Walking tours led by people who have been homeless have been launched in Edinburgh.

Article: A US congressman made the claim last month after visiting Camp 7, saying it showed the inmates were "not exactly holy warriors".
Lawyer James Connell says guards this week gave a copy of the erotic novel to his client, possibly as a joke.
But 9/11 accused Ammar al-Baluchi had no interest in the book, he said.
The 35-year-old, also known as Abd al-Aziz Ali, is a senior al-Qaeda member who has been charged with war crimes.
He is also a nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 2001 attacks.
Mr Baluchi turned up in court this week at Guantanamo for pre-trial hearings, with a copy of E L James' best-seller, according to his lawyer.
"He said, 'you'll never guess what I have,'" Mr Connell told the BBC.
Mr Baluchi handed the copy of Fifty Shades of Grey to his lawyer, and said the fairly worn paperback had been a gift.
A couple of guards at Camp 7, the secretive facility where he is confined, had given him the book, Mr Baluchi said.
Mr Connell said his client has not read the book. He is an avid reader of the Economist and Wired magazine - and the novel did not interest him, said the lawyer.
"He [Mr Baluchi] knew that it was some sort of a joke," said Mr Connell. "Or some sort of disinformation campaign."
The book was passed to Mr Baluchi after reports circulated of its alleged popularity among inmates, following a US congressman's visit in July to the prison.
Journalists are not allowed to visit Camp 7, a secretive facility that opened in 2006.
But Representative Jim Moran, a Virginia Democrat, told the Huffington Post he had discovered that detainees in the facility were enjoying the trilogy of novels about sadomasochism.
"It demystifies them," Mr Moran also told the Miami Herald, following his 26 July tour of the base.
"It exposes them for who they actually are."
He said that their choice of reading material shows they are "not exactly holy warriors. Just the opposite. These people are phonies."
The claim surprised many as inmates' access to reading material is strictly...

Summary: A lawyer for a detainee at Guantanamo Bay's highest-security section has rubbished reports that Fifty Shades of Grey is a favourite read among inmates.
###
Article: But for those of you who find them a bit creepy - it's best to stay away from Helsinki in March because that's when the Finnish National Ballet is putting on the show.
This is the first time Tove Jansson's characters have been made into a dance.
"Although the body of the Moomins isn't the most flexible," the website promises they will feature in the show.
Other characters will "take care of the classical ballet part" in the production, which will tell the story of Comet Moominland.
"When everything is not well in the Moominvalley, Moomintroll and his friends heads to the Observatory on the Lonely Mountains," explains the show's synopsis.
"In the Observatory they are told that the comet will hit the Earth within a few days. Will the Moominvalley survive?"
If you can make your way to Finland, adult tickets will set you back 42 euros (Â£32.50) each.
The show is said to be suitable for children over the age of four - but even if you're a bit older than that and still find the Moomins a little scary, you might also want an adult to accompany you.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: If you think they're super cute, then you'd better start booking your ticket to the Moomin ballet now.
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Article: "Further stoking of anti-Russian sentiments... could significantly aggravate the atmosphere in Russian-French relations," the ministry said.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rebuked French police for detaining 43 Russian fans after clashes in Marseille.
Separately, France is to expel four Russians arrested in Lille.
France's crackdown on hooliganism among supporters relates to incidents outside the stadiums.
Uefa, football's European governing body, separately fined Russia and gave it a suspended disqualification following fan violence inside the stadium in Marseille where Russia played England on Saturday.
The Russian foreign ministry summoned Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert soon after a speech by Mr Lavrov to the lower house of the Russian parliament in Moscow.
Mr Lavrov suggested Russian fans had been provoked and criticised the way French police were subjecting them to security checks.
"It was an absolutely unacceptable incident when a bus with more than 40 Russian supporters was stopped and [the police] demanded that they leave the bus for document and ID checks," he told the State Duma.
He accused the French of violating international conventions by detaining the fans.
"It is a fact that the French behaved completely contrary to their obligations under the Vienna Convention, and I have already written to the French foreign minister, demanding that he does not allow any more such incidents to occur."
Mr Lavrov did concede that the behaviour of some Russian fans at the tournament had been poor.
"Behaving like some of our citizens did, bringing flares, fireworks and so on, is unacceptable."
"However..." he added, "we cannot close our eyes to the attempts to ignore the provocative actions of other countries' fans.
"You have probably seen the shocking images where they are jumping on the Russian flag, shouting insults at Russian leaders and top Russian athletes. Of course, it is never acceptable to resort to fist-fighting, but it is also unacceptable to ignore provocateurs who are trying to create crisis...

Summary: The French ambassador to Moscow has been summoned to the Russian foreign ministry after sharp criticism of policing at the Euro 2016 tournament.
###
Article: The company has published accounts for last year showing an overall loss of $7.2bn.
The company's results also included an impairment charge of $14.8bn reflecting the decreased value of its assets.
Petrobras has been embroiled in a massive corruption scandal in which it is alleged that bribes were paid for lucrative contracts with the firm.
The scandal has hurt Petrobras and damaged President Dilma Rousseff's government.
In March hundreds of thousands of Brazilians protested against President Rousseff, who chaired the board of Petrobras for much of the period when the alleged bribes happened.
However, the president denies involvement and has been exonerated by an investigation by the attorney general.
More than 40 top politicians - including the presidents of both houses of Congress - are still under investigation, and the treasurer of the country's ruling party has been arrested.
Earlier on Thursday a judge convicted a former Petrobras executive of money laundering and racketeering for his role in the case, that involved bribes and illegal donations to political parties.
Paulo Roberto Costa, who was head of refining and supply, will serve part of his sentence under house arrest. He can still appeal.
Petrobras was supposed to be Brazil's "lottery ticket" - as it is sitting on top of one of the world's most valuable oil reserves.
But today it announced losses of $7bn for 2014 - its first loss in decades.
That number is based on witness statements to the police that 3% of each major contract between 2004 and 2012 was paid in kickbacks to politicians and executives.
Wednesday's announcement was highly anticipated in Brazil and in the markets, because previous figures were discredited.
Petrobras executives - all recently appointed to replace people involved in the scandal - hope this will draw a line, and that the company may finally start to move on.
Petrobras's oil bonanza: Blessing or curse?
Back in November Petrobras's auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) declined to certify the company's accounts saying...

Summary: Brazil's state-run oil company, Petrobras has taken a $2bn (£1.3bn) charge for costs related to corruption.
###
Article: He will take up his new post alongside the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood.
Both will start in January 2012 and both will be paid the same salary of Â£200,000.
A No 10 spokesman said Sir Bob had been appointed after an open competition process. He declined to say how many other senior civil servants had applied for the post.
Sir Bob will also continue in his current role as the top civil servant at the Department of Communities and Local Government.
He replaces Sir Gus O'Donnell, who has held the post of civil service head - as well as cabinet secretary - for six years.
His retirement on 31 December signals a major overhaul at the top of the Civil Service, with his role being carved into three parts.
Mr Heywood will be the prime minister's principal policy adviser as well as being the new cabinet secretary - but not head of the civil service as Sir Gus had been.
Prime Minister David Cameron decided to split up the roles because of the scale of the work involved.
Mr Cameron said Sir Bob, a former chief executive of Sheffield Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, would bring a "wealth of experience" to the role.
He added: "This is a time of significant change and challenge for the Civil Service, driven by the demands for new skills and capabilities, and the delivery of substantial financial savings without compromising on standards.
"I feel absolutely confident that Bob and Jeremy will provide the leadership to ensure that our civil service continues to be admired around the world for its strength and professionalism."
Sir Bob Kerslake said he was "delighted and honoured" to be offered the role at an important time for the Civil Service, which employs more than 450,000 people.
"We have immense strengths in the service that we should be justly proud of, but we must also embrace change. I want to engage all parts of the Civil Service in the reform process."
The recruitment process was led by Sir David Normington, First Civil Service Commissioner and the former top civil servant at...

Summary: Sir Bob Kerslake has been named as the new head of the Civil Service.
###
Article: Invisible Edinburgh said the aim was to reveal a different side to Scotland's capital city.
The tours start in the Grassmarket, Castle Terrace and Middle Meadow Walk and each has a different theme and is tailored to the guide's individual experience.
The venture has funding from the Edinburgh Airport Community Fund.
The themes are powerful women of Edinburgh, crimes and punishment, community sport and food and charity.
Zakia Moulaoui, 28, from France, set up the tours after getting the idea from a project in Greece where street vendors take people on walks.
She told the BBC Scotland news website: "We have four guides at the moment but will be training up more in September.
"There is a homeless point to all the walks, which is personal to the guide, so for example the crime and punishment tour will tell you about Burke and Hare but the guide will also tell you about his own relevant problems with the court across the road with funny stories.
"The tours are a mix of old and new.
"In the powerful women of Edinburgh you will hear about Maggie Dickson but then also about JK Rowling."
The Â£8 tours run on a Saturday and tickets must be bought online.

