelligence estimates that without subsidies 90% of farms would collapse and land prices would crash. So far no one has said the subsidies will be taken away, or even that they will shrink. Indeed, the government has promised to match them up until 2020. But beyond that it has promised nothing. Some argue that without any subsidies at all, nine in 10 farms would collapse as businesses This week has seen a flurry of activity as the farming industry tries to grapple with what comes next. MPs from the Environmental Audit Committee warned on Tuesday of the dangers of Brexit to farming. Its report, the Future of the Natural Environment after the EU Referendum, says: Meanwhile farmers gathered at the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) this week to listen to the Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, but there were precious few details on what would happen once EU subsidies go. "We will be consulting in the near future on exactly the shape of future farm and agriculture support," said Ms Leadsom. "I will be committed to supporting farming in both the short and longer term." Andrea Leadsom gave few details on what would happen to farming after the UK leaves the EU Also at the OFC was George Eustice, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, who was a little more detailed. "I want to support agriculture to where it becomes more profitable, more vibrant, so we see expanding food production in this country, where we are supporting farmers to deliver eco-system services. "So that rather than telling them 'here's a subsidy now here's a list of environmental demands', we should be saying to farmers you have a role to play to enhance our agricultural environment, and we are going to reward you for those services that you offer." The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) started in 1962 as the first members of what is now the EU emerged from over a decade of food shortages during and after World War Two. Its emphasis was on production and food security but as farmers were paid for whatever they produced, they over-produced leading to food "mountains". A reform process, including the "greening" of the CAP which emphasised environmental practices, has resulted in farmers mostly being paid depending on how much land they own - but some wealthy UK landowners now receive subsidies of up to £3m a year. For instance, the Newmarket farm of Khalid Abdullah al Saud, billionaire owner of the legendary horse Frankel, receives £400,000 a year. Lord Iveagh who lives on the 22,486-acre Elveden Estate in Suffolk, receives over £900,000. Yet working out what to replace EU subsidies with is raising passions. Many farmers see opportunities once the UK is no longer in the Common Agricultural Policy At the same conference the journalist and environmental activist George Monbiot had a run-in with the deputy head of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Minette Batters over the role of farmers after Brexit. Mr Monbiot believes farming subsidies should be replaced by a fund to alleviate rural poverty, an environmental fund and help for new entrants into the sector. When he asked Ms Batters if she was happy to see subsidies paid to wealthy farmers. Ms Batters hesitated and then said: "It depends on what they do with it," adding "I can't emphasise it enough, farmers embrace the environment". An aghast-looking Mr Monbiot replied saying "Farmers, have, more than any other group been responsible for the environmental degradation of the countryside." A few hundred yards down the road, another conference was going on. This was the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC), set up 10 years ago to give an alternative view on farming. While the OFC is all suits, largely men, and a large NFU presence, the ORFC is more woolly jumpers, more women, more beards and more delegates, many of them young. If there is no free trade agreement with the EU Britain would rely on trading rules laid down by the World Trade Organisation The two are not absolutely opposed to each other - coming together this year for the first time to jointly discuss the weighty subject of cheese and how to produce it. And the feeling at both conferences is that, despite uncertainties, everyone sees huge opportunities once the UK is no longer in the Common Agricultural Policy. And, of course, everyone is pushing their own agenda. Guy Watson, the founder of the country's largest organic retailer, Riverford Organic Farmers, bravely told a gathering of livestock farmers that "there is no getting away from it, we have to eat less meat" David Baldock, a senior fellow at the Institute for European Environmental Policy said: "It's really not the end of the world to think that we are going to produce slightly less and better." Surprisingly neither were shouted down and there were even suggestions from the audience that VAT ought to be levied on meat. While most of the lobby groups have a view on reforming subsidies, they are less clear about the problem of trade. 90% of UK exports in beef and lamb go to the EU If there is no free trade agreement with the EU, Britain would rely on trading rules laid down by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which could be very uncomfortable for farmers having to pay taxes, or tariffs, to sell into the single market. Calum Kerr, MSP and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman for the SNP, said 90% of beef and lamb exports, and 70% of pork exports go to the EU. "WTO rules would look at a minimum tariff into the EU of 20%. On red meat which ... is critically important [economic] modelling suggests anywhere between 50% and.... a 76% increase in costs into the EU market. "That's why we believe we should remain a part of the EU market." The NFU's Ms Batters said: "We have to do a deal with Europe and it is a deal that will shape our landscape for generations to come." Nearly every farmer believes Brexit offers an opportunity to change the system, but exactly how is a matter for debate As for competing with countries outside the EU, Ms Leadsom promised she wouldn't lower environmental and animal welfare standards to clinch free trade deals. Ms Batters, herself a beef farmer, said: "The problem is that getting free trade deals in agriculture is notoriously difficult. "Take Argentina. Michael Gove says he wants to do a deal with the South American countries. "But they have a completely different system of rearing beef, using a degree of genetically modified products. "I simply can't compete with that." Nearly everyone believes Brexit offers an opportunity to change the system, but no one can agree how.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38510423