Summary:


Energy firms will be banned from charging catch-up bills for gas and electricity used more than 12 months earlier, under the regulator's plans.

Article: The woman, 26, remains in a critical condition in hospital following the shooting in Oxfordshire.
Officers were called by ambulance crews to Thornhill Walk in Abingdon, at about 20:00 GMT on Tuesday.
Thames Valley Police said the suspect, from Ealing in west London, was arrested on Wednesday night.
One resident told BBC Radio Oxford: "We heard a loud bang and we heard a lady scream. This did not sound like a firework."
Searches and forensic examinations have been taking place in and around Northcourt Road.

Summary: A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was shot in the head.
###
Article: Almost one million people visited the city during the six-week festival period over Christmas and Hogmanay.
Organisers said almost 890,000 people visited the Edinburgh's Christmas events in 2014/15, contributing £199.5m to the local economy.
The three-day Hogmanay celebrations attracted more than 150,000 people, creating an economic impact of £41.8m.
Charlie Wood, Edinburgh's Christmas festival director, said: "This is great news for Edinburgh. The revenue generated does not go to the events themselves, the event organisers or to Edinburgh city council.
"This is money, which is going to the businesses of Edinburgh, be it retail, accommodation, food, drink, shopping and entertainment."

Summary: Edinburgh's winter festivals generated more than £241m for the city, according to organisers.
###
Article: On a stiflingly hot August morning, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, presided over the flag-raising ceremony and the speeches laden with pomp, emotion and bold statements of intent to move on from the hostilities of the past.
Since that day, a lot has happened between the former Cold War foes. Direct flights are due to begin this month, travel restrictions have been eased for US citizens and bilateral cooperation increased in science and the arts.
Plus of course, there was a historic visit by President Obama.
"I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he told the nation in a televised address.
But while many Cubans would happily accept another four years of Mr Obama, a new administration in Washington is coming. And the outcome could have a significant impact on the new spirit of cordiality between the two countries.
"Obviously the big problem in US-Cuban relations is the embargo. That is the elephant in the room," says Carlos Azugaray, a former Cuban diplomat.
He says the key to the next phase of United States' normalisation with Cuba has to be the lifting of the decades-long economic embargo on the island: "The elephant has already started to leave the room, you already have the trunk out!
"We can see that with the recent opening of a Sheraton hotel in Havana, with the decision that some US credit cards can be used in Cuba, that travel restrictions have been eased."
If the Democratic Party regains control of Congress, he argues, they are "bound to do something about the embargo".
But most attention is on the race for the White House. So how would a Clinton or a Trump presidency affect the rapprochement with Cuba?
"I understand the scepticism in this community about any policy of engagement towards Cuba," Hillary Clinton recently told an audience in Miami.
"I've been sceptical too. But we can't wait any longer for a failed policy to bear fruit. We have to seize this moment."
The embargo on Cuba is obsolete she told them and needs to go "once and for all".
Whereas...

Summary: A year has passed since one of the most symbolic moments in the long and tangled history between the United States and Cuba: the official reopening of the long-shuttered US embassy in Havana.
###
Article: Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) found the construction and retail and wholesale sectors had "a relatively successful" first three months of the year.
But nearly half of manufacturing firms reported a decline in orders.
And about 45% of firms in financial and business services said profits declined over the quarter.
SCC's latest quarterly economic indicator also suggested that the tourism sector enjoyed strong sales, but companies were less confident about future performance and profit margins.
Construction firms indicated a growth in profitability, with 50% of all respondents reporting that overall sales revenue had increased over the quarter.
More building companies said they anticipated growth to continue in terms of sales revenue, employment and investment over the next three months.
But they reported that skills shortages remained a challenge for the sector.
Firms in retail and wholesale reported growth in sales and investment, with an increase in online sales boosting optimism.
About 45% of businesses in the sector said they expected growth in sales to continue in the current quarter.
A similar percentage of manufacturers experienced a decline in orders following a strong quarter at the end of 2015.
However, the majority of respondents expected orders to increase or remain at the same level over the next three months.
Nearly half of all financial and business services firms who took part in the survey said profits over the quarter declined.
But SCC noted "a clear distinction between the performance of oil and gas sector businesses, which are continuing to report weak performance and non-oil and gas businesses which are reporting positive trends".
SCC chief executive Liz Cameron said: "This detailed picture of the Scottish economy after the first three months of 2016 shows that business performance is inconsistent across a range of sectors.
"As Scotland prepares to head to the polls for next month's Scottish Parliamentary elections, we know that our economy is on a knife edge between growth and...

Summary: Business performance is "inconsistent" across the Scottish economy, according to a respected quarterly survey.
###
Article: Earlier this year, the BBC revealed preparations for a joint bid were being made by Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council.
UK cities have been European Capital of Culture twice - Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008.
Belfast previously failed in a bid for the 2008 title.
Council officials from Belfast and Derry City and Strabane District have said a joint attempt would be a "stronger proposition" and "help share resources".
Leeds, Dundee and Milton Keynes have already declared their interest in the 2023 Capital of Culture title, which is shared by two European cities each year.
Cities have to submit initial bids to Westminster's Department for Culture, Media and Sport by October 2017, with the UK winner announced in 2018.
As well as prestige the title has given an economic boost to previous UK holders, which hosted a year-long programme of cultural events.
Belfast's Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister and Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor Maolíosa McHugh will attend an event in Londonderry's Guildhall to mark the launch of the bid.
The chosen UK city will share the title with a city in Hungary in 2023.
In 2017 the position is being held by Aarhus in Denmark and Paphos in Cyprus, while Galway in the Republic of Ireland will hold the title in 2020.
It is understood that Britain's vote to leave the EU should not affect a UK city becoming European Capital of Culture.
Three non-EU cities have held the title in the past - Istanbul in 2010, Stavanger in Norway in 2008 and Reykjavik in Iceland in 2000.
The European Capital of Culture scheme is separate from the UK City of Culture, a title which was held by Londonderry in 2013 and is held this year by Hull.

Summary: Two Northern Ireland councils are launching their joint bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023 on Wednesday.
###
Article: Customers who pay via direct debit often receive bills based on estimated meter readings.
When an actual reading is taken, the company "back-bills" the customer for any shortfall between payments and the energy used.
Citizens Advice says that the bills hit thousands of pounds in some cases.
Its research last year showed that as many as 2.1 million consumers a year receive some sort of catch up bill, at an average of Â£206.
In 2007, energy suppliers signed a voluntary commitment promising not to back-bill domestic customers for energy used more than 12 months previously, if the supplier was at fault.
The expansion of the market has led to concerns that some are not keeping to this agreement, and regulator Ofgem wants to write it into the rules by the winter.
"We expect suppliers to put their customers first, which is why we are proposing a new enforceable rule to provide this protection," said Rachel Fletcher, senior partner at Ofgem.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "Shock gas and electricity bills can throw people's finances into disarray.
"We helped one person who received a bill for over Â£3,000 after their energy company stopped taking their direct debit payment but didn't tell the customer. The firm refused to apply the 12 month back-bill limit, leaving the customer to pay the full bill.
"We've long been calling on the regulator to introduce a mandatory time limit for back bills instead of relying on voluntary action, which suppliers have refused to apply in some cases."
The regulator is planning to reduce the back bill time limit when more accurate smart meters become the norm in homes. Citizens Advice is calling for this deadline to be reduced to three months.

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The 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare next year will be marked by a major global cultural and educational project in 140 countries.

Article: The horse - the first novice to win the Gold Cup for over 40 years - will miss the festive meetings.
Some reports have suggested the eight-year-old is out for the season.
Sara Bradstock, wife of trainer Mark, told the Racing Post, "Coneygree won't run in the King George (at Kempton on Boxing Day) having sustained a new injury."
She added: "He's being assessed by vets this morning."

Summary: Coneygree, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, has been sidelined until next year with an injury.
###
Article: Of the 15,385 coaches registered with the Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA), 2,500 have not had Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) clearance.
The PVG checks are carried by Disclosure Scotland and search databases including criminal records.
The SYFA has now announced plans to tighten up procedures.
The organisation said any registered official who is participating in an 11-a side programme and has not submitted a current PVG application form by 28 February 2017 will be placed under an automatic precautionary suspension.
It comes amid a burgeoning child sex abuse in football scandal, which has led to the Scottish Football Association announcing it will establish an independent review of the "processes and procedures" in place both currently and historically in Scottish football.
About 4,000 PVG applications are processed every year by the SYFA, taking an average of 8-10 weeks to process at a total annual cost of between Â£25,000 to Â£30,000.
The SYFA told the BBC there were around 90 PVGs waiting to be processed, which means there are around 2,400 coaches who have not even begun the application process yet.
Any official who has not yet completed the PVG process is classed as a provisional member and is not permitted to have unrestricted access to players.
For a person to become a fully affiliated youth coach they have to undergo a series of background checks including previous clubs and reference checks.
It is the individual club's responsibility to register the coach, and have them fill out the relevant forms to be PVG cleared.
Every month the SYFA sends reminders to Scotlands 41 youth football leagues to alert them to the numbers of coaches who remain to be PVG cleared.
The SYFA said that it planned to tighten up procedures.
In a statement, it said: "We have written to all league secretaries informing them that any registered official who is participating in an 11-a side programme and has not submitted a current PVG application form by 28 February 2017 will be placed under an automatic precautionary...

Summary: About 2,500 coaches are working in youth football in Scotland without having full background checks, BBC Scotland can reveal.
###
Article: The Scottish Parliament's health committee also supported a legally-enforceable ban on smoking in parts of hospital grounds.
It has been examining a Scottish government bill on smoking products.
It would introduce restrictions on the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes, including a minimum purchase age of 18.
The committee backed the "proportionate and balanced" approach to restricting the sale and advertising of e-cigarettes in the bill.
But members called on the Scottish government to consider whether the NHS should provide national guidance on the risks and benefits of using them to quit smoking, and for more research on the issue.
Deputy committee convener Bob Doris MSP said: "You just need to look at our high streets to see how popular e-cigarettes have become.
"So given there is not clear evidence that they are harmless, the committee considered it sensible to introduce measures to restrict their sale in line with other smoking products.
"However the majority of evidence we heard pointed to these products proving to be a useful aid in helping people to stop smoking."
If passed, the bill will make it an offence to smoke within a designated no-smoking area around buildings in NHS hospital grounds.
A Scottish government spokesman said: "While we accept that the devices may potentially help people smoke fewer cigarettes, or even stop altogether, we recognise that there are also risks involved.
"We have included a range of provisions to regulate the sale of these products in the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Bill which is being considered by the Scottish Parliament at the moment.
"It contains measures to regulate e-cigarettes including age restrictions, proxy purchase, marketing restrictions and the creation of an e-cigarette retailers register."

Summary: MSPs on a Holyrood committee have backed new restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes and called for national guidance on the risks and benefits.
###
Article: The Londoner's role was announced on BBC One during half time of the FA Cup semi-final match between Everton and Manchester United.
Mackie, 28, replaces Jenna Coleman, whose character Clara Oswald left the show in 2015.
Filming for the next series of the long-running science fiction show will start this year but air in 2017.
Mackie, who graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2010, played Anne-Marie Frasier in Doctors in 2014 and is currently performing in the National Theatre's West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.
"I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Doctor Who family," she said. "It's such an extraordinary British institution, I couldn't be prouder to call the Tardis my home."
She added: "Peter Capaldi is such a brilliant actor, and his Doctor is such a wacky and wonderful character, I can't wait to see what adventures are in store for him and Bill throughout time and space."
Mackie said her new character "Bill" was "wicked", describing her as "cool, strong, sharp, a little bit vulnerable with a bit of geekiness thrown in".
Capaldi said: "It is a genuine delight to welcome Pearl Mackie to Doctor Who. A fine, fine actress with a wonderful zest and charm, she's a refreshing addition to the Tardis and will bring a universe of exciting new possibilities to The Doctor's adventures."
Doctor Who, which was first shown in 1963, is heading for its 10th season since it was reintroduced to schedules in 2005 after a gap of nine years.
Coleman joined the show in 2012, and starred alongside two Doctors, Matt Smith and Capaldi, the 12th Doctor who joined in 2014.
She asked to be written out and left to take on the role of Queen Victoria in a major ITV drama series.
In January, it was announced that the head writer and executive producer of Doctor Who, Steven Moffat, was stepping down from the show.
The next series will be his last, after which he will be replaced by Broadchurch writer Chris Chibnall.

Summary: Pearl Mackie has been named as the new Doctor Who companion alongside Peter Capaldi's Time Lord in the Tardis.
###
Article: Cricket Australia wants to give players experience with the Dukes-made ball.
The England and Wales Cricket Board uses the Dukes ball in international matches, but Australia use Kookaburra.
"Changing the ball can be a significant factor," said Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's general manager.
The Dukes ball will be used in the second part of the Sheffield Shield - Australia's premier first-class competition - from next year, while the Kookaburra ball will continue to be used in the first part of the season.
The Aussies have not won an Ashes series in England since 2001, with their difficulties against the seaming and swinging ball, and their own bowlers' inability to produce as much movement as England's attack, often cited as reasons.
Australia will host the next Ashes series in 2017-18 before the sides return to England in 2019.
Howard insists switching between the brands, which behave differently through the air and off the pitch, is not a "minor consideration".
"In recent times Australian teams travelling to England haven't adjusted well to local conditions and the swinging Dukes ball," he added.
"We have been on record saying that we will look at ways to address this deficiency and believe giving players greater experience with the Dukes ball is one way of doing just that."

Summary: Australian cricketers will use a different ball in domestic first-class competition next year in a bid to help them win the Ashes in England for the first time in 18 years.
###
Article: Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the playwright was "one of our greatest literary exports".
The initiative will include working with young people without access to school in developing countries.
The British Council's Sir Ciaran Devane said the project would reflect Shakespeare's "global impact".
Speaking in the Houses of Parliament at the launch of Shakespeare Lives, Mr Whittingdale emphasised the playwright's cultural significance and international influence.
"Shakespeare is a major driver of tourism and also an important player in our export market. And the creative industries which he towers over are a huge part of our economy," said Mr Whittingdale.
"It is very hard to overstate the scale and scope of his reach."
Partners in the 400th anniversary project include the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe and the BBC.
There will be performances, publications, films, broadcasts, online events and festivals.
Schools in the UK and around the world will be given resources and video clips, exploring themes such as "global citizenship".
But there will also be an alliance with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) to use the Shakespeare events to reach those young people who are excluded from education.
Despite a millennium pledge for universal primary education, there are about 58 million children who have no access to school - mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.
There are an estimated 250 million young people around the world who are unable to read or write.
"When millions of children cannot read, they become cut off from learning those lessons that literature can offer," said Philip Goodwin, VSO chief executive.
The exercise in cultural "soft power" will include events in the United States, Bangladesh, Malaysia, New Zealand, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.
Sir Ciaran, British Council chief executive, said the playwright was "one of the most enduring examples of cultural impact and relations".
He said the "genius" of Shakespeare's language had given "people from all walks of life...

Summary:


An alleged victim of two ex-BBC radio presenters accused of child sex crimes told a court they later rejected him as he was "probably too old".

Article: About 700 Welsh employers will be affected when the UK-wide levy is introduced on 6 April.
An assembly committee said Welsh Government engagement about the charge had been "patchy" and employers were confused.
The Welsh Government said it was helping to "minimise" its impact.
All employers with a wage bill of more than Â£3m a year will pay a 0.5% levy towards the apprenticeship scheme in England.
The UK government has said Wales will get around Â£130m a year from its share of the levy, but Welsh Ministers have disputed this.
A report published by the assembly's Economy Committee on Wednesday said the tax had "considerable implications" for devolved areas and had been introduced without the assembly being consulted.
Committee chairman Russell George said businesses still had concerns about the introduction of the levy next week and ministers "must re-double efforts" to clear things up.
"While the Welsh Government published detailed new documentation immediately prior to giving evidence to the Committee, engagement with employers over the last year has been patchy and employers still have questions about what they'll get for their money," he said.
The Conservative AM repeated calls for the UK government to ask the assembly's permission before imposing charges devolved in Wales.
The report makes 13 recommendations to the Welsh Government, including lobbying the UK government to make sure schools are not adversely affected by the change.
The Welsh Government has pledged to create at least 100,000 high quality all-age apprenticeships over the next five years.
A spokesman said the apprenticeship levy "directly conflicts with areas of devolved responsibility" and overlooked its own approach in Wales.
"To help minimise its impact on employers and learners the Welsh Government is taking a different approach to its counterparts in England - one which is better aligned to and supports the growing needs, of Wales, its people and economy," he said.
"We will consider the recommendations of this report in detail and respond...