CES 2017: Hyundai's self-driving car deals with illegal moves - BBC News

2017-01-05

Hyundai's self-driving car is faced with motorists making illegal manoeuvres during a test drive with the BBC.

Self-driving car tech is one of the big themes of this year's CES expo in Las Vegas. South Korea's Hyundai is one of those showing off a prototype. But when the BBC's Dave Lee put it to the test, it had to deal with other drivers making illegal manoeuvres. See all our CES 2017 coverage

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38514628

One man's search for diamonds - BBC News

2017-01-05

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Photographing the men who sieve for diamonds in Sierra Leone

In Pictures

During its 11-year-long civil war, Sierra Leone became famous for blood diamonds. Rebel and government groups fought brutally over diamond-rich territory in the north of the country and funded themselves by selling the stones to international buyers. Fourteen years after the conflict ended, diamond mining operations are still under way in the northern district of Kono. A South African company, Koidu Holdings, runs a large mine that uses sophisticated machinery to blast through kimberlite and identify diamond-dense areas in the deep earth. One of these miners, Philo, has worked in Kono for the past 23 years, but was driven out during the conflict and lived in Guinea as a refugee. When the war simmered down in December 2000, he returned home and started diamond mining again a year later. Many artisanal miners will admit that they have not found a diamond in months and are desperately poor. Yet in a country where there is 70% youth unemployment, mining at least provides some form of livelihood. Most men mine in a team of three. One of them dives to scoop a bucket of mud and grit from the riverbed, while another man holds him down so he does not drift with the tide. The third collects the bucket and empties it into a mound. Once there is enough, the sifting begins. The three men swap roles regularly, to avoid getting too cold. Philo complains of chills when he gets out of the water and sucks a packet of cheap rum to warm up, saying: "This work is tough and physically straining - if I had the qualifications or opportunity to do another job then I would at once." The swampy area around the river has been dug out by artisanal miners, who are dotted all over, urgently scooping mud and sifting through it. At last, after three hours of sifting, Philo is thrilled to have found a tiny diamond. Some miners are able to invest in what is known as a "rocker". They use a power hose to squirt water through a layer of mud piled on to fine mesh. Once the mud is cleared they are more likely to spot a glinting diamond. However, Philo does not have this luxury. "We are not able to afford this kind of machinery, we have to manage with just a bucket, spade and shaker [sieve]," he says. In the local market each shaker sells for 25,000 Leones (about £3.50). Soon after Philo has discovered a diamond, he packs up early and heads into town with his team. He is happy, saying: "This was a very good day, we hadn't seen a diamond for nearly a month." On the way to his house, he bumps into his elder brother outside a shop. They greet each other in front of the rocky kimberlite mountain that has been created by Koidu Holdings' blasts. Philo says that he is jealous of their machinery and wealth, especially as diamonds in shallow ground are running out. Back home, Philo relaxes in his room with his uncle. During the conflict his mother was shot and killed by rebels, just outside the room in which he is now sitting. His whole house was burned down and had to be rebuilt. The following day Philo heads into Koidu town to sell his diamond in an office just off the high street. The going rate is $3,200 (£2,520) for a carat that is 40% pure, and much less for gems of lower purity. Philo obtains only $35 (about £28) for his find, but he is pleased as it is more than he had expected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38302289