Summary: Businesses in Wales remain "uncertain" about the impact of a new tax to fund apprenticeships, a Welsh Assembly committee has said.
###
Article: The figures point to a sharp drop in the number of new firms operating in the oil and gas sector.
That energy category, known to statisticians as "mining and quarrying", dropped from 215 to 99 start-up businesses.
The total number of start-ups, compiled by the four main banks in the Scottish market, was down 1%, to 11,669.
The Committee of Scottish Bankers reported a 2% drop in the final quarter, compared with the last three months of 2014.
By region, Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire saw a drop in new companies from 1539 to 1382.
The east of Scotland was the only other region to report a fall, from  3139 to 2956.
Measured by council area, Edinburgh saw a fall but it was Glasgow that stood out for a significant drop compared with 2014 - down from 1468 to 1,330 new firms.
The decline of urban start-ups registered in these statistics may be partly explained by growing competition for business banking from lenders with a smaller presence in the Scottish market.
The Committee of Scottish Bankers includes Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale and TSB.  It does not include HSBC, Barclays or Nationwide.
According to the four main Scottish-based banks, most regions of Scotland saw a small increase in start-up business, except in the south of Scotland, where new firms registered by the bankers were up from 477 to 600.
One of the biggest business categories, recreation and personal services, fell from 1686 to 1382.
Adding most new firms was the real estate sector, rising from 3,186 to 3,371 start-up accounts.
There was a drop of 500 in the number of sole traders registering with banks, while the number of legally-constituted companies was on the rise.

Summary: The number of new businesses opening accounts with Scotland's major lenders last year was down on the 2014 figure.
###
Article: But while being described as "a new way to explore stories" it also rearranges the app's menu and removes the ability to see other people's "best friends".
Despite Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel tweeting "we'll bring back BFs soon," some users are still a bit cross.
Unsurprisingly it seems Snapchatters like a good nosy around who their mates have been chatting to.
Explaining why the feature disappeared, Evan Spiegel added: "A few higher-profile friends wanted to keep their usernames private - we'll come up with a better way to do that."
Snapchat's best friends feature allowed users to view the top three people their contacts were interacting with.
The list was determined by the number of times you exchanged messages with a particular friend and couldn't be manually controlled.
It was the only way of knowing anything about how other contacts were interacting on the app.
However, some users backed the Discover update, which has seen Snapchat partner with media companies to feature videos and news articles on the app.
But others quickly forgot about their beloved best friends lists when they realised the app includes way more sloths now.
After 24 hours the stories disappear, in keeping with Snapchat's trademark feature of private messages that disappear a few seconds after they are viewed by users of the service.
Snapchat, which reportedly turned down a $3bn (Â£1.2bn) buy out offer from Facebook, it thought to have been valued has been valued at $10bn (Â£6.2bn).
The addition of news and entertainment content is the latest expansion for LA-based app and follows the launch of an online payments service in November.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary: If you're a regular on Snapchat, you'll have seen a pretty cheery clip introducing the Discover update.
###
Article: Keep Wales Tidy gave an extra 22 sites the award - the national benchmark for publicly accessible parks - up from last year's total of 161.
The new additions include Aberfan Cemetery, Swansea University and The Kymin, in Penarth.
Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths said green spaces were "fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life".
Winners of the Green Flag Community Award, for sites that rely on volunteers for their maintenance, include The Dye Garden, at the National Wool Museum in Carmarthen, Cae Bryn Coed in Llan Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, and Llanfyllin Wetland in Powys.
The Green Flag scheme, which is run by environmental charity, Keep Wales Tidy, with support from the Welsh Government, is judged by green space experts.
They assess sites using eight criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, environmental management and community involvement.
Ms Griffiths said: "I am delighted to see so many green spaces achieving the standards of the Green Flag Award.
"The award helps to ensure that communities have top quality green space to enjoy and experience the outdoors, which are fundamental to the wellbeing and quality of life of our communities in Wales."
Lucy Prisk, Green Flag coordinator, said it was about "connecting people with the very best parks and green spaces".

Summary: More than 180 parks and green spaces in Wales have now been given the Green Flag award.
###
Article: The Finance Committee's report said a law was needed to strengthen the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales' powers, so he can start an investigation without first needing a complaint.
Ombudsman Nick Bennett said there was a chance for AMs to "hit the ground running" to help improve services.
He had called for the power to hold his own inquiries last year.
The AMs also recommended the ombudsman's jurisdiction should include private healthcare providers.
Committee chairwoman Jocelyn Davies said: "We sincerely hope this legislation is taken forward during the fifth assembly and that its implementation will enhance the role of the ombudsman and increase public confidence in Wales."

Summary: A public services watchdog should have powers to start its own investigations, a group of AMs has said.
###
Article: The man claims he had sex with Julie Wadsworth up to 15 times, between the ages of 14 and 18, including once when her husband Tony joined in.
He told the jury he sent messages to Mrs Wadsworth years after the alleged abuse when "drunk, depressed, or down".
Julie, 60, and Tony Wadsworth, 69, deny assaulting seven boys in the 1990s.
For more on this story and other Birmingham news
The Wadsworths, from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, who have worked for BBC Radio Leicester and BBC WM, deny five counts of outraging public decency between July 1992 and June 1996.
Mrs Wadsworth has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of indecent assault and Mr Wadsworth denies 10 counts of the same offence.
The complainant, now in his 30s, told Warwick Crown Court: "I kept going back when the abuse was happening.
"I didn't really want to do that. Afterwards I felt guilty, it was terrible."
Mrs Wadsworth's barrister David Hislop claimed the accuser became angry because the radio star "rejected" his advances when he contacted her on Facebook and by email years later.
The complainant replied: "Yeah, I was probably too old."
The man also denied the barrister's claims he had become "wholly obsessed" with Mrs Wadsworth and that he reported the couple to police only after his "heartfelt" messages were ignored.
The man replied: "I had occasionally [become obsessed] - when I was drunk, depressed, or down.
"When I looked back on it and would crave it [sex]."
"It's probably why you're meant to have sex with underage kids isn't it, because that is what it does to them."
He has told the jury he reported his allegations to police after receiving professional child protection training.
In a Facebook message he sent to Mrs Wadsworth in 2015, he said he wanted to meet her.
It read: "Been years - I still look back very fondly on fun times xx."
Another said: "I hope you don't see me as a stalker or a nuisance or anything like that - I'm a genuine guy and do really look back fondly on our time.
"I learnt a hell of a lot during our friendly chats."
The...

Summary:


The Queen is a "very good mimic" with a knack for imitating regional accents, her cousin has said.

Article: More than 200 guests attended the celebration of HMS Warspite at Plymouth's Devonport Dockyard.
The ship, launched in 1913, holds more honours than any other in British naval history and served in both World Wars.
Alan Jones from HMS Warspite Association said she was "a mighty warship of historical significance" to both Plymouth and the nation.
The "iconic" super dreadnought was launched on 26 November 1913 in the presence of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and 30,000 others.
During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, Warspite held off the German High Seas Fleet, surviving two dozen heavy shell hits, while in World War Two, she saw action in the Arctic, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the English Channel.
She was taken apart after running aground in a storm off Prussia Cove in Cornwall in 1947.
The ship was the seventh Royal Navy vessel to bear the name Warspite.
The original was launched in 1596 and became Sir Walter Raleigh's flagship for an attack on the Spanish port of Cadiz.
Iain Ballantyne, associate member of the HMS Warspite Association and Plymouth naval historian and author, said the 1913 ship's "amazing" life was also the story of a navy and a nation.
"She was created and launched when Britain was at the zenith of its imperial power and last saw action when the empire was in decline," he said.
"Warspite used oil-fired boilers for her propulsion at a time when most naval vessels relied on coal, plus she carried the biggest guns ever mounted in a vessel of her kind."
Mr Ballantyne, who has documented the ship's history in his book, Warspite: From Jutland Hero to Cold War Warrior, said despite fears while she was being built, "Warspite turned out to be a tremendous success [and] a remarkable vessel".
"Churchill famously had nightmares that, with time running out in the race with Germany, Warspite would turn out to be slow and her untested guns might not work at all.
"[However] she and four sister vessels - Queen Elizabeth, Valiant, Barham and Malaya - were the deadliest...

Summary: One of Britain's "deadliest ships" has been honoured at a centenary service in the city where she was built.
###
Article: Government statisticians said the total poultry flock fell by 11% over the past year, to just over 13 million.
The broiler sector was hit hardest, with numbers falling by 27% to 5.7 million birds.
The number of broilers is now the lowest on record.
The fall was partially offset by a 7% increase in layers and a 7% rise in the number of fowls for breeding.
Last month, NFU Scotland called on the Competition and Markets Authority to intervene to save processing facilities in Scotland, claiming that the number of independent chicken producers in Scotland had fallen from 28 to 12 since December 2014.
It cited the closure of a number of company-owned farms in the Scottish Borders by Hook 2 Sisters, Scotland's dominant chicken processor.
Meanwhile, the June 2015 Agricultural Census recorded small increases in the number of cattle, sheep and pigs in Scotland.
However, it also found a 10% fall in the area used for potato growing, which shrank by 2,700 hectares to 26,000 hectares.
The area is now the smallest on record.

Summary: The number of chickens in Scotland has fallen sharply following the closure of several large poultry producers late last year, according to the latest agricultural census.
###
Article: It is feared Toshiba may have to write down the value of the unit by a larger-than-expected 700bn yen ($6.1bn; Â£5bn).
There are unconfirmed reports Toshiba is seeking aid from the government-backed Development Bank of Japan (DBJ).
Toshiba said the exact writedown figure was not finalised, and declined to comment on any DBJ approach.
The laptops-to-hydro power giant was plunged into crisis late last year when it emerged it faced huge cost overruns on projects handled by a newly-bought company that builds US nuclear power plants.
Toshiba's US operation Westinghouse paid about $229m in 2015 for Stone & Webster, the nuclear construction subsidiary of Chicago Bridge & Iron.
But on 27 December Toshiba admitted that it faced writedowns of "several billion dollars". The company later indicated that the size of the writedowns would be between $1bn and $4.5bn.
Toshiba's nuclear services business brings in about one-third of the industrial giant's revenue.
The share price, down 26% at one stage on Thursday, is now 50% lower than when the writedown revelations emerged amid fears that the company still has no firm grip on the final costs.
The company, at the heart of Japan's industrial development for decades, is still recovering from revelations in 2015 that profits were overstated for seven years.
That accounting scandal led to the resignation of the company's chief executive.
Japan's Nikkei newspaper and the Reuters agency were among news groups reporting that Toshiba had approached the country's development bank, and is looking to spin-off its profitable Nand computer memory division to raise cash.
Toshiba is thought to have been in close contact with its bank lenders about providing more financial support. Reuters said there would be more meetings with the main banks this week.
"The key thing to watch here is whether Toshiba's liabilities will exceed its assets. If that happens it will be difficult for some banks to step up with new financing," said Mana Nakazora, chief credit analyst at BNP Paribas.
Mr Nakazora...

Summary: Shares in Toshiba have dived 16% on reports that the embattled Japanese conglomerate faces bigger losses at its US nuclear power business.
###
Article: By ruling that the right to privacy is "an intrinsic part of Article 21 that protects life and liberty", the verdict overturned two previous rulings by the top court which said privacy was not a fundamental right.
Many believe the ruling has immediate implications for the government's vast biometric ID scheme, covering access to benefits, bank accounts and payment of taxes.
Also, the verdict espouses a set of beliefs and lays down the groundwork for scrapping a controversial 2013 ruling by the top court, that upheld a law criminalising gay sex. (Last year, the court agreed to revisit the judgement.) It  provides a boost to petitioners for LGBT rights. It says you cannot compel people to incriminate themselves when accused of an offence, something common in India.
"The sheer sweep means the judgement will become a reference point in a lot of areas of law," leading lawyer Rebecca John told me. "I think it will have far reaching implications on Indian life."
At a time when many Indians worry that some of their essential private freedoms are under threat - the right to eat what you want, and the way you want to dress, for example -  the judges offer some stirring passages in what is a largely a cogent and well-researched 547-page verdict:
The judgement is, in parts, a rousing philosophical articulation of the right to privacy and the importance of an independent, dignified life for the individual. The verdict is remarkable because, as scholar Pratap Bhanu Mehta told me, it "asks us to look at a system of rights as an interconnected whole" rather than dealing with them in isolation.
What appears to be less clear are the implications the judgement will have on the use of state power in collecting personal information. For one, it recognises that there are compelling state interests in collecting such information.
It talks about a "careful and sensitive balance between individual interests and legitimate concerns of the state" like national security, prevention and investigation of crime and ensuring social welfare...

Summary: In many ways, Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that Indians have a fundamental right to privacy is one of country's most significant judgements in the last two decades.
###
Article: The children died in May 2012 in a fire started by their parents, Mairead and Mick Philpott, and friend Paul Mosley.
The alarms at 18 Victory Road in Derby did activate, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Officers have carried out research into children and fire alarms and concluded many do sleep through the noise.
Dave Coss, watch manager with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue, conducted the research along with the University of Strathclyde, following the Philpott blaze.
He said the Philpott case had had a "massive impact" on him.
Jade Philpott, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, seven, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died on the morning of the fire and Duwayne, 13, died three days later in hospital.
Mick Philpott was jailed for life for manslaughter in April, while his wife and Mosley were both jailed for 17 years.
"I couldn't understand why none of the children had woken up," Mr Coss said. "The forensic engineer was adamant the smoke alarms were working."
Mr Coss, who is doing a masters degree at the university, worked in collaboration with Professor Niamh Nic Daeid on the study.
They conducted 204 tests involving the activation of smoke alarms. The tests were undertaken on 34 children, aged between two and 13, in the children's own homes.
"The parents activated the smoke alarms continuously for one minute after the children had gone to bed and then recorded the time taken for each child to wake," said Mr Coss.
"The children were given no prior warning of any tests and each child was tested six times."
The research found:
Mr Coss said there were a few different theories as to why children did not wake, which were in the process of being tested.
"The research identified children under the age of 13 appear to be unable to wake when a smoke alarm activates," he said.
The service recommended people install smoke alarms in children's rooms and consider installing sprinklers.
Professor Daeid said 'While the results of this study remain preliminary given the number of children involved, they do highlight significant...

Summary: The six Philpott children who died in a house fire started by their parents slept through the sound of smoke alarms, according to the fire service.
###
Article: Margaret Rhodes said the monarch, who holidays at Sandringham in Norfolk, can imitate the distinctive local brogue "beautifully".
The Queen, who turns 90 this week, is still "full of laughter", Mrs Rhodes told BBC Radio 4.
She also has a sense of humour when things go pear-shaped, and enjoys telling amusing tales, her cousin said.
"She can tell very funny stories of things that have happened to her where things might have gone just a fraction wrong," Mrs Rhodes told the PM programme.
One such tale might include the time she met a shopper in Sandringham who did not recognise her and declared that she looked just like the Queen, prompting the monarch to remark: "How very reassuring".
Ms Rhodes said the Queen's vocal talents were not confined to the East of England, and years spent at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire meant she is also able to do an impressive Scottish accent.
Follow updates on this story and other news from Norfolk
A guide to the Norfolk accent
Source: Friends of Norfolk Dialect
She will spend her birthday, on 21 April, at Windsor Castle, where she will unveil a plaque on the Queen's Walkway.
Gun salutes will be held at all saluting stations across the UK at 12:00 BST, and members of the Army cadet force will take beacons to the top of the highest peaks of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Summary:


Actor Christopher Biggins has been removed from the Celebrity Big Brother house for making "a number of comments capable of causing great offence", the reality TV show has said.

Article: Padukone, in association with Vogue magazine, released a video on Saturday to raise awareness about women's rights in India.
"My body, my mind, my choice, to wear the clothes I like even as my spirit roams naked, my choice," these are the opening lines of the the video which features 99 women.
The video has received more than three million views.
"In my family, my father is the only male in the house, but all of us have a voice. I've always been allowed to be who I want to be. When you're not caged, when you don't succumb to expectation, that's when you're empowered," says Padukone.
But some say the video concentrates on "male bashing".
Ankur Poddar, who has made a rival video titled "my choice male version", says he respects all women, but feels that such initiatives need to look at the bigger picture.
"Women need to be respected but there has to be a pause to an anti-men campaign. Some are taking advantage of this campaign. Women and men are equal," he says.
Mr Poddar adds that "there must be an awareness over violence against women but it should not be against men".
His video has received just over 200,000 views since it was uploaded on YouTube on Monday.
"It's my choice to go the gym or have a beer belly...Thinking all men are same, is like calling white the new black," says Mr Poddar's video.
Analysts say the "rival videos" only reflect deeper divisions in the society about what exactly freedom for women means in the country.
Padukone's video has received support and criticism in equal measure in the media and on social media platforms.
"So then, what does make a truly empowered woman? Having the right to have sex whenever and with whoever? And wear whatever and return home whenever?" asks Piyasree Dasgupta in her article on the CNN-IBN website.
She adds that "the most significant choices in life have had to do with education, financial independence and the power to support our families instead of sex, clothes and staying out".
An article on the Quartz website says "Vogue and Padukone have a lot in...