The ex-CIA agent who interrogated Saddam Hussein - BBC News

2017-01-05

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Ex-CIA agent John Nixon describes how he interrogated former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein after his capture.

US & Canada

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. John Nixon says Saddam Hussein was the most secretive man he has ever met When former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003, the CIA required a specialist who could identify and interrogate him for information. That person was John Nixon. Mr Nixon had studied Saddam Hussein since joining the CIA in 1998. His role was to gather insight into leaders around the world, analysing "what made them tick," he tells the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme. "When a crisis hits, policy makers come to us with the questions about who these people are, what they want, why are they doing this." He had been in Iraq when the ousted leader was discovered by US troops in a small, underground hole next to farm buildings near his hometown of Tikrit. When the news of Hussein's discovery came through, the US needed him to be identified - a task presented to Mr Nixon. There had been rumours at the time that Saddam Hussein had numerous body doubles, but Mr Nixon - who left the CIA in 2011 - says "there was no doubt in my mind as soon as I saw him, that it was him". The "spider hole" where Saddam Hussein was hiding when he was captured "When I started talking to him, he gave me the same look he had on a book that had sat on my desk for years. Surreal doesn't come close." Mr Nixon took on the role of interrogator and was the first person to question Saddam Hussein at length, doing so across a number of days. "I had to keep pinching myself that I was questioning the most wanted man in the world. It seemed ludicrous," he says. Mr Nixon, author of Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein, describes the former leader as a "mass of contradictions". He saw "the human side" of Saddam Hussein, he says, in great contrast to the depiction presented by US media. "He was one of the most charismatic individuals I've ever encountered. When he wanted to be he could be charming, nice, funny and polite." But he could also switch to a much darker side. Mr Nixon describes him as rude, arrogant, nasty and mean-spirited - and scary when he lost his temper. "There were two or three occasions when my questioning got on his bad side," Mr Nixon says. Hussein had been unrestrained as he sat in the small, dingy room in which he was interrogated, sitting on a metal, foldable chair. Only Mr Nixon, a polygrapher and an interpreter were also present in the room. Nevertheless, Mr Nixon says the former leader - as a narcissist - "liked the interaction he got by talking to me". At the end of the first session, in which Mr Nixon tried to establish a rapport with Saddam Hussein in the hope he would cooperate, Saddam said he had enjoyed the conversation. "He had been in hiding for months and hadn't had many conversations," Mr Nixon says. It was a positive start, but the next day Mr Nixon says Saddam Hussein "came back more suspicious". "He is one of the most suspicious men I've ever met - every question I asked him he had one for me." Mr Nixon admits the CIA had little to offer Hussein in the way of an incentive to speak. "We had to appeal to sense of history and the prospect of him getting his views heard on record, and by the highest of powers in the world." In 2006, Saddam Hussein was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging There were certain subject areas he was required to cover by the CIA, but otherwise he was left to his own devices. "I knew I had to try and get answers. "Working for the agency, you are taught how to debrief sources and make them into potential assets. "But you have to be very careful as you don't want to risk not being able to extract the most information possible by going at a topic in the wrong way." The most important subject area was that of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The US and UK had used allegations of Iraqi WMDs as a key reason for going to war. Mr Nixon says "it was all the White House wanted to know", but - from his conversations with Saddam Hussein, his advisers and subsequent research to verify or dismiss his claims - he came to the conclusion that the former Iraqi leader had stopped the country's nuclear weapons program years before and had not intended to restart it. It was a view that led him and his colleagues to be seen as "failures". He was not invited to debrief President George W Bush until five years later, in 2008, following separate findings on Saddam Hussein from the FBI. Mr Nixon is particularly scathing of President Bush, saying - as one of few people that have shaken the hands of both him and Saddam Hussein - he would rather spend time with the latter. President Bush, he says, was "isolated from reality", with advisers that would "rally around him regardless and nod in agreement". "I used to think what we said at the CIA mattered and the president would listen, but it doesn't matter what we say, politics trumps intelligence." Mr Nixon says he is "ashamed" of what has happened in Iraq since the ousting of Saddam Hussein. He says the Bush administration gave no thought as to what events might take place after Saddam's removal, and - in light of the rise of extremist groups such as the so-called "Islamic State" - believes the region would have been better off had he remained in place. Such claims have been dismissed by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who led the country at the time of the invasion. The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. • None Blair: World better because of Iraq War