Summary: A response to Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone's video on women's empowerment has fuelled debate on gender equality in India.
###
Article: Australia's world of high finance and at least a dozen global banks have recently been thrust into the spotlight because of two separate lawsuits.
Court filings allege a key Australian interest rate benchmark was manipulated for hundreds of millions of dollars in "illicit" profit between 2010 and 2012.
It is partly because of the colourful exchanges between traders over phone, email and instant messenger, all set out in these court filings, that charges have been laid.
"You dropping by the casino for Christmas day?" a senior Australian interest rates trader nicknamed "The Rat" allegedly asked another trader in one transcript.
"Which casino? BBSW?" he messaged back.
BBSW is an acronym for Australia's bank bill swap rate, the local equivalent of Libor. It essentially determines what banks charge to lend to each other.
"Lucky the rate sets are all legit and there is no manipulation within the Australian financial system," an ANZ trader wrote in a separate incident.
"Ahahah" was the reply, according to court documents.
A decade since those messages were sent, it is safe to say their employers - now being sued - definitely aren't laughing.
Australia's "Big Four" banks of National Australia Bank, ANZ, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, as well as Macquarie, have found themselves at the centre of the US court battle.
As the country's biggest lenders, they played a pivotal role in how the BBSW benchmark was calculated.
The methodology was changed in 2013 following the international Libor scandal. The BBSW, which is used to price everything from corporate loans to mortgages, is now based off a collection of live rates from the market.
The other defendants in the US class action lawsuit are Citibank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS, Royal Bank of Canada, Credit Suisse, ICAP and Tullett Prebon.
The plaintiffs are hedge funds Sonterra Capital Master Fund, Frontpoint Financial Services (which helped inspire the film The Big Short) and an American...

Summary: If you thought the fallout from the global Libor rate-rigging scandal was over, think again.
###
Article: Monika Maldrik says she finished all the assignments for a Higher National Diploma in health and social care management at ABI College, west London.
Ms Maldrik says the delay meant she "lost a year".
The college says it will contest the order made by the County Court Money Claims Centre in May.
The certificate for the course, which ran from September 2013 until May last year, was finally issued in mid-June this year and the college has told Ms Maldrik it is ready to collect.
Her statement to the County Court Money Claims Centre says she paid more than £5,800 in tuition fees for the full-time course.
"Unfortunately, I did not get the service for which I paid," she says in the statement.
The college rejects Ms Maldrik's criticisms of her course but accepts that changes in teaching personnel did cause some delays in marking assignments.
Ms Maldrik, who works for the minimum wage as a carer says she has so far been unable to apply for better jobs because of the delay in issuing the certificate.
The order, which was issued in May after the college did not respond to Ms Maldrik's claim, tells the institution to pay Ms Maldrik, who now lives in Margate, £5,000, including £205 costs.
The college is now applying to have the order set aside and says it will contest the claim.
The college told Ms Maldrik the late issuing of the certificate was due to a block being placed on some candidates by the exam board Pearson which runs the HND qualifications.
A spokesman for Pearson said the exam board was unable to comment on individual cases but said it employed a rigorous set of checks "to enable us to have confidence in any centre which delivers our qualifications which can, on some occasions, result in centres being blocked until any issues have been addressed.
"We regret any distress that this process may cause to students but we have a duty to ensure that standards are upheld nationally so that students, universities and employers can remain confident about the performance of students who complete our courses."

Summary: A private college has been ordered to pay £5,000 to a former student who claimed that a certificate for a course she completed was issued a year late.
###
Article: Andrew Jones said the arrangement for a private firm to run the bridges may end in October 2017 - sooner than expected.
The crossings would then be taken over by the government, but Mr Jones said they would not be used as a "cash system" to fund schemes elsewhere.
"There's not a profit making exercise here," the transport minister said.
Mr Jones was speaking the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee, which is holding an inquiry into the Severn crossings.
He said: "I'm looking to make sure we have a functioning, well maintained, critical pair of crossings which are fit for the future to fulfil their economic purpose, that are operated in a way which enables the maximum free flow of vehicles, with the least inconvenience.
"They are not a cash system... to fund a scheme in Kent or a scheme somewhere else. That's not right at all."
Committee chairman David Davies said: "So once all the debts have been paid off, this is a bridge that will continue to charge a toll, but a toll that will cover maintenance costs and not a toll that will make a profit for the government?"
Mr Jones said that was correct.
Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville-Roberts asked if there were any moves to transfer ownership of the crossings to the Welsh Government.
The minister said the bridges, currently owned by Severn River Crossing (SRC) PLC, served England and Wales but were "primarily located" in England.
He said there was no intention to go down the route of transferring ownership to Wales.
Mr Jones also said the traffic on the Severn crossings meant the bridges may be handed back into public ownership sooner than expected.
The private concession was due to end on February 2018, but might now be as soon as October 2017.
Mr Jones said: "The sooner we have this nailed down the better it will be."
There has been speculation the bridges may return to public ownership earlier than expected.
Mr Davies, MP for Monmouth, said: "Changes to corporation tax and an increase in traffic due to low fuel prices mean that the sum promised to SRC will...

Summary: The Severn crossings will not be run to generate profit once they pass into public ownership, a UK government minister has said.
###
Article: Two of those mentioned are senior advisers to the king.
The cable was sent to Washington in January this year by the then American ambassador in Bangkok.
The ailing 83-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world's longest-reigning current head of state.
The reverence in which the monarch is held is invariably evident whenever and wherever he appears in public.
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn is in his late fifties.
The ambassador's cable quotes alleged conversations with General Prem Tinsulanonda, the head of the privy council, a former prime minister, Anand Panyarachun, and Air Chief Marshall Siddhi Savetsila.
It says all three had quite negative comments about  the crown prince and two of them - while asserting that the crown prince will become king - implied that the country would be "better off if other arrangements could be made".
The cable also cited concerns about the crown prince's private life.
The ambassador's conclusion in the cable is that "on the two most difficult and sensitive issues of the day in Thailand - [ousted Prime Minister] Thaksin [Shinawatra] and the monarchy - the Thai elite appear as unsure about the future as any other sector of society".
He says the stakes are significant for all sides.
Analysts point out that these views are reported in a cable sent at the start of what has been one of the most turbulent years in Thailand's recent history.
Dr Tim Forsyth, an East Asia expert from the Development Studies Institute at the London School of Economics, told the BBC:
"The Wikileaks cables certainly give the impression that the members of the privy council of Thailand are concerned about the suitability of the crown prince. Of course these cables are unconfirmed and it is very difficult for outside people to comment on it.
"But it does seem to suggest that some of the origins of the political problems in Thailand over the last few years are somehow connected to this worry about what will happen to the monarchy.
Dr Forsyth said some people in Thailand had told him that the 2006 coup which...

Summary: A leaked US diplomatic cable obtained by the Wikileaks website says three influential figures in Thailand expressed concerns about the prospect of the crown prince becoming king.
###
Article: Programme makers did not disclose the comments made by Biggins, who had been the bookmakers' favourite to win.
But they said the Channel 5 show "does not tolerate offensive language".
Biggins, 67, had sparked controversy four days earlier over comments that bisexual people were "the worst type".
Opening Friday's live show - which saw presenter Anthea Turner's ex-husband Grant Bovey voted out of the house - presenter Emma Willis made brief reference to Biggins' removal but gave no details.
A statement posted on the Celebrity Big Brother website said the show had "taken the decision to remove Christopher Biggins".
"Since entering Big Brother, he has made a number of comments capable of causing great offence to housemates and the viewing public," it said.
"Big Brother does not tolerate offensive language capable of causing widespread offence."
During a conversation about homosexuality earlier this week, the openly gay star said: "The worst type though is, I'm afraid to say, the bisexuals... what it is is people not wanting to admit they are gay."
He was then seen agreeing with fellow contestant Renee Graziano's comment that "You have to pick a team".
The programme's producers have not said whether these comments were among those that they considered before ordering Biggins to leave the house.
Two of the other housemates have received official warnings from Big Brother over their behaviour in the show's first week.
US singer Aubrey O'Day was warned for spitting in reality TV star Stephen Bear's sandwich.
Bear himself received a warning after throwing a mug, which smashed a glass window, following a row with Heavy D from the TV show Storage Hunters.
Biggins won ITV show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2007.
The other contestants on this year's Celebrity Big Brother are: Renee Graziano of TV's Mob Wives; former X Factor contestants Chloe Khan and Katie Waissel; US actor Frankie Grande; reality TV stars Lewis Bloor and Marnie Simpson, former EastEnders actor Ricky Norwood; Loose Women presenter Saira Khan,...

Summary:


Shale gas test drilling in Lancashire has been suspended following an earthquake on the Fylde coast.

Article: The RMT union described Northern's pay offer as "unacceptable" and claimed it did not meet "benchmarks for pay deals that RMT has set elsewhere in the industry".
Northern said it was "disappointed" at the ballot and had offered staff "an above inflation pay rise".
Voting will take place at the end of January.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash claimed Northern staff were being offered "a below the rate for the job pay deal".
"Industrial relations with the firm were already at a low and the latest pay offer shows continued contempt for the workers who run the service and make the company's profits," he said.
"Our members deserve to paid properly for the work that they do."
A spokesman for Northern said: "Northern has offered over 5,000 employees a guaranteed, above inflation pay rise over the next three or four years.
"The offer is a 2% increase in year one, followed by Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 0.1% in each of the following two or three years."
Northern, which is owned by Arriva Rail North Ltd, took over the franchise on 1 April 2016.
It runs services between cities and towns across the north of England.

Summary: A rail union is to hold a vote on industrial action on services in the north of England in a dispute over pay.
###
Article: The Espad report for 2015 includes most EU countries, but not Germany or the UK, and data for Spain is incomplete.
In 2015 "current smokers" accounted for 21% of those surveyed, and the highest total was in Italy (37%).
In 1995-2015 those using alcohol in the past 30 days fell from 56% to 47%. Top in cannabis use were the Czechs (37%).
That figure for Czech teenagers reporting a lifetime experience of cannabis was higher than the level in the US - 31% in comparable surveys.
The average for cannabis use in the European countries surveyed was 16%. That was lower than the comparable figure for Spain - 27%.
Cannabis was far more readily available than other drugs such as ecstasy or cocaine. The report found no correlation between anti-drugs legislation and the cannabis data.
"Trends in cannabis use indicate an increase in both lifetime and current use between 1995 and 2015, from 11% to 17% and from 4% to 7%, respectively," Espad said.
Espad is short for European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs.
The results showed large differences in cannabis use among European countries, with an upward trend in Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania, among others.
The proportion of students who started daily smoking at an early age - before 13 - fell over the 20 years from 10% to 4%.
Alcohol use among European teenagers remains high, the report said. But lifetime use in 1995-2015 fell from 89% to 81%. Nordic countries - but not Denmark - were among those with the lowest alcohol consumption among teenagers.
High alcohol rates were found in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary.
New psychoactive substances (NPS) - not generally controlled under anti-narcotics laws - "seem to be more commonly used than amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine or LSD," Espad says. NPS chemicals imitate the effects of illegal drugs.
Students in Estonia and Poland (both 8%) were the most likely to have experiences with NPS. The European average was 4%.

Summary: Cigarette and alcohol use among 15- and 16-year-olds is declining across Europe but the numbers using cannabis are growing, an EU survey shows.
###
Article: The British actor, who appears in the clip dressed as a stormtrooper, told critics of his casting to "get used to it" on Instagram.
In the message he also thanked fans "for all the love and support" after the teaser was posted online.
His comments followed some questioning director JJ Abrams for casting a black actor in a seemingly prominent role.
One YouTube comment suggested the film "didn't need some black Jedi".
Another read: "Dear Black People, We are forced to include you into everything awesome we do."
The official trailer has been viewed nearly 10m times since being put online on Friday.
Boyega, who has previously appeared in Attack the Block and 24, said: "A year is a long time to wait, but it will be worth it."
Other Star Wars fans were quick to remind critics of Boyega's casting of other black actors who have featured in the franchise.
Samuel L Jackson played Mace Windu in Episode I The Phantom Menace and again in Clone Wars, while Billy Dee Williams appeared as Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Many fans have pointed out that there is no reason to believe stormtroopers couldn't be black.
In the prequels - and let's be honest Star Wars fans do not accept the prequels - Obi-Wan Kenobi travels to the planet of Kamino, where he discovers the existence of a clone army that would feed the so-called Clone Wars. But those clones weren't necessarily white.
Bounty hunter Jango Fett, who served as the genetic template, was an ethnic "Mandalorian". He was played by New Zealand-born actor Temuera Morrison, of partial Maori descent.
But even if he had chosen to pass himself off as white, Boyega's "black stormtrooper" character would've existed in a time when stormtroopers were more than likely recruited rather than created from the general population.
Therefore stormtroopers could probably be of any race.
Also let's remember that the events of Episode 7 take place more than 50 years after the Clone Wars. It may well be that the Empire, or what's left of it, has changed its...

Summary: John Boyega has responded to racism after the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was posted online.
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Article: Craig Mackinlay has been accused of overspending in the 2015 General Election campaign when he defeated UKIP's Nigel Farage.
He retained South Thanet, increasing his vote from 18,838 to 25,262.
Before the election, Prime Minister Theresa May said the Conservative Party backed Mr Mackinlay, who denies any wrongdoing.
After the results came in, Mr Mackinlay said: "Despite the best efforts of various organisations to break my legs for this election just a few days ago, we did it here in South Thanet.
"The big thanks are to the voters of Thanet for continuing to put their trust in me."
He added: "I've done my best to serve for the past two years, the best I possibly can as their champion in Westminster, and I am so proud to have been returned with an even bigger majority tonight."
On 2 June, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had charged Mr Mackinlay with offences under the Representation of the People Act.
Mr Mackinlay had criticised the CPS for charging him shortly before the election, saying the decision was "bizarre" and "very unfair".
He held the seat ahead of Labour's Raushan Ara, who came second with 18,875 votes.

Summary: An MP who has been charged over election expenses has held his seat with an increased majority.
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Article: Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank and ABSA, which is owned by Barclays, were all downgraded on Tuesday and Moody's warned of more possible ratings cuts.
The move comes a week after South Africa's central bank bailed out the smaller lender African Bank.
The South African Reserve Bank insisted the country's banking sector remained "healthy and robust."
Analysts said the downgrade was in response to what Moody's views as the risks of unsecured lending, or loans not based on collateral.
Chris Hart of Investment Solutions said: "The downgrade is in response to the deteriorating credit quality that we are seeing in unsecured lending space, the collapse of the African Bank is indicative of that."
Moody's reduced its ratings on the four big banks by one notch to Baa1.
Last week the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announced a rescue plan for African Bank, a smaller lender that specialised in unsecured loans. The SARB bought up around $700m of bad loans from African Bank, but some investors still lost out.
On Monday, another lender, Capitec, saw its shares plunge after seeing its rating downgraded.
The central bank rejected Moody's decision on the big four banks.
"While the SARB respects the independent opinion of rating agencies, we do not agree with the rationale given in taking this step, nor do we agree with the assessment it is based on," it said in a statement.
The South African government has been encouraging banks to lend to low-earning people who lack collateral, in an effort to boost business start-ups and property ownership.
Nonetheless, analyst Chris Hart said that despite the relatively high level of unsecured lending, South Africa's banking system was sound.
"There are no fundamental problems with South African banks in terms of overall management, and overall asset and liquidity."

Summary: Shares in South Africa's largest banks fell on Wednesday, following downgrades from the ratings agency Moody's.
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Article: Cuadrilla, the firm behind the tests, said drilling had been suspended as a precaution after the 1.5 magnitude tremor - the second in two months.
It will now examine the data collected by the British Geological Survey (BGS) before deciding whether to resume.
A tremor centred on Poulton-le-Fylde on 1 April shared a "similar location and mechanism", the BSG said.
Shale gas drilling, known as "fracking", involves shattering hard shale rocks underground to release gas using either hydraulic pressure or tiny explosions.
Mark Miller, chief executive of Cuadrilla Resources, said: "We take our responsibilities very seriously and that is why we have stopped fracking operations to share information and consult with the relevant authorities and other experts.
"We expect that this analysis and subsequent consultation will take a number of weeks to conclude and we will decide on appropriate actions after that."
The process has proved controversial in the US with environmentalists alleging that shale gas leaking into their drinking supply could cause tap water to ignite.
But earlier this month the Commons energy select committee called on ministers to support the process in the UK arguing that environmental problems associated with it in the US could be overcome by tight regulation and good industry practice.
The BGS said it was also monitoring fracking as a precaution. There have been two small earthquakes in Lancashire since fracking began in the county in March, including the latest on Friday.
In an analysis of the April quake published on its website the BGS said: "Any process that injects pressurised water into rocks at depth will cause the rock to fracture and possibly produce earthquakes.
"It is well known that injection of water or other fluids during the oil extraction and geothermal engineering, such as Shale gas, processes can result in earthquake activity."
The BGS said the April tremor took place 1.2 miles (2km) away from the drilling site but said its monitoring instruments were 50 miles (80km) away.
Speaking...

Summary:


Security researchers have cancelled plans to buy potentially undetected software security vulnerabilities from a notorious group of hackers.

Article: An internal briefing document seen by the BBC says the effects of globalisation on advanced economies is "often uneven" and "may have led to rising wage inequality".
The bank, which provides loans to developing countries, also says that "adjustment costs", such as helping people who have lost their jobs, have been higher than expected.
Dr Jim Kim, the head of the World Bank, told the BBC that he understood why people were angry in advanced economies despite the fact that free trade was one of the "most powerful" drivers of growth and prosperity.
"I hear them and they are saying that my life is not better than my parents and my children's life does not look like it's going to be better than mine," he told me.
"So there is a real concern but the answer is to have more robust social security programmes, so you have a safety net. And then you need to get serious about getting the skills you need for the jobs of the future."
Dr Kim said that 20% of jobs lost in advanced economies could be linked to trade, with the rest down to automation and the need for new skills.
He said governments needed to do more to support those who had lost their jobs.
The document, written by World Bank economists, does say that "trade has played a powerful role in creating jobs and contributing to rising incomes in advanced economies", as well as in emerging economies.
But it highlights problems that have been created.
"Recent evidence for the US suggests that adjustment costs for those employed in sectors exposed to import competition from China are much higher than previously thought," the document says.
"While trade may have contributed to rising inequality in high income economies, so has technological change and the weakening of institutions that used to represent the interests of labour.
"Given overall efficiency gains, the dislocation effects of trade in advanced economies must be addressed through stronger safety nets and enhanced skills and flexible labour markets."
Dr Kim said that if developed countries start throwing up...