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38497767

Ademola Lookman: Everton sign Charlton forward for £11m - BBC Sport

2017-01-05

Everton complete the £11m signing of Charlton Athletic's teenage forward Ademola Lookman on a four-and-a-half-year deal.

Last updated on .From the section Football Everton have completed the £11m signing of Charlton Athletic's teenage forward Ademola Lookman. The 19-year-old joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal until June 2021. The England Under-20 international, who has scored seven goals in 25 games this season, becomes the most expensive signing from League One. Lookman said: "It feels great to be an Everton player. As soon as I heard about Everton's interest I knew this would be the right place for me." Charlton had hoped Everton would loan Lookman back to them for the rest of the season but he is seen as someone who could quickly play a part at Goodison Park under manager Ronald Koeman. "Everton has a big history and I was also attracted by the manager," Lookman added. "When you look at what he did at Southampton, and what he does with young players in terms of developing them, that was a big attraction. "It was great playing in the Championship last season and for the last six months in League One but I feel like I'm ready to make the step up to the Premier League." Koeman said: "Ademola is a big talent and, at 19 years old, he has a big future in the game. I'm really happy that we've been able to bring him here to the club." Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated pageor visit our Premier League trackerhere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38520520

Leicester City complete signing of Genk midfielder Wilfred Ndidi - BBC Sport

2017-01-05

Leicester City sign Genk midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for a reported £15m after a work permit is approved.

Last updated on .From the section Football Leicester City have signed defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for a reported £15m from Belgian side Genk. The 20-year-old Nigeria international completed his move on Thursday after a work permit was approved, signing a five-and-a-half-year deal. Ndidi has already trained with the squad and could make his debut in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at Everton (15:00 GMT). "He's an impressive player with a big future," said manager Claudio Ranieri. "I feel I can learn a lot here," Ndidi told the club's TV channel . "I try to win the balls for the team - that is one of my main attributes. I have to achieve a lot here." Ndidi helped Genk finish top of their Europa League group to secure their place in the knockout stages of this season's competition. Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated pageor visit our Premier League trackerhere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38500583

Garth Crooks' team of the week: Alli, Barkley, Defoe, Rashford, Giroud - BBC Sport

2017-01-05

Whose performance marked the 'birth of a special player'? Who is living up to the legacy of Shilton and Banks? It is Garth's XI.

Chelsea's winning streak came to a halt on 13 games as London rivals Tottenham moved up to third with a 2-0 win over the leaders at White Hart Lane. The top of the table looks tighter after second-placed Liverpool dropped points at Sunderland, to allow Manchester City and Manchester United to make up ground. At the bottom, Swansea's win away to Crystal Palace moved them off the bottom and could prove vital in the final reckoning come May. I do like this keeper. Since the long-term injury to Jack Butland, Lee Grant has deputised brilliantly. Stoke needed their win over Watford particularly after the run-around they got at Stamford Bridge, and the clean sheet will come in handy as well. Stoke City have a history of signing great keepers, notably former England internationals Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton. Although I wouldn't put Grant in that bracket, he's proved to be an exceptional acquisition. When Rangel scored the winner for Swansea in their potentially vital meeting with Crystal Palace, what I wanted to know was: what was the full-back doing so far up the pitch in open play in the first place? I'm not entirely sure how much new boss Paul Clement had to do with this victory but the evidence suggests that whenever caretaker coach Alan Curtis takes the reins at Swansea he has a positive impact on the team. And while we are on the issue of the new Swansea manager, I must also take issue with my old Final Score sparring partner Steve Claridge's remark that Clement was "lucky to get the job". I can think of couple of managers I might have considered first, but we all need a certain amount of good fortune whenever we apply for a post. Surely the point is what we do with the job once we get it, isn't it? They say revenge is a dish best served cold. White Hart Lane was red hot against Chelsea but, let's not kid ourselves, Spurs have waited some time to pay back the vitriol they received at Stamford Bridge when their title ambitions evaporated in a 2-2 draw at the end of last season. I was at that game and Spurs have clearly grown up a great deal since then. Alderweireld has been central to that development and was outstanding against an out-gunned Chelsea. Spurs have done Liverpool, Manchester City and, dare I say it, Arsenal a massive favour. Chelsea will just have to lick their wounds and get over it. He's only gone and done it again. I can't think of another current central defender who scores goals from set plays with such monotonous regularity. McAuley's goal against Hull was his fourth in the Premier League this season and the way he attacks the ball in the opposition's box is a delight to watch. The Baggies and McAuley have had an interesting Christmas period. It was West Brom's centre-back who manager Tony Pulis identified as being bullied by Olivier Giroud in the final minutes of the game against Arsenal, which resulted in their 1-0 defeat. However McAuley is a real professional and both manager and player know that in the final analysis the central defender can be relied upon. Manchester City may be remodelling their dressing-room area at the Etihad, but they badly needed to reconfigure the team after three defeats in December. But to leave out Sergio Aguero against Burnley? What was boss Pep Guardiola thinking? That the only striker in the Premier league who Alan Shearer believes deserves the tag 'world class' is left out when goals were guaranteed against Burnley just didn't make sense. So it was left to a full-back to provide the much needed inspiration Guardiola was demanding from his fans at half-time. Clichy doesn't command a regular place in the team these days but his performance against a very dangerous Burnley was inspired. When the Frenchman attacks he does so with pace and conviction, but the way he cut inside and arrowed his shot past an in-form Tom Heaton in the Clarets' goal was most impressive. As for Guardiola's half-time plea to his fans to pipe up and encourage his team - I thought it was supposed to be the other way round and the players were to inspire the fans. Did you see Alexis Sanchez as he walked off the Vitality Stadium pitch? He had a face like thunder and was remonstrating with himself about Arsenal's inability to take their title opportunities seriously - or at least that was what it looked like. He was furious and had every right to be. Arsenal fans can pacify themselves all they want about their brilliant comeback against Bournemouth, but if they do they will have badly missed the point. Arsenal should have knocked the Cherries out of the park and Sanchez knew it. This is the real reason why I believe Sanchez and team-mate Mesut Ozil are considering whether to re-sign for the Gunners or not. Players like these know what it takes to win titles because they've done it before elsewhere and at the moment Arsenal simply don't have what it takes. Has Ross Barkley finally come of age, or is it just an interesting phase he's going through? The midfield player's performance against Southampton was superb. He ran the show. The reason I posed the question was because as the transfer window approaches Everton manager Ronald Koeman has to decide whether Barkley is his main man or not. If Koeman decides that Barkley is the future and makes purchases in areas other than central midfield during the transfer window it could prove to be a seminal moment for both of them. Get it wrong and it could signal their demise. What a performance by Dele Alli. It has been some time since I've seen a Tottenham midfield player show so much composure in front of goal. I have always maintained that I've only seen Alli perform in games of lesser importance rather than the really big matches. However they don't get much bigger than Spurs against Chelsea when the Blues are going for a record number of victories and to cement their lead at the top of the table. This was not only a great performance by Spurs but, for me, the birth of a special player. Regular readers of my Team of the Week will know that I don't normally select a substitute unless he has been a game changer. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford was that player against a desperately unfortunate 10-man West Ham. The player had only been on the pitch for a little over 30 minutes and he transformed the match. It was just as well because referee Mike Dean practically destroyed it with another dismissal this time after only 15 minutes. I'm beginning to wonder whether the Premier League can afford Mike Dean. He's bad for business. When he sent off Southampton's Nathan Redmond for an innocuous trip on Tottenham's Dele Alli on 28 December I said Dean should "consider his position". Now it's time for the Professional Game Match Official Board to carefully think through whether his judgement has become impaired. He seems to be the only referee intent on ruining evenly balanced contests for the viewing public by sending players off totally unnecessarily. It's time for him to go. When you have played 450 games in top-flight football you are entitled to some respect, especially when you crown your 451st with two spot-kicks that might save your team from relegation. Defoe kept his nerve brilliantly in difficult circumstances against Liverpool but all credit to Jurgen Klopp's side, who put together another tremendous effort within 48 hours of the victory against Manchester City. If anyone had any doubts that the Premier League is the best in the world they can disabuse themselves of that notion now. The level of entertainment, the quality of the performance and the intensity of the contests over the most intensive 10-day period, while other continental leagues have been sleeping, is a testimony to the product. No other league in the world offers global customers what the Premier League offers. To all the players, managers and staff, thank you for upholding a marvellous tradition and providing us with the most glorious entertainment. This lad has had an amazing Christmas period. He stole a result out of West Brom, scored arguably the goal of the season against Crystal Palace and pulled Arsenal out of the fire against Bournemouth. Giroud has had to play second fiddle to Sanchez up front but appears to have done so without rancour. When he has been asked to perform he has done so brilliantly. This was another magnificent display of commitment and desire from two very different sides. Bournemouth gave everything and Eddie Howe, while disappointed with the final outcome, must have been very proud of his boys and the way they equipped themselves throughout this torturous period. As for Arsenal? As good a comeback as it was I saw all the reasons why I think they cannot, I repeat cannot, win the title. They are too busy looking good and simply aren't ruthless enough.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38511324

Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss answers critic in verse - BBC News

2017-01-05

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Sherlock writer Mark Gatiss responds in verse to a critic who claimed the show has turned the character into "Sherlock Bond".

Entertainment & Arts

Gatiss is a co-writer on Sherlock and also appears as Holmes' brother Mycroft Sherlock writer and cast member Mark Gatiss has responded in verse to a critic who accused the show of turning the character into "Sherlock Bond". In his poem, Gatiss said the critic was wrong to infer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective was "no man of action". "From [Basil] Rathbone through [Jeremy] Brett to [Benedict] Cumberbatch dandy, With his fists Mr Holmes has always been handy," his poem continues. The updated version of Conan Doyle's stories returned on New Year's Day. In The Six Thatchers, Cumberbatch's sleuth was seen investigating the mysterious destruction of busts of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Writing in The Guardian, Ralph Jones said the show had taken "ill-advised liberties with Conan Doyle's stories" and had begun "to feel implausible". Sherlock returned to BBC One on 1 January "There is obviously an audience and an appetite for abseiling assassins, machine-gun shootouts and Benedict Cumberbatch getting sopping wet while kicking ass in an expensive suit," he continued. "But, like the perverse instincts that lurk in the palaces of our minds, this is an appetite that ought to be resisted." In a letter to the same newspaper, Gatiss used his five-verse poem to suggest Jones was "ignoring the stories that could have put [Sherlock] in traction". He went on to cite the short story The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist, in which he says there is "boxing on show". "In hurling Moriarty over the torrent, did Sherlock find violence strange and abhorrent?" the five-verse ode continues. "There's no need to invoke in yarns that still thrill, Her Majesty's Secret Servant with licence to kill." Gatiss's response mirrors a poem Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself wrote in 1912, entitled To An Undiscerning Critic. The poem was a response to another poem, written by US humorist Arthur Guiterman, that suggested Sherlock Holmes should not disparage other fictional detectives. The fourth series of Sherlock continues on Sunday with The Lying Detective, which will mark Toby Jones's debut as the villainous Culverton Smith. Here is a critic who says with low blow Sherlock's no brain-box but become double-O. Says the Baker St boy is no man of action - whilst ignoring the stories that could have put him in traction. The Gloria Scott and The Sign of the Fo' The Empty House too sees a mention, in time, of Mathews, As for arts martial, there's surely a clue In hurling Moriarty over the torrent In shooting down pygmies and Hounds from hell When Gruner's men got him was Holmes quite compliant Or did he give good account for The Illustrious Client? There's no need to invoke in yarns that still thrill, Her Majesty's Secret Servant with licence to kill From Rathbone through Brett to Cumberbatch dandy With his fists Mr Holmes has always been handy. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38516886

Denny Solomona: Castleford Tigers to seek £500,000 compensation - BBC Sport

2017-01-05

Castleford Tigers will claim they should receive £500,000 in compensation after winger Denny Solomona walked out on the club to join Sale Sharks.

Last updated on .From the section Rugby League Castleford Tigers will claim they should receive £500,000 in compensation after winger Denny Solomona left to join Sale Sharks in December. Solomona, 23, is alleged to have demanded his wages were doubled before his controversial rugby code switch. Court papers seen by the BBC claim Sale had been agitating for Solomona to move since last summer, and that they acted with the player and agent Andy Clarke. The papers also allege Sale knew he was under contract until November 2018. • None The legal case that could impact rugby as Bosman did football And they claim that Sale and the agent entered into a "cynical calculation" that they would be better off if the player breached his contract rather than negotiate a transfer fee. The court papers include an email that Castleford say was sent by Sale's director of rugby Steve Diamond to the Tigers chief executive Steve Gill in which an offer of £50,000 compensation was made. An earlier offer of £150,000 rising to £200,000 had been withdrawn. In the email, it is claimed, Diamond writes: "…legal advice has been sourced and we are confident that when he walks away he will be free to play rugby union. "I… do not want to get the lawyers involved, it isn't our style and it will be a distraction as well as expensive to go through the courts for the next two years. "The club are prepared to pay £50,000 immediately and you will release Denny from his contract at the end of September after your last match. "Hopefully you will see the sense in a quick, quiet deal." Castleford are taking legal action against Solomona, his agent and the Sale club. It is understood that the claim was only issued in the High Court of Justice in Leeds last month. At the time of writing, attempts to contact Sale for comment had been unsuccessful but director of rugby Diamond has previously denied that the club, the player or the agent have done anything wrong.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/38525994

Jill Saward, sexual assault campaigner, dies aged 51 - BBC News

2017-01-05

June Kelly looks back at the life and legacy of sexual assault campaigner Jill Saward, who has died at the age of 51 after suffering a stroke.

Jill Saward, who became a sexual assault campaigner after she was raped during a burglary at her father's vicarage in 1986, has died after suffering a stroke. June Kelly looks back at her life and legacy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38525269

Celebrations mark opening of giant floating walkway in China - BBC News

2017-01-05

Covering 54,000 sq m, it's hoped the path will attract more tourists to the Hongshui River in Guizhou Province.

Visitors have been enjoying a new floating walkway on the Hongshui River in China's Guizhou Province. Covering an area of 54,000 sq m, it's hoped the path will attract more tourists to the region in the winter months.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38516111

Dangling skier rescued from Utah chair-lift - BBC News

2017-01-05

A skier has been rescued from a chair-lift in Utah after becoming trapped by his backpack.

A skier has been rescued from a chair-lift in Utah after becoming trapped by his backpack. Footage shot by another passenger, Clint Ashmead, shows the boy hanging by a single strap.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38516109