Summary: The World Bank has admitted the growth of global free trade has not been a success for all.
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Article: It follows Thursday night's vote by King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council to overwhelmingly reject the deal.
The devolution plans were set to bring to the East £750m over 30 years for infrastructure and £130m for housing.
The new set-up would have given the new authority road and housing powers from central government.
A meeting of Norfolk County Council due to take place on Monday to consider devolution has been cancelled.
Analysis by Andrew Sinclair, BBC Look East Political Correspondent
I am told the Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid has decided that the deal can't go ahead in its present form.
As a result Norfolk County Council has cancelled Monday's meeting when councillors would have voted on the plan.
But Suffolk is being told to continue with its meetings next week as ministers feel Suffolk devolution on its own may work.
Norfolk County Council leader Cliff Jordan said: "The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has been clear throughout the devolution process that for a combined authority to be set up all participating councils would need to consent to his draft order. As a result of King's Lynn and West Norfolk's decision, we understand the Secretary of State will be writing to the Norfolk and Suffolk authorities to take the current devolution deal off the table.
"I will be making clear to the Secretary of State that Norfolk County Council continues to be willing to discuss alternative proposals."
Jennie Jenkins, chair of Suffolk County Council's public sector leaders group, said she was disappointed by King's Lynn's vote.
"We will be seeking to explore the potential for a Suffolk-based devolution deal and to investigate options for establishing interim governance arrangements for any such alternative deal," she said.

Summary: Plans to devolve powers to Norfolk and Suffolk with a mayor have been scrapped by the government in their present form.
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Article: There has been growing debate about whether all people over 50 should take a daily, low dose aspirin.
But the review, conducted by the research arm of the NHS, said it was a "fine balance" due to the dangers of bleeding in the brain and stomach.
Overall it warned against taking the drug, until there was more evidence.
Aspirin makes the blood less sticky so it reduces the odds of a blood clot forming inside the body, which could cause a heart attack or stroke.
There are even studies suggesting it can cut the risk of some cancers.
However, as the drug makes it harder for the blood to clot it can cause problems inside the body.
The drug is given to people at high risk of a heart attack or stroke as the medical benefit is clear.
However, there have been calls to give aspirin to otherwise healthy people as well.
A team at Warwick Medical School was asked to assess the evidence by the NHS National Institute for Health Research.
For heart attacks and strokes, they concluded giving everyone aspirin would cause "net harm due to increased potential for bleeding".
This was in part due to better management of at-risk patients including prescribing drugs to lower blood pressure.
On cancer, they concluded the evidence was not strong enough to base a decision on, but trials taking place would give clearer proof in the next five years.
Prof Aileen Clarke, who led the review, told the BBC: "The risks are finely balanced and for now there is not the evidence to advise people to take it.
"It would be lovely to say over-50s should take an aspirin a day and have much less cancer, but the research hasn't yet been done and we should be cautious.
"We need to be extremely careful about over-promoting aspirin."
Amy Thompson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Aspirin is extremely important for many heart patients, but for people free of heart disease the jury is still out as the risks are likely to outweigh the benefits.
"Further research is underway which will shed light on who else is likely to benefit the...

Summary: Healthy people should not take aspirin to ward off heart attacks and cancer, according to the most comprehensive review of the risks and benefits.
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Article: The 18 metre (50 foot) inflatable duck suddenly collapsed on Tuesday, only 11 days after it had been put on display in the port at Keelung.
Organisers are unsure as to the cause of its demise, but one theory is that it was attacked by eagles.
The duck was designed by the Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman to be a giant version of a popular bath toy.
Last month a similar duck was damaged elsewhere in Taiwan, when an earthquake triggered a power cut that caused it to deflate.
A third Taiwanese duck was brought ashore in September because of an approaching typhoon.
A large crowd had been anticipated in Keelung Port for New Year celebrations, and the rubber duck was due to be an important part of the festivities.
But video footage showed the giant inflatable suddenly bursting in front of scores of people gathered on a quayside.
"We want to apologise to the fans of the yellow rubber duck," organiser Huang Jing-tai told reporters. "We will carefully examine the duck to determine the cause."
The original duck designed by Hofman has been transported around the globe since 2007, visiting cities including Sydney, Sao Paulo, Hong Kong and Amsterdam.
The artist hopes the works will bring people together and encourage a connection with public art.
Despite the ducks' misfortunes, they have been a big hit among the Taiwanese.
The duck at Kaohsiung, which had to be deflated during Typhoon Usagi, attracted four million visitors during its one-month display,

Summary: A giant yellow rubber duck on display in a Taiwanese port has burst in unexplained circumstances.
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Article: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) went public after Nutella's makers asked for it to be reclassified.
It currently classes the chocolate and hazelnut spread as a dessert topping, with a serving size of two tablespoons.
Parent company Ferrero wants Nutella bracketed with jam and honey, with a serving size of one tablespoon.
The company says the difference is important as it dictates the nutritional data on the product's label, which influences shoppers. US government surveys Nutella fans
The most expensive Nutella in the world?
How the world went nuts for a hazelnut spread
Two tablespoons of Nutella contain 200 calories - about the same as two slices of bread. The idea that people use two tablespoons comes from the 1990s, when the spread was a popular ice-cream topping - but Ferrero says it is usually eaten on toast nowadays in smaller amounts.
In response, the FDA is gathering comments online about how much "nut cocoa-based spread" fans are eating at a time.
In a survey of 722 mothers who buy Nutella, Ferrero found 74% ate it on toast or sandwiches. About 14% said they ate it on its own.
In the UK and other countries, Nutella jars list a portion as 15g - or one tablespoon.
Even if it was reclassified, Nutella would still be twice as calorific as most jams, which contain around 50 calories per tablespoon.
Nutella was created by the Ferrero family in the 1940s in the Piedmont region of Italy, which is famed for its hazelnuts. In 1946, young confectioner Pietro Ferrero launched a solid version named Giandujot, or Pasta Gianduja, that had to be cut with a knife.
The first spreadable version - Supercrema - came a few years later and Nutella as we know it today was born in 1964, complete with its iconic glass jars.
The Ferrero company is the number one user of hazelnuts in the world, buying up 25% of the entire world supply.
The BBC asked readers to tell us by email how they eat their Nutella, and how much they get through.
Many say they pair the chocolate treat with bread or toast but others favour crackers...

Summary: The US food regulator is asking Nutella fans how big a portion they eat, in a row over the average size of serving of the sweet spread.
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Article: The plan involved buying hacking tools offered by the Shadow Brokers and then protecting computers before they could be targeted by cyber-criminals.
But critics had argued that the Shadow Brokers should not benefit in this way.
One of the researchers behind the plan said the scheme was being abandoned for "legal reasons".
Some critics had warned that paying the Shadow Brokers for access to their hacking tools, even with honest intentions, could be illegal.
The Shadow Brokers previously sold access to hacking tools allegedly stolen from the US National Security Agency - but often released the vulnerabilities for free later anyway.
One of the tools was used to help spread the WannaCry malware that affected thousands of organisations worldwide, including the UK's NHS.
The hacking group currently plans to sell a new batch of security exploits, for a payment via the crypto-currency Zcash, worth about $22,000 (Â£17,000).
On Tuesday, two security researchers set up a crowd-funding campaign to buy access to the exploits, so the vulnerabilities could be fixed instead.
But the idea divided the cyber-security community.
"There's a 50-50 split on whether it is a good idea and whether it would encourage Shadow Brokers to continue their activities," said Matthew Hickey from the cyber-security firm Hacker House, who set up the crowd-funding campaign.
Others were more outspoken: "Individuals and corps funding criminals is insane," said security researcher Kevin Beaumont.
Announcing the closure of the crowd-funding campaign on 1 June, Mr Hickey said: "If you ever want to hear a lawyer shout expletives at volume down a phone, you need to call him and tell him you have created the first open source crowd-funded cyber-arms acquisition attempt.
"It transpires that should funds change hands from ours to the Shadow Brokers we would certainly be risking some form of legal complications."
Those who have donated to the campaign using Bitcoin can seek a refund, and any unclaimed funds will be donated to online rights group the...

Summary: