A police force has apologised after its officers made a sandcastle "crime scene" featuring a naked dead woman.

Article: The term describes the disruptive influence that storms at the surface of the Sun can have at Earth.
The worst of these events can disturb satellites, power grids and radio communications.
As with terrestrial weather, the Met Office, at its HQ in Exeter, has been asked to co-ordinate operational forecasting.
It has been doing this now for a number of weeks, working with experts across the UK and in the US, which has had a prediction service for many years.
Wednesday's event, led by the Science Minister Greg Clark, formally inaugurated the British centre of excellence.
"The Prime Minister (David Cameron) and the President of the US (Barack Obama) paved the way for the launch of this operational service in their bilateral discussions in 2011," the minister explained.
"Space weather is a serious threat, with the potential to have a very significant effect on society and the economy of our two countries."
Solar storms are now listed as one of most serious threats facing the UK on its National Risk Register, along with flu and volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
The government has ordered contingencies be put in place.
Space weather has long been recognised as an issue, but experts say our increasing dependence on technology has made 21st Century society more vulnerable.
Explosive eruptions from the Sun can have a wide range of effects on modern infrastructure.
The magnetic fields in the biggest outbursts can induce currents in electricity networks that overload equipment and cause power outages.
Mark Gibbs, the head of space weather at the Met Office, told the BBC: "We're working with critical national infrastructure operators to protect UK PLC. Our forecasts will help those operators take measures to mitigate the risks, so that hopefully we don't see major problems occurring."
The National Grid is already using the service.
It believes its network's architecture makes it inherently robust, but the director of safety sustainability and reliance, Chris Train, said the new Met Office service was invaluable.
"It's...

Summary: The Met Office has opened a new forecast centre dedicated to so-called "space weather".
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Article: In May more than 80% of residents in St Ives voted to reserve new homes for full-time residents.
A Penzance architectural firm challenged Cornwall Council's decision to allow the referendum to go ahead.
The High Court has ruled the vote, which said new homes should be occupied as "principal residences", was lawful.
More on the St Ives ruling, plus other Devon and Cornwall news
The vote was part of a wider housing plan for the town.
Under the government's 2011 Localism Act, if more than 50% of voters support a neighbourhood plan it carries "real legal weight" and the local planning authority must bring it into force.
Supporters of the vote said that one in four properties in the town are second homes or holiday lets and after years of being priced out of the market, the community had spoken.
RLT Built Environment Ltd argued the policy was an attack on the town's two main industries - tourism and construction.
Chris Tofts from Stephens Scown Solicitors in Truro said: "Our client's challenge was based on whether Cornwall Council's decision to allow the referendum on the St Ives neighbourhood plan to go ahead was compatible with human rights legislation. "
The High Court has ruled the policy is compatible with human rights legislation.
Cornwall Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, Edwina Hannaford said: "This is a hugely important judgement for Cornwall, St Ives Town Council and for the residents of St Ives who wanted to ensure that any new homes in the town would be the resident's sole or main residence.
"We also know a number of other local communities, both in Cornwall and across the rest of the country, are interested in including similar policies in their own Neighbourhood Plans and have been  watching this case with interest."

Summary: The High Court has ruled a Cornish seaside town will keep its ban on new-build second homes.
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Article: They said half of the sum related to the economic losses from early deaths and patients taking time off work.
They believe the findings could help identify which areas offer the best returns from investment in research.
Lung cancer was the most expensive, costing £2.4bn a year, bowel cancer cost £1.6bn, breast cancer £1.5bn and prostate cancer £800m.
The study, which is being presented to the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference in Liverpool on Wednesday, looked at economic losses, health care costs and the burden of unpaid care provided by friends and family.
The £15.8bn total for all cancers included £7.6bn in economic costs, £5.6bn for health and £2.6bn for unpaid care.
Lead researcher Dr Jose Leal said: "Our research shows that cancer impacts on the economy as a whole - and not just the health service.
"Premature deaths, time off work and unpaid care by friends and family account for 64% of all cancer costs.
"These wider costs should be taken into account when deciding research priorities.
"Cancers with the highest economic cost could offer the highest expected returns from investment in research."
NCRI director Dr Jane Cope said: "These figures remind us that cancer has a cost, not just in professional health care but also in loss of earnings for patients and loved ones who give up work to look after them."
Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK, said the research was further proof of the need to tackle smoking, particularly among the young.
"Stopping young people taking up this deadly addiction in the first place will not only reduce the number of lung cancer cases in the future but a range of other illnesses that continue to blight the lives of so many people," she added.

Summary: The health and economic cost of cancer tops £15bn a year in the UK, a study by Oxford University researchers suggests.
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Article: During Prime Minister's Questions she said she wanted "maximum possible access" for the UK to the single market after leaving the European Union.
Mr Corbyn said the government had "no answers", but Mrs May promised to be "ambitious" in Brexit negotiations and to exert greater migration control.
But several senior Tories demanded more clarity about the UK's aims.
During a debate on a Labour motion about Parliament's role in Brexit policy, former business minister Anna Soubry said MPs must consent to the process of the UK's separation from the EU while Clare Perry said confusion about the UK's future access to the EU single market was having an alarming impact on the pound.
"The problem is that many people in the country don't think that there is a policy to put the national interest first, they think there is a policy to put people's narrow ideological interests first," she said.
Frankly, we know almost as little about the plan for Brexit that's concrete as we did that momentous morning after the referendum itself.
But there have been plenty of hints, implications and suggestions of priorities that are worth noting, even if just to reveal how much that we can't be sure of.
It is not by any stretch an exhaustive list, and without concrete proposals, everything is still open to interpretation.
Read Laura's full analysis
In response, Brexit Secretary David Davis conceded there must be proper scrutiny of the UK's blueprint for leaving the EU but "it is not one where we will allow anyone to veto the decision of the British people" set out in June's referendum.
The subject of Brexit dominated the first Prime Minister's Questions since the end of the party conference season, with Mr Corbyn asking: "Is the prime minister really willing to risk a shambolic Tory Brexit just to appease the people behind her (Conservative backbench MPs)?"
Mrs May replied: "We will negotiate the right deal for the UK. That's what matters to everyone in the UK and that's what we will deliver."
She told MPs any deal would aim for "maximum...

Summary: Theresa May has rejected a claim by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that she is overseeing a "shambolic Tory Brexit".
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Article: In Bournemouth, owners gathered on the promenade on Sunday morning before riding from Boscombe Pier to Sandbanks.
The electric tricycles were launched by entrepreneur Sir Clive Sinclair on 10 January 1985 at Alexandra Palace in London.
Enthusiasts also gathered at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Hampshire, on Saturday.
On Friday, 30 owners travelled to London for a C5 anniversary edition of the BBC's One Show.
Bournemouth C5 owner Paul Grice, who organised the seafront trip, said: "I started collecting them about six or seven years ago because I liked the look of them.
"I was actually looking at Sinclair computers and I was going through the ads and came across one of these Sinclair cars.
"It cost me £100 and now they are worth about £400 to £700 - I guess they hold their value but it's just a good bit of fun.
"You can drive them on the road with no insurance or tax - anyone can drive them over 14.
"I drive mine on the road sometimes to the pub or the chip shop, down the beach or around the gardens.
"I was born in '78 and I had all the Sinclair computers, but it's really only about 10 years ago when I saw these things that I remembered they were out there.
"I had one recently in its box. In the 80s that's how they were delivered by Comet and Hoover - in a big box."

Summary: Sinclair C5 enthusiasts have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of the vehicle's launch.
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Article: The sculpture, depicting a sprawled murder victim surrounded by police tape, was crowned winner of the Cornwall Beach Games sandcastle competition.
But Devon and Cornwall Police was criticised after boasting officers tweeted about their victory.
Labour councillor Hannah Toms said some would find it "very offensive".
The force said it was a "fun event" and officers had not intended to cause any offence.
Ms Toms acknowledged officers had intended to be "light-hearted" but said the sandcastle "somewhat misses the mark and is in a bit of poor taste".
"I like a joke as much as the next person but this is a family beach event," she said.
"As a parent I would not be very happy to explain to my child what it was all about.
"It's trivialising quite a serious matter."
Ms Toms added: "I think there's a level of sexual stereotyping with the large bottom and the large breasts. Police have been working really hard to break down barriers on reporting sex crimes and I don't think this image really helps their cause."
Reaction on social media was mixed, with some defending the sandcastle.
Hazel Jago said on Facebook: "So it's a team of police officers representing the type of work they deal with. What's the problem!? There is always someone that will whinge about something."
Lorraine Lardon said: "People need an injection of humour."
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "If any offence has been cause by the nature of the sculpture, this was never intended and we apologise for that."

Summary:


A Kent council claims it is being "forced into a corner" as proposed cuts to government grants could leave a shortfall of more than £500,000.

Article: The feature means the devices can stream footage to the internet with up to 720p high-definition resolution.
Users will need to pay EE for the required 4G connectivity.
Models sold by the sector's bestselling brand, GoPro, do not offer internet broadcasting as standard, although there are add-on apps and kit that make it possible.
The mobile network said that its 4GEE Action Cam was the first in a range of own-brand connected devices that it planned to release this year.
"We understand our customers not only want superfast coverage, they want products that give them the very best experiences, coupled with the most innovative and exciting ways in which to share them," said EE chief executive Olaf Swantee.
One industry watcher said the camera should appeal to a young audience accustomed to being able to "instantly share" self-generated videos and photos, but added that it was probably not destined to become a bestseller.
"This is basically a niche product," said Francisco Jeronimo, from research company IDC.
"But EE's goal is not to dominate the action-cameras segment, it's to make users aware they can share moments straight away with friends if they have a connection.
"It will be very happy if in a year's time it doesn't have to make the hardware itself because GoPro has started to provide an action camera of its own with a Sim card.
"What EE's doing is very similar to what operators did with own-branded 3G and 4G handsets when the networks first launched and there were not devices affordable enough for most users."
GoPro's filings state that it shipped 5.2 million action cameras in 2014, an increase of 35% on the previous year.
GoPro dominates the action-camera market, despite attempts by other tech companies, including Garmin, Xiaomi, HTC and TomTom to sell rival products designed for use during adventure sports and other activities.
GoPro's cameras can be used to broadcast live footage, but this requires them to be wirelessly linked to a smartphone running Livestream's third-party app or plugged into the...

Summary: The British mobile phone network EE is to sell its own action cameras with built-in 4G.
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Article: The proportion of suspects charged with rape in 2014-15 has been falling - and is as low as 6% in one area, it shows.
One in four rape cases involving a child victim led to a prosecution, and one in eight involving an adult victim.
Officials said the data was a starting point to allow people to scrutinise how rape is dealt with in their area.
The investigation by the multi-agency Rape Monitoring Group and published by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), brings together data from 42 police force areas.
It found that there were 19,316 rapes against adults and 9,949 against children reported to police during the year 2014-15.
Some 12% of reported rapes of adults in England and Wales resulted in a suspect being charged or summons being issued.
The rate is almost double when the alleged victim is a child, with 23% of reported rapes resulting in criminal action.
However, there were significant regional variations, possibly reflecting different approaches by police and prosecutors, the report said.
In Humberside, for example, 35% of child rape cases led to criminal proceedings for rape; in Nottinghamshire the figure for adults was 6%.
Since the Jimmy Savile affair, in October 2012, the number of rapes recorded by police has gone up substantially, BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said.
But that has not been matched by the number of cases which result in a charge of rape, he said.
For the first time, the report incorporates data on how many reported rapes are transferred to other forces to be investigated, or cancelled as they were recorded as rape "in error", as police subsequently determined that a crime did not take place.
Previously, these cases would have fallen into a category formerly known as "no crimes".
The Gwent Police force had the highest number of adult rape cases "transferred or cancelled" at 13%, whereas Warwickshire had none.
Wendy Williams, chair of the Rape Monitoring Group, said the figures should be treated with some caution as they incorporated data collected in different...

Summary: The way police and prosecutors deal with rape allegations varies widely across England and Wales, according to an Inspectorate of Constabulary report.
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Article: Eamon Kelly, 52, was accused of cheating in this year's Tarbes Grand National, a blue riband event.
He allegedly registered 14 birds for the race, but kept them at home while sending decoys to Tarbes, France.
The National Flying Club said the 52-year-old, from Didcot, admitted to senior members that he cheated.
In a statement the association said: "This follows the falsification of [his] race entry for Tarbes Grand National race dated 19 July 2016.
"Mr E Kelly admitted [cheating] in telephone conversations with the president, chairman and secretary of the National Flying Club after the falsification was confirmed."
Mr Kelly won the 2015 Tarbes Grand National and was also an official race controller for the National Flying Club.
Before the allegations were uncovered, he was due to receive Â£1,500 in prize money and a Â£10,000 Ford Fiesta for defending the title.
Before the announcement of the decision to ban Mr Kelly, National Flying Club chairman Philip Curtis wrote on its website that "the committee is very saddened by the events that took place over the Tarbes weekend".
He added: "Such an occurrence put a huge cloud over the whole race.
"Compounded by national coverage of the event this is a very sad day for the sport of pigeon racing.
"We wish to inform members that the National Flying Club is satisfied that no other members of the organisation are involved in this occurrence."
Mr Kelly's partner told the BBC he was "distraught" after the claims surfaced last month, but has not yet commented on his expulsion.
The conventional form of pigeon racing is for each keeper to race birds from the same starting - or "liberation" - point, back to their individual lofts.
The distance between these points is calculated to the nearest yard and the birds of each club or group of clubs are all released together.
Each bird wears a secretly numbered ring or an electronic ring and when that bird arrives home, either the rubber ring is removed and placed in a clock which registers the time or the electronic ring registers on...

Summary: A pigeon racing champion has been handed a lifetime ban from the sport following allegations he cheated to win a race from France.
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Article: Clothing sales suffered in April as unseasonably cold weather deterred shoppers from summer purchases.
Better weather in May sent clothing sales up 4.3% month-on-month - the biggest rise for more than two years.
The Office for National Statistics said the May increase was 6% higher than for the same month in 2015.
Analysts had expected retail volumes to increase by just 0.2% last month.
Scott Bowman, UK economist at Capital Economics, said: "It appears that Brexit concerns haven't been weighing on consumer spending. Looking ahead, we would expect retail spending to keep up a strong pace."
Average prices at stores, including petrol stations, fell by 2.8% year-on-year.
Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the slide in prices was the reason for the strong growth.
He said the fall in sterling over the past nine months meant retailers faced rising costs that they would soon pass on to consumers.
"Growth in retail sales volumes therefore is likely to slow markedly in the second half of this year, regardless of the referendum result," Mr Tombs added.
Online sales jumped by 6.4% compared with April and were 21.5% higher than May last year.
The ONS also revised up the rise for April from 1.3% to 1.9%, reflecting an unusually high amount of data received late from stores.
The three-month rate, which is less volatile than the monthly figures, rose to 1.5% from 0.9% in April.
"Even a significant fall in sales in June would see growth in the second quarter above the 1.3% rate experienced for the first quarter," Mr Bowman added.
Martin Beck, senior economic advisor to the EY ITEM Club, said the May rise in retail sales meant UK economic growth for the second quarter was "increasingly likely" to eclipse the 0.4% increase recorded for the first three months of the year.

Summary: Retail sales volumes rose by a much better than expected 0.9% in May, compared with the previous month, as UK consumers bought more clothing.
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Article: Pre-tax profit for the year to 15 March rose by 16.3% to £898m.
However, like-for-like sales, which strip out trading at new stores, excluding fuel, rose by just 0.2%.
The firm said it had maintained market share in a "tough retail environment". The big four supermarkets are being challenged by low-cost rivals including Aldi and Lidl.
The big four have responded by cutting prices in an attempt to stem the loss of customers to the low-cost chains.
Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King - who will be leaving the company in July - told the BBC that the retailer would, "match the price activity of our competition - we always have".
"There's always a price war in supermarket retailing. Occasional skirmishes break out, I guess this is one of them," he added.
"In the end it isn't just about price. Quality, the provenance of sourcing is a big factor as well."
Sainsbury's said sales of general merchandise were increasing at more than twice the rate of food.
The relaunch of its clothing brand, which represented its single biggest investment in its clothing business since 2004, had helped generate sales of £750m.
The supermarket's results come a month after Tesco reported a second fall in profits in as many years.
The UK's biggest supermarket chain said group trading profit fell 6% to £3.3bn, with like-for-like sales down 1.4%.
In March, Sainsbury's had reported its first quarterly fall in like-for-like sales for nine years, with sales down 3.1% in the 10 weeks to 15 March.
However, Sainsbury's underlying full-year profits beat analysts' expectations, rising 5.3% to £798m.
Despite this, the company warned that trading was expected to remain tough.
"While the general economic outlook is showing some signs of improvement, conditions in the food retail sector are likely to remain challenging for the foreseeable future as customers continue to spend cautiously," Mr King said.
Analysts called the results solid, adding investors were likely to "breathe a sigh of relief".
Manoj Ladwa, partner at TJM Partnership, added:...

Summary: UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's has reported a rise in annual profits but warned of "challenging" times ahead.
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Article: Thanet District Council said it was considering a 2% rise in the authority's part of the council tax.
Councillor Rick Everitt, cabinet member for finance, said the council had seen a 28% reduction in government funding over the past two years.
"Further cuts to the council purse are really unwelcome," he said.
The council said figures from the Department of Communities and Local Government showed the council was likely to be left short of £580,000 for the next financial year.
Mr Everitt said: "Having already suffered a reduction of 28% in government funding over the past two years, resources are stretched to the absolute limit.
"This additional reduction of over half a million pounds has forced us into a corner."
From Monday, the council will be asking for residents' views on which services should be a priority.
The council said final figures were expected in December and would be debated at a meeting in January.

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President Barack Obama rode in a lift with an armed security contractor who had assault convictions, in another security lapse.

Article: Belfast City Council pulled funding of about Â£1,000, some of which was to be used for a children's fun day at Sandy Row on Tuesday.
One of the organisers said local people had been told the council had expressed concerns about the height of the nearby bonfire.
The council said discussions were ongoing in relation to the funding.
Sandy Row's children's fun day and bonfire celebrations have been taking place on the eve of the annual Twelfth of July commemorations, which mark the victory of William III at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The bonfire, that contains hundreds of wooden pallets, is in a car park near a hotel.
One of the organisers of the street party, John Cameron, said he believed the bonfire builders had complied with the council's policies.
He added that there was a lot of disappointment in the area that the council had pulled its support for a children's party at such short notice - but that the event had gone ahead with the support of local businesses.
"Children don't understand that, so the community has got together, along with local businesses, and they have managed to pull together a fun day," he said.
"It's a real tribute to the people of Sandy Row to make sure that it goes ahead."
An MLA for the area, Christopher Stalford, was among those who criticised the council's move and is seeking an explanation.
In a letter to council officials, the DUP MP said Sandy Row residents were "absolutely aghast at the decision that has been taken and feel very saddened and offended".
Mr Stalford asked: "If the issue is related to the bonfire in Sandy Row, why is the event which is held hundreds of yards away being penalised?"
Mr Cameron said the Sandy Row bonfire had been in the news for weeks and those responsible for building it had tried to abide by the advice of the council.
The police and the council are holding separate investigations into the alleged theft of hundreds of wooden pallets that had been placed in storage on council-controlled land in advance of Eleventh Night bonfires.
Mr Cameron said...

Summary: A loyalist community in Belfast has expressed anger that council funding has been withheld for a street party.
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Article: The ruling conservative Liberal Party has promised to hold a plebiscite on the issue if it returns to power at this weekend's election.
But questions remain over whether the party would abide by a result in favour of same-sex marriage.
Meanwhile a video has emerged of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten praising the idea of a plebiscite.
Mr Shorten last week slammed the government's plan as a "platform for homophobia" and advocated a parliamentary vote to decide the issue.
But he told a Christian lobby forum in 2013 that he would rather let the public vote on same-sex marriage than leave the issue to MPs.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is tipped to hold power at the election on Saturday and is aiming to hold a public vote on same-sex marriage by the end of the year.
But the result of the vote would be non-binding and MPs would need to pass further legislation to make it law.
Two senior Australian ministers have refused to say if they would support same-sex marriage in parliament.
In an interview, Treasurer Scott Morrison refused six times to say how he would vote.
"My view is, if the plebiscite is carried nationally, then the legislation should pass," Mr Morrison told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
"If the plebiscite is not carried, then I think that settles the matter."
The treasurer - an evangelical Christian who worships at a Pentecostal megachurch - refused to give a straight answer when challenged for "clarity" on the issue.
In a separate interview, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop echoed the treasurer's comments, refusing to be drawn on the "hypothetical" issue.
"I would take my electorate's view into account, but I would also take into account how the plebiscite played out across Australia because, for example, a referendum gets up if it is a majority of states, majority of people in the majority of states," she said.
Meanwhile the video of Mr Shorten telling church leaders in 2013 that he was "completely relaxed" about a plebiscite on same-sex marriage has undermined his attack on the government.
Mr...

Summary: Same-sex marriage has become a front-page issue in the final days of Australia's election campaign.
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Article: The World Diamond Council (WDC) said it welcomed the decision, reached in talks involving the US, European Union (EU) and African countries.
The EU and US had blocked previous attempts to lift the ban.
It was imposed in 2009 following allegations that Zimbabwean military officers had a stake in the industry.
Europe's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the EU supported the lifting of the ban because of "a renewed commitment by Zimbabwe to address outstanding areas of noncompliance", the Reuters news agency reports.
The agreement was reached at a meeting in the Democratic Republic of Congo of the Kimberley Process, a watchdog body which certifies international trade in diamonds to ensure they are not used to fuel conflicts.
In a statement, the WDC said the breakthrough paved the way for the immediate export of rough diamonds from the mining operations of two companies, Marange Resources and Mbada.
The Zimbabwe government wholly owns Marange Resources and has a 50% stake in Mbada, which it co-owns with South African investors, Reuters reports.
Other companies such as Anjin Zimbabwe, a 50-50 joint venture between the Zimbabwean and Chinese governments, will begin to export after a Kimberley Process verification team visits their operations in the next two weeks, it reports.
WDC President Eli Izhakoff described the deal as a milestone.
"[It] demonstrates categorically that the Kimberley Process provides the framework through which the integrity of the rough diamond chain of distribution can be protected, while at the same time enabling producing countries [to] gain benefit from their natural resources," he said.
Mr Izhakoff said the EU had played a key role in ending the deadlock.
"Credit also is due to Zimbabwe, the African nations led by South Africa, the US, and a host of individuals and delegates who put in long hours in negotiating the arrangement," he said.
In June, the DR Congo government - after hosting a meeting of the Kimberley Process group - issued a statement, saying consensus had been reached...

Summary: An international ban on Zimbabwe selling diamonds from several of its rich eastern Marange mines has been lifted by the industry's watchdog.
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Article: Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson challenged the SNP to match her party's pledge on the use of new tax powers for Scotland.
SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney told the BBC he would not make such a promise "today".
He said his party's tax plans would be set out before the Holyrood election.
Scotland will get complete control over income tax rates and bands as part of the powers package contained in the Scotland Bill, which was published on Thursday.
Ms Davidson has vowed that her party would never raise income tax in Scotland higher than the rates and bands in the rest of the UK, and challenged other Scottish parties to do the same.
Asked on Sunday Politics Scotland whether he would match the pledge, Mr Swinney said: "I can't give that pledge today, and I won't give it."
He said his party would "give consideration" to varying income tax rates and bands as it drew up its manifesto for next year's Scottish Parliament election, adding that his government already had a strong track record on using new tax powers.
Mr Swinney added: "What we've demonstrated already with the tax powers that have been deployed to us on stamp duty and landfill tax is that at the first available opportunity the Scottish government has acted on those taxes.
"On stamp duty we've changed it very radically to reflect our principled position that we believe tax should be structured on the basis of ability to pay."
Following its landslide victory in the general election, the SNP has been pressing the UK government for more powers than those already promised by the Smith Commission, which followed the independence referendum.
Mr Swinney said powers over employment, wealth generation and welfare would be sought.
However, Ms Davidson said the debate was moving now from what new powers Scotland should have, to how best to use what has already been given.
She said: "I believe we need to send an early signal to reassure investors, firms and families that new taxes in Scotland will not simply mean higher ones.
"Let's hear it loud and clear...

Summary: The SNP has rejected a call from the Conservatives to rule out raising income tax in Scotland higher than the rates and bands in the rest of the UK.
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Article: The move comes after their party's worst election result since 1965.
Lee Kuan Yew and fellow former prime minister Goh Chok Tong said in a joint resignation statement that the "time has come for a younger generation".
The 87-year old Mr Lee was prime minister from 1959 to 1990, after which Mr Goh took over until 2004.
By Rachel HarveyBBC South East Asia Correspondent
Lee Kuan Yew has designed, driven, and dominated Singapore's development for over 50 years.
But now, aged 87, he says it's time to step down. He will give up his post as Minister Mentor, a cabinet advisory role specifically established for him in 2004.
The move comes after an election in which the opposition mounted their most effective challenge since independence.  Mr Lee, under whose leadership, freedoms and rights were curtailed in return for a promise of security and prosperity,  described the vote as a watershed.
"The time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation," he said.
The next government will be led, like the last one, by Mr Lee's son.    The Patriarch's retirement is, unquestionably, a key moment in Singapore's political history. But the dynasty is secure.
Mr Lee had been known as minister mentor, while Mr Goh was senior minister since 2004. Both won parliament seats in the city-state's latest general election on 7 May.
BBC South-East Asia correspondent Rachel Harvey says Mr Lee's retirement is, unquestionably, a key moment in Singapore's political history.
In a joint-statement, Mr Lee and Mr Goh said the current prime minister and his team "should have a fresh clean slate".
"The time has come for a younger generation to carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation," they said.
"After a watershed general election, we have decided to leave the cabinet and have a completely younger team of ministers to connect to and engage with this young generation."
Politics in the tiny but hugely wealthy state have been dominated by the ruling People's Action Party...

Summary: Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew has resigned from the country's cabinet, ceding leadership to his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
###
Article: It happened on 16 September when Mr Obama visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
The incident came to light on Tuesday, hours after the boss of the Secret Service was grilled by Congress about a security breach at the White House.
A Secret Service official confirmed the incident but declined to comment.
The incident contravened a protocol that only members of the Secret Service are allowed to carry weapons in the presence of the president.
Tuesday's revelations led to calls from one senior US congressman for a "top-to-bottom" review of the agency.
The gun was found when the man was questioned by agents after taking a video of the president in the lift.
He was immediately sacked by his supervisors, who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, reports said.
November 2009: A Virginia couple filming a reality show make it past Secret Service checkpoints into a dinner for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh without an invitation.
November 2011: A man parks a car directly south of the White House and opens fire with a rifle, striking the residence at least seven times. Secret Service supervisors fail to realise the White House has been struck for four days - until a housekeeper discovers the damage.
April 2012: Eleven Secret Service employees preparing for the president's visit to the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Columbia, bring sex workers back to their hotel. An altercation ensues when one agent reneges on an agreement to pay $800 (Â£500) for the night, one woman tells a newspaper. Investigators later reveal agents violated protocol by "consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and patronising questionable local establishments while off duty".
November 2013: A senior supervisor on the president's protective detail starts a row after demanding access to a woman's room at the Hay Adams Hotel overlooking the White House. He leaves behind in the room a bullet from his service weapon.
March 2014: Three agents on the elite counter assault team are sent home from the...

Summary:


Storm Abigail, the first storm to be officially named by the Met Office, is set to bring winds of up to 80mph to parts of Scotland later this week.

Article: It also found a shortage of suitable skills at middle career level.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Scotland said skills training has some elements that perform at least as well as the rest of Britain
But it concluded that training for those aged 16 and over is not focused on current or future demand.
The think tank has challenged Scots to look beyond comparison with the rest of the United Kingdom if it is to compete economically.
Its report, Jobs and Skills in Scotland, found 118,000 jobs were created between 2010 and 2015, when the economy was struggling to recover from recession.
However, the jobs recovery has been weaker than the rest of the UK, and Scotland's employment rate has gone, in those years, from being higher than the UK average to being lower.
Jobs growth in Scotland has been in lower-skill sectors while losing jobs in higher skill industries - including financial services, down by nearly 10% in Scotland between 2010 and 2015.
There has been more of a balance in Scotland between manufacturing and the service sector than across the rest of Britain, where 87% of new jobs have been in services.
The gap between Scotland and the rest of Britain on average pay and productivity has been narrowed, but largely because the wider UK economy has seen productivity stall.
Among the particular problems of the Scottish jobs market is the lowest rate in Britain of career progression from low-skill to higher-skill employment. British career progression is low by international standards.
There is also a mismatch of job vacancies in Scotland with middle-level skills at early career level, with around 29,000 too few people qualified to fill them.
IPPR Scotland recommends reform which links funding and effort more strongly to career progression, productivity and tackling in-work poverty.
It urges better integration of employer needs with engagement of young people. A new regional regime is recommended, combining budgets.
The think tank also recommends that skills training should be directed towards...

Summary: Scots in lower-skilled jobs are less likely to progress to higher-skilled ones than in the rest of the UK and much of Europe, a report has found.
###
Article: Some 590,000 voters were registered to cast ballots for a 50-seat parliament, choosing from about 250 candidates.
The party of Mr Bainimarama, who quit as military chief to contest the polls, is expected to win the most seats.
The polls are being keenly watched by the international community, which has been urging a return to democracy.
After voting ended, election supervisor Mohammed Saneem said the day had gone smoothly.
"We haven't received any reports of any altercations in any of our polling stations and, as such, we can say, from the current information available, that there was no violence," he told reporters.
The Fijian Elections Office said counting of the votes had begun.
Earlier on Wednesday, long queues formed at polling stations with reports of voters dressed in their Sunday best eager to cast their ballots.
Will poll bring democracy?
"This is a historic election," Suva taxi driver Anil Kumar told the Associated Press news agency. "I'm excited that I will be able to cast my vote. I'm looking forward to it."
Fiji experienced four coups between 1987 and 2006.
Mr Bainimarama has ruled Fiji since ousting elected leader Laisenia Qarase in the most recent of them.
Mr Bainimarama says he wants to end tensions between indigenous Fijians and ethnic Indians at the heart of the political unrest.
To that end he has reformed the electoral process, ending the race-based communal voting system.
But in the past eight years he has also ruled with an iron grip, clamping down on free speech, compromising the judiciary and imposing media censorship.
In a recent report, rights group Amnesty International accused him of creating a "climate of fear" in Fiji through his use of draconian laws, and intimidation and harassment of government critics.
Critics also suggest that Mr Bainimarama, whose FijiFirst party is one of seven contesting the polls, has enjoyed a campaigning advantage because of the lack of any formal political opposition.
The Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa), led by indigenous Fijians, is seen as...

Summary: Voting has ended in the first election in Fiji since former military ruler Frank Bainimarama took power in a coup in 2006.
###
Article: One Lib Dem councillor was elected to Christchurch Borough Council in 2011, but he defected to the Conservative group.
The council is made up of 22 Conservatives and two Independents.
Lib Dem constituency candidate Andy Canning said the local party "wanted to concentrate on the general election campaign".
Of the 69 candidates standing in the Christchurch borough election, across 11 wards, 24 are Conservatives, 20 are Labour, 16 are from the UK Independence Party (UKIP), six are from the Green Party, and three are Independents.
A spokeswoman for the Christchurch Conservative group said her group had been getting very good support but added it was not for her to speculate about why the Lib Dems had not put any candidates forward.
The Christchurch Labour group said the Lib Dems' share of the vote at the last local elections in 2011 was "significant".
A spokesman said it would be "a very interesting fight here in Christchurch" with a "strong possibility" of Labour councillors being elected.
Janet Dover, Lib Dem group leader at Dorset County Council, said she was "disappointed" but had not been involved in the recruitment process in Christchurch.
The candidates for the Christchurch Parliamentary constituency are:

Summary: The Liberal Democrats are not fielding any candidates in a borough election despite 11 standing four years ago.
###
Article: They said half of the sum related to the economic losses from early deaths and patients taking time off work.
They believe the findings could help identify which areas offer the best returns from investment in research.
Lung cancer was the most expensive, costing £2.4bn a year, bowel cancer cost £1.6bn, breast cancer £1.5bn and prostate cancer £800m.
The study, which is being presented to the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference in Liverpool on Wednesday, looked at economic losses, health care costs and the burden of unpaid care provided by friends and family.
The £15.8bn total for all cancers included £7.6bn in economic costs, £5.6bn for health and £2.6bn for unpaid care.
Lead researcher Dr Jose Leal said: "Our research shows that cancer impacts on the economy as a whole - and not just the health service.
"Premature deaths, time off work and unpaid care by friends and family account for 64% of all cancer costs.
"These wider costs should be taken into account when deciding research priorities.
"Cancers with the highest economic cost could offer the highest expected returns from investment in research."
NCRI director Dr Jane Cope said: "These figures remind us that cancer has a cost, not just in professional health care but also in loss of earnings for patients and loved ones who give up work to look after them."
Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK, said the research was further proof of the need to tackle smoking, particularly among the young.
"Stopping young people taking up this deadly addiction in the first place will not only reduce the number of lung cancer cases in the future but a range of other illnesses that continue to blight the lives of so many people," she added.

Summary: The health and economic cost of cancer tops £15bn a year in the UK, a study by Oxford University researchers suggests.
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Article: "The Security Council,
Recalling its resolution 1970 (2011) of 26 February 2011,
Deploring the failure of the Libyan authorities to comply with resolution 1970 (2011),
Expressing grave concern at the deteriorating situation, the escalation of violence, and the heavy civilian casualties,
Reiterating the responsibility of the Libyan authorities to protect the Libyan population and reaffirming that parties to armed conflicts bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of civilians,
Condemning the gross and systematic violation of human rights, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and summary executions,
Further condemning acts of violence and intimidation committed by the Libyan authorities against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel and urging these authorities to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law as outlined in resolution 1738 (2006),
Considering that the widespread and systematic attacks currently taking place in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya against the civilian population may amount to crimes against humanity,
Recalling paragraph 26 of resolution 1970 (2011) in which the Council expressed its readiness to consider taking additional appropriate measures, as necessary, to facilitate and support the return of humanitarian agencies and make available humanitarian and related assistance in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,
Expressing its determination to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian populated areas and the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance and the safety of humanitarian personnel,
Recalling the condemnation by the League of Arab States, the African Union and the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference of the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that have been and are being committed in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,
Taking note of the final communiqué of the Organization of the Islamic Conference of 8 March...

Summary: Here is the full text of UN resolution 1973 imposing a no-fly zone and other sanctions on Libya.
###
Article: A yellow "be aware" warning has been issued for late Thursday into Friday for the Western and Northern Isles, Highlands and Argyll.
The warning also applies to parts of Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Earlier this year the Met Office asked the public for suggestions for names for storms.
Storm Abigail could bring gusts of 60 to 70mph, potentially rising to speeds of up to 80mph in exposed areas.
The warning is in place from 18:00 on Thursday until 14:00 on Friday.
In its warning, the Met Office said: "The public should be aware of the risk of disruption to transport. In addition, large waves may give rise to local over-topping along some coasts.
"A vigorous depression is expected to pass just to the northwest of Scotland on Thursday night bringing a swathe of very strong winds on its eastern and southern flanks.
"There remains some uncertainty regarding the exact extent and timing of strongest winds and the extent of impacts and this warning will be kept under review."
Sea swell charts produced by South Devon-based surfing website Magicseaweed.com suggest swell reaching heights of 10-11.5m (36-38ft) on Friday.
Meteorologist Dr Eddy Graham, who lectures at Lews Castle College UHI in Stornoway in Lewis, said people should stay indoors if the weather deteriorates.
He said: "The Met Office have issued the first high wind warning of the season for this Thursday and Friday for most of northern and western Scotland.
"Winds are expected to reach over 70mph, possibly touching 80mph in the strongest gusts. Winds of these speeds are dangerous when outdoors - stay safely indoors when conditions deteriorate."

Summary:


It was back in August last year that Mark Dodson, chief executive of Scottish Rugby, and Philip Browne, his counterpart in the Irish Rugby Football Union, truly raised the alarm about the Pro12.

Article: The average Dutchman is now 183cm (6ft) tall, while the average Latvian woman reaches 170cm (5ft 7in).
The research, published in the journal eLife, has tracked growth trends in 187 countries since 1914.
It finds Iranian men and South Korean women have had the biggest spurts, increasing their height by an average of more than 16cm (6in) and 20cm (8in).
Life for the tallest and shortest
In the UK, the sexes have gone up virtually in parallel by about 11cm (4in). "Mr Average" in Britain is now 178cm (5ft 10in) tall; Ms Average stands at 164cm (5ft 5in).
This contrasts for example with men and women in the US, where the height of the nation's people started to plateau in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the century, they have seen increases of just 6cm and 5cm (a couple of inches), respectively.
Indeed, Americans have tumbled down the rankings. Back in 1914, they had the third tallest men and fourth tallest women on the planet. Today they are in 37th and 42nd place.
The height charts are now utterly dominated by European countries, but the data would suggest that growth trends in general in the West have largely levelled out.
The smallest men on the planet are to be found in East Timor (160cm; 5ft 3in).
The world's smallest women are in Guatemala, a status they also held back in 1914. According to the survey data, a century ago the average Guatemalan 18-year-old female was 140cm (4ft 7in). Today she has still not quite reached 150cm (4ft 11in).
East Asia has seen some of the biggest increases. People in Japan, China and South Korea are much taller than they were 100 years ago.
"The parts of the world where people haven't got particularly taller over this 100 years of analysis are in South Asia (such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) and in sub-Saharan Africa. Here the increase in height is between 1-6cm in those regions," explained co-author James Bentham from Imperial College London.
In fact, in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, average heights have actually fallen since the 1970s. Nations like Uganda and Sierra Leone...

Summary: When it comes to height, Dutch men and Latvian women tower over all other nationalities, a study reveals.
###
Article: A ruling on the involvement of RBS in the fixing of the key industry interest rate is due imminently.
It is expected to be higher than the fine of nearly £300m imposed on Barclays last year.
RBS, which is majority owned by the government, is now in final talks with US and UK authorities over Libor.
An announcement could be made within days. In effect, the fine imposed by the British financial authorities will be the UK taxpayer paying the UK taxpayer, but there has been concern over how the US fine was to be paid.
Senior sources at the Treasury said the chancellor had made it clear that the financial penalty imposed by American regulators must be covered by deductions from the bonuses of bankers at RBS.
These would be either clawed back from previous years or deducted from future bonus awards.
Two leading banks, Barclays and UBS, have reached settlements with regulators over their involvement with Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate), with fines of £290m and £940m respectively.
Libor tracks the average rate at which the major international banks based in London lend money to each other.
BBC business editor Robert Peston has said the talks include "other necessary remediation, including a possible senior resignation".
But the bank's board does not believe chief executive Stephen Hester needs to resign.

Summary: Any fines by US authorities on Royal Bank of Scotland over the Libor scandal should be met by bankers not taxpayers, Chancellor George Osborne has insisted.
###
Article: The first-time observation was made on 24 Themis, a huge rock that orbits almost 480 million km out from the Sun.
The researchers say that ice is not stable in such circumstances and has to be replenished by some means - perhaps from inside the object.
They tell Nature magazine the finding plays into the theory that much of the water in Earth's oceans was delivered from space.
"It's interesting that we have detected ice on an asteroid because there have been suggestions that water on Earth came from impacts with many asteroids in Earth's early history," said Professor Humberto Campins, from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, US.
"This detection of water-ice on the surface of an asteroid supports that idea," he told BBC News.
24 Themis is about 200km in diameter, making it one of the biggest rocks in the main asteroid belt.  It orbits at more than one-and-a-half-times the Sun-Mars distance.
The observation that its surface is frosted was confirmed by two independent teams - one led by Professor Campins - who examined how light was reflected off the body using the US space agency's (Nasa) Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
The teams also found a signature for complex organic, or carbon-rich, compounds.
Scientists have long since detected hydrated, or water-containing, minerals on the surfaces of asteroids - but this is a first in terms of an observation of exposed water-ice.
The researchers were drawn to make the study because smaller fragments of the rock broken off during an ancient collision look rather like comets when viewed through telescopes, and this suggested they and the larger body might harbour significant quantities of ice.
But to find it covering the surface is unexpected, say the researchers. In sunlight, and with no pressure from an atmosphere, the ice would be expected to vaporise rapidly.
This indicates the ice disappearing at the surface is constantly being replaced.
One scenario thought highly unlikely is that Themis has had a recent collision with an icy comet.
More...

Summary: Scientists have detected water-ice on the surface of an asteroid.
###
Article: For most people the logos of such firms immediately connect our minds to the business in question, without the need to see its name.
Think of the golden arches of a popular fast-food chain, or the apple with a bite taken out of it representing a certain computer company.
This type of instant recognition is the holy grail for a business.
Which is why the world's multinational companies can spend millions on their logos - like UK oil group BP, which back in 2000 spent Â£136m introducing its current sunflower design.
Other firms of a similar size, whose logo is simply their name written out in a stylised way, can spend hundreds of thousands on a new font, or a different colour.
But how easy is it for a business to pick a good logo, and how important is it at the end of the day?
If you are presented with a design for your company logo that is immediately likeable and resonates with your values, you might be wise to take a long hard look at it, bin it, and start again.
That's the opinion of Sagi Haviv, partner at New York graphic design firm Chermayeff & Geismer & Haviv (CGH).
"It's never love at first sight," he says. "A good logo, a good trademark, gains meaning and power over time."
CGH has been responsible for some of the most recognisable US business logos of the past 50 years, such as Chase Bank, National Geographic, Mobile, NBC and HarperCollins.
But Mr Haviv says some of the firms' clients had to be dragged kicking and screaming towards accepting what have since become some of the world's best-known logos.
"We remind our clients - and we open every presentation with a slide that says - it's never love at first sight," he says.
A recent presentation by CGH for a large corporation was a case in point. The chief executive, says Mr Haviv, could live with any of the six designs apart from number two.
"Two hours later at the end of the presentation, he wanted number two and he wouldn't hear of anything else," says Mr Haviv. "This is why the relationship between the client and the designer is extremely...

Summary: From Nike's "swoosh" symbol to Starbucks' twin-tailed mermaid or siren, the world's largest companies take great care of their logos.
###
Article: The Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation is given to farms and estates that demonstrate a standard of excellence in land management.
To receive the award, estates have to encourage wildlife conservation and biodiversity through careful species and habitat management.
Over 20 farms and estates have achieved accreditation in Scotland.
Red deer stalking, grouse shooting and salmon fishing are all managed at Balmoral.
Richard Gledson, Balmoral's resident factor, said the royal family were "thrilled" by the award.
He added: "We are delighted that the estate has been awarded WES accreditation.
"It marks the culmination of a long process to ensure Balmoral meets the high standards of the scheme."

Summary: The Duke of Edinburgh has collected an award on behalf of Balmoral Estate for its wildlife practice.
###
Article: In articulating why the tournament needed a dramatic overhaul, Dodson spoke about "bleak prospects" and "perfect storms" if everything stayed the same. Browne went even further when pointing out a "potentially profound" risk to the professional game in Ireland if the Pro12 didn't get its act together.
It was all about money. The Pro12 brings in about £12m in television revenues - a relative spit in a bucket compared to the riches of the Premiership in England and the Top 14 in France.
The unions in Scotland, Ireland and Wales were all beside themselves with worry over the yawning financial disadvantage they were at compared to the English and the French as they attempted to keep hold of their marquee players.
In exploring the possibility of inviting two American franchises into the Pro12 in time for the 2018-19 season, Dodson spoke of the necessity to tap into new markets and find new money in order to fight off English and French clubs who may come looking for Scotland's finest. "To stay as we are is not an option," he said.
Things have changed. It's not the Americans who are in the frame now, it's the South Africans. And 2018-19 is not on the table anymore, it's 2017-18. It's the coming season, which begins in September.
On 7 July - this coming Friday - the South African Rugby Union will go through the Pro12's list of requirements for acceptance of two of their franchises - the Cheetahs from Bloemfontein and the Kings from Port Elizabeth - into the next Pro12 campaign.
They will have to make commitments on finance - each of the current 12 clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales could be in line for an extra £500,000-£800,000 in revenues from the South African union and South African television - as well as commitments on squad enhancement. The last thing the Pro12 needs is two more also-rans.
The Cheetahs and the Kings are the poor relations of South African rugby. Of the six SARU franchises in Super Rugby, they are the weakest. They sit in their usual perch at the tail-end of the southern hemisphere...

Summary:


Shares in Mattel, the maker of Barbie dolls, jumped 8% on Thursday following a report it had discussed a merger with rival Hasbro.

Article: It was alleged they had attacked a woman, 20, after an end of term party at the Royal Agricultural University in Gloucestershire, in 2014.
The men, three of whom were students, denied the charges made against them.
A trial was due to start two weeks ago but prosecutors have now decided not to proceed with the case against the men.
All four made no comment as they left Gloucester Crown Court after not guilty verdicts were recorded.
Earlier, prosecutor Fiona Elder told the court a decision had been made not to offer any evidence against the four.
"The decision was made that there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore in the circumstances it was not for the Crown to pursue this case to trial," she said.
"The police were informed and discussed the decision with the head of the South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit.
"The head of the South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit consulted with the complainant and her family to ensure they knew and understood the decision, whatever their view of it."

Summary: Four men accused of rape after a university's summer ball have been cleared after the case against them was dropped.
###
Article: Steve Hilton, who was one of the PM's closest aides, attacked Brussels' "statism, corporatism and bureaucracy".
In an article for the Daily Mail, he said the PM's "relatively modest" reform demands had received "arrogant and dismissive treatment".
Mr Cameron said evidence was more important than people's opinions.
Live: Follow the latest EU referendum debate
The PM was asked about Mr Hilton's comments as he unveiled a new Treasury report warning a vote to leave the EU could trigger a recession.
He said "everyone is entitled to their opinion" but added that the "evidence" he was presenting was "far more important than the view of one person or another person".
The Treasury report marks the latest in a series of warnings about the economic consequences of leaving, including from the Bank of England and the IMF.
In his article, Mr Hilton said "establishment stooges" were being "wheeled out to attempt to persuade us to stay".
He said "no-one really knows" what the economic impact would be, adding: "It's clearly ridiculous to claim that it's settled in either direction; there are risks whatever we do."
How far the UK has the ability to make its own laws and decide how it is governed.
Mr Hilton, who left Downing Street in 2012 for a post at Stanford University in the US, was one of the driving forces behind Mr Cameron's flagship "Big Society" project.
He said the EU had "become so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that it's way beyond the ability of any British government to make it work to our advantage".
After a "pragmatic, non-ideological assessment", he said he had decided: "Membership of the EU makes Britain literally ungovernable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country."
Leaving the EU would allow the UK to "regain control over our country's destiny" he said, claiming the EU was not interested in anything other than "superficial change".
In other EU referendum news, a prominent Conservative MP and EU exit backer accused her fellow Leave campaigners of...

Summary: David Cameron's former director of strategy has called for a vote to leave the EU, saying membership "makes Britain literally ungovernable".
###
Article: It is the second time in a month that Pyongyang has carried out such drills.
Last time, the exercises led to an exchange of artillery fire between North and South Korea.
But on this occasion, North Korea's live rounds fell short of the disputed western sea border and so South Korea did not respond.
"The North's shells fell in waters about 3km (2 miles) north of the NLL [Northern Limit Line, the disputed border]," Yonhap news agency quoted a spokesman from the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying.
"The South Korean military is currently monitoring North Korean artillery units, while maintaining high military readiness."
South Korea's defence ministry said it was notified early on Tuesday that drills would take place near islands west of the Korean peninsula.
Firing began around 14:00 (05:00GMT), with around 50 shells fired at two locations, Yonhap said.
The western sea border has long been a flashpoint between the two Koreas. The UN drew the border after the Korean War, but North Korea has never recognised it.
A similar North Korean exercise at the end of March resulted in the two sides exchanging hundreds of rounds of artillery fire, after South Korea said rounds landed in its territory.
Border islands in the area where the exercises took place are also hotspots.
In November 2010, North Korea fired shells at Yeonpyeong, killing two marines and two civilians, in what it said was a response to South Korean military exercises.
Earlier that year, a South Korean warship sank near Baengnyeong island with the loss of 46 lives. Seoul says Pyongyang torpedoed the vessel but North Korea denies any role in the incident.
Residents on all five islands were told to move to evacuation centres during the drill, Yonhap said.
This latest move from North Korea comes as satellite images suggest Pyongyang could be preparing to carry out a nuclear test.
South Korea's military said it had recently detected "a lot of activity" at the North's Punggye-ri test site.
The test, if it went ahead, would be Pyongyang's fourth, after...

Summary: North Korea has conducted a live-fire drill near the disputed maritime border, Seoul officials say, but no shells fell in South Korean waters.
###
Article: Mohammed Rehman, 25, discussed targeting the London Underground and Westfield shopping centre on social media under the name "Silent Bomber".
He and his wife Sana Ahmed Khan were convicted of preparing terrorist acts.
Jailing them both for life at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Baker told Rehman he had been "determined to fulfil the Islamic State's call for jihad".
The couple's trial had heard how bomb-making chemicals were found at Rehman's Reading home, where he had filmed himself setting off a small explosion in the back garden.
He had been planning an attack to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the 7 July London bombings, the trial was told.
The role of 24-year-old Khan was to fund the chemicals needed to make a "huge" bomb.
Rehman, who was also convicted of possessing an article for terrorist purposes, was a "prolific" user of Twitter, the trial was told, posting extremist rhetoric alongside images of homemade devices and instructional material.
One tweet from his account read: "I have rigged my house to blow at the push of a button by my bedside if the popo [police] try to raid man. Nobody gets in the way of my jihad."
The judge told Rehman that the reason for his conversion "may never be fully known", adding that he was satisfied he had intended to carry out an act of terrorism within the United Kingdom.
"The type of act which you envisaged not only encompassed the use of explosive substances which would be used to maximum effect so as to cause multiple injuries and fatalities, but specifically included a suicide bombing; an act which envisaged martyrdom, a notion specifically resurrected by Islamic State in order to encourage this type of venture," Mr Justice Baker said.
Ahead of the sentencing hearing, Khan had sent the judge a handwritten letter saying she had divorced Rehman a couple of weeks previously and that she should have "distanced myself from him a long time ago".
The judge rejected her argument, telling Khan: "I am satisfied that it was you who became interested in the theological...

Summary: A husband and wife who plotted a terror attack in London have been jailed for a minimum of 27 and 25 years.
###
Article: Some 22% of marriages among Iranians end in divorce - a rate which is even higher in the capital, Tehran.
The vast majority occur between couples under 30 - the age group which makes up most of country's population. It is a statistic which is worrying officials.
Announcing the plan earlier this year, Mahmoud Golrazi, the deputy minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, said he hoped the new site would help create "100,000 marriages" and thus "solve the problem of marriage amongst young people".
It was a bold claim, but a sign of the government's determination the reverse the trend.
The new site is called hamsan.tebyan.net and is run by the Islamic Development Organisation, an institution under the supervision of the Supreme Leader that promotes the Islamic lifestyle.
It is integrated in tebyan.net, an Islamic lifestyle portal, now catering for its audience's love life.
Hamsan.tebyan.net is run by about 100 people and although it is currently only operational in Tehran, there are plans to expand to other Iranian cities.
Users searching for true love are asked to enter basic details, such as height and weight, but also parents' occupation and marital status.
Conventional questions about hobbies, music tastes or favourite films do not appear.
Unlike traditional dating sites, candidates cannot view other users' profiles or even photos of potential matches, as religious authorities deem this immodest.
Only the web administrators can access these and start matching up "compatible" couples.
Whether the site will successfully entice single people, it is too soon to tell, though it has aroused curiosity.
"It is so hard to meet people in Tehran, and this is a good option for people who come from traditional families," a young resident of the capital, Kaveh, told BBC Persian.
However, others sounded more wary than willing.
Ali, also from Tehran, said he would not join, as [his] "matches would be chosen by the people running the website, and I can't trust that they would make the right decision".
"Other websites have...

Summary: With a high rate of divorce among a large, youthful population, authorities in Iran have stepped in to play Cupid with the launch of a state-run internet dating website.
###
Article: Hasbro, the maker of My Little Pony, approached Mattel about a deal late last year, according to Bloomberg news.
The combination of the two toy-makers would produce a company with a $20bn market capitalization as of Wednesday.
In 1996, Mattel made a $5.2bn (Â£3.5bn) offer to buy Hasbro, but the two sides failed to reach a final agreement.
Over the last few years, Mattel has lost market share to Hasbro and Denmark's Lego. Lego overtook Mattel as the world's largest toy-marker in 2014.
In its most recent quarter, Mattel reported a 4% drop in worldwide sales and expects sales to decline this year.
That is partly because Hasbro has taken over the contract to produce toys based on the Disney movie Frozen, and toys sold under the Princess brand.
Mattel estimated in 2014 that the Princess brand brought in $300m.
In an effort to boost sales of its Barbie line, Mattel introduced three new body types and seven new skin tones in January. Sales of Barbie dolls fell 10% globally in 2015.
Neither company has commented on the rumoured deal.
Hasbro's share price rose 1.5%. In afternoon trading, Mattel shares fell back and were trading up 1.6% on the day.
Hasbro reports its full-year earnings report on 8 February.

Summary:


Alfreton Town have signed goalkeeper Jason Mooney on loan from League Two side York for the rest of the season.

Article: He needs to reduce the prison population in England and Wales in order to save money, while persuading his supporters that he is not soft on crime.
One proposal is to release foreign prisoners early on condition that they leave the UK. Another is to increase the use of day release.
But his hands are tied because politicians cannot tell judges what sentences to pass in individual cases.
What the justice secretary can do is to seek changes in the law if he thinks it is operating unfairly.
A law that has come in for a great deal of criticism is the former sentence of imprisonment for public protection, known as IPP.
Offenders were given a notional minimum term, known as the tariff, but they could be detained indefinitely after that term had expired.
The IPP sentence was designed to ensure that dangerous violent and sexual offenders stayed in custody while they continued to present a risk to society.
The sentence was introduced under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 when Lord Blunkett was Labour's home secretary, and abolished at the end of 2012, when Kenneth Clarke was the Conservative minister responsible for sentencing policy.
But abolition was not retrospective. In June this year, more than 4,600 prisoners were still serving IPPs.
By September, more than three-quarters had completed their minimum term and 392 IPP prisoners had served more than five times their tariff.
The government's policy is that IPP prisoners should continue to be detained until they can persuade the Parole Board, at a hearing, that the risks they pose to the public are safely manageable in the community.
But the Parole Board has a backlog of cases waiting to be heard - although that was reduced by 18% during the first 10 months of 2015 as a result of increased funding.
Even so, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Haywood, a former justice of the Supreme Court, described IPPs as a "form of preventive detention - internment - entirely alien to our traditional criminal justice approach".
He called on the justice secretary to "bring this terrible scourge...

Summary: One of the most difficult problems Justice Secretary Michael Gove faces in 2016 is the sentencing of offenders.
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Article: There is a growing feeling that players are losing patience with the ways of the USGA.
And after damaging controversies at the last two US Opens, former world number one Adam Scott described them as "panicky" and followed Phil Mickelson in piling pressure on the beleaguered organisation.
Two years ago at Chambers Bay, the USGA seemed the only observers unwilling to criticise greens so bumpy they were not fit to stage a monthly medal, never mind one of the big four majors.
"They were simply the worst most disgraceful surfaces I have ever seen on any tour," Ian Poulter said at the time.
Then came last year's ham-fisted handling of the Dustin Johnson rules fiasco that left no one knowing the leader's score throughout most of the final round at Oakmont. It was a farce that, again, portrayed the sport in a poor light.
Thankfully Johnson's contentious one stroke penalty, after he was deemed to have caused his ball to move on the fifth green, did not affect the eventual outcome as the current world number one brilliantly closed out his first major title.
Asked by American magazine Golfweek if he thought the USGA were feeling the heat, Scott replied: "Absolutely."
"They've taken criticism for the last two years, I'm sure they're not liking it. They're going to have to try to run a really good event."
This week the USGA have the opportunity to make their final tweaks to the par-72 Wisconsin course, which is just eleven years old and stages its first US Open, starting on 15 June.
It is another gamble to hold the championship on such a young course especially so soon after Chambers Bay, a course that opened for business in only 2007.
Famed for being the toughest of the majors, ahead of the Masters, Open and PGA Championship, the US Open is usually set up to make level-par a winning score.
Narrow fairways, uncompromising rough, rock hard lightning fast greens and relentless length are the stocks in trade of America's national championship.
It can make for attritional, one-dimensional golf where the last man standing...

Summary: The United States Golf Association (USGA) is a governing body under intense scrutiny as it prepares to stage next week's US Open at Erin Hills.
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Article: The facility allows any device running Android 4.4 or higher and fitted with an NFC (near field communication) chip to act as a tap-and-pay substitute for credit and debit cards.
Several lenders, including Lloyds Bank, HSBC and Nationwide have said they will support the scheme.
Samsung earlier said its rival service would also come to the UK this year.
The South Korean handset maker has yet to be more specific about its British launch plans for Samsung Pay, which is restricted to its own Android smartphones.
Apple Pay has been available in the UK since July 2015 but is limited to the firm's iOS devices, so will not compete directly with Google's service.
At present, Android Pay is only available in the US, where it became available in September.
A Google spokeswoman said it was now "likely" that the UK would become its second or third market. The only other expansion plan announcement has been about bringing Android Pay to Australia by the end of June.
The service requires a user to first store details of their cards within the app, and then provide a fingerprint scan or passcode to authorise a payment.
It can be used in stores and restaurants as an alternative to tapping a card on a point-of-sale terminal, or within apps to avoid having to type in account details.
In theory, it is safer to use than a physical credit or debit card as the owner does not need to reveal their account number at point of purchase, and even if someone was able to intercept the transmitted encrypted information, they could not re-use it to authorise further payments.
Google said it had struck deals with Visa and Mastercard to allow the service to stand in for their cards, as well as several UK's financial institutions including:
Santander said it also planned to support the feature before the end of the year.
That still leaves several big names missing, including American Express, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland - but Google said it intended to add more organisations to the list ahead of the launch.
Google's blog, which revealed...

Summary: Google has said that it will extend Android Pay to the UK "in the next few months".
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Article: The ink sketch, showing Pooh and Piglet looking at a watch at the foot of Owl's House, never made it into AA Milne's books and was kept by the artist.
Sotheby's described the illustration as a "significant" and "rare unpublished example of Shepard's work".
It is estimated to fetch between £30,000 and £50,000 at auction in London on Tuesday.
The drawing was presented to composer Julian Slade at the first performance of a musical version of Winnie the Pooh at the Phoenix Theatre, London, in December 1970.
AA Milne wrote the Pooh books in the 1920s while he lived in Ashdown Forest, near Hartfield in East Sussex.
In December, a 1928 drawing of Pooh, Piglet and Christopher Robin playing Pooh Sticks was sold for £314,500 by Sotheby's.
A poll of more than 2,000 adults in 2014 named Winnie the Pooh as the favourite children's book of the past 150 years.
Sotheby's is also auctioning a 1931 illustration of Toad and Ratty from Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows.
The drawing, entitled "Toad told Rat all his adventures", showing the pair drinking coffee at a table, is expected to sell for between £10,000 and £15,000.
Shepard, who died in 1976, was also a noted political cartoonist, but became best-known for his children's book illustrations.
However, he famously came to despise his association with Winnie the Pooh, and was heard to describe the character as "that silly old bear" in later life.

Summary: A rare and unpublished Winnie the Pooh drawing by EH Shepard is expected to fetch up to £50,000 at auction.
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Article: Political unrest, corruption and chronic economic problems have plagued the country's fragile democracy since it emerged from the 35-year dictatorship of the late Gen Alfredo Stroessner in 1989.
It remains one of the region's poorest countries, with over 40% of its people living in poverty. Much of the land is in the hands of a tiny elite and successive governments have been slow to implement land reform.
Its economy is reliant on agriculture and hydroelectric power. Unlike its neighbours, Paraguay has evaded mass tourism.
Most of the population is of mixed Spanish and Guarani descent, known as mestizos, and speak the indigenous language Guarani as well as Spanish.
The Triple Frontier region, where Paraguay meets Argentina and Brazil, has long been associated with drug-smuggling and other contraband trade.
Population 6.7 million
Area 406,752 sq km (157,048 sq miles)
Major languages Spanish, Guarani
Main religion Christianity
Life expectancy 71 years (men), 75 years (women)
Currency guarani
President: Horacio Cartes
Tobacco magnate Horacio Cartes won a five-year presidential term in April 2013, beating main rival and Liberal Party candidate Efrain Alegre.
His victory returned the right-wing Colorado Party to the executive office it held for six decades before left-wing former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo won the presidential election in 2008.
Mr Lugo was impeached in June 2012 over his handling of a deadly land dispute, a move that several regional governments denounced as a "legislative coup" by the conservative assembly. Mr Cartes' election has helped bring Paraguay back into their good graces.
He has pledged to lead Paraguay in "a new direction". A week after he was sworn in, parliament voted in favour of giving Mr Cartes new powers allowing him to deploy the military against left-wing rebels of the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP).
Mr Cartes is one of Paraguay's wealthiest people and part of the tiny elite that controls just about everything in the country.
Private and public outlets make up the...

Summary: Landlocked Paraguay is at the heart of South America, surrounded by Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.
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Article: The 25-year-old, who is 6ft 9ins tall, joined the Minstermen from Tranmere Rovers on a two-year deal in May, but has only made five appearances.
Mooney's first stint in professional football in England was at Wycombe and he spent time at Conference North side Oxford City before joining Tranmere.
He is available for Alfreton's game against Welling United on Saturday.

Summary:


(Close): Shares of the two newly split Hewlett Packard companies diverged after its last report as a consolidated company.

Article: Peter Hay first joined the local authority 14 years ago and became strategic director for people in 2013.
He initially took over children's services "in the interim" after years of criticism and poor ratings from Ofsted.
Mr Hay said it had been "the greatest privilege" to work with "so many very special people".
"I want to continue to pursue my lifelong commitment to social justice in all its forms through the new opportunities that will come in my next stage of life," he said.
"I have had the privilege to lead many talented staff who carry out amazing work."
More on this and other stories from the West Midlands
Previously a social worker, Mr Hay joined the council in 2003 and was credited by the authority in helping its children's services gain a star rating in the 2005 national assessment.
He was placed in charge of the adult and communities directorate when adults and children's services were separated before taking charge of both departments when they were re-merged in 2013.
In 2012 he was awarded a CBE for services to social care and health, and he has also served as president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care.
Brigid Jones, the council's cabinet member for children, families and schools, said Mr Hay could not have taken on the job "at a harder time" following a string of high-profile incidents.
"He has been personally instrumental in securing a stable and motivated workforce and I shall miss his leadership, professionalism and unreserved support," she said.

Summary: The director of Birmingham City Council's adults and children's services will retire in July.
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Article: Regulated fares such as season tickets are pegged to Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation in July, which was 1%.
Rail fares have risen nearly three times faster than wages in the UK over the past five years, analysis has suggested.
But rail minister Claire Perry said the government's plans would put an end to "inflation-busting fare increases".
A study by the TUC suggested regulated fare prices jumped 25% between 2010 and 2015, while average pay rose 9% over the same period.
Rail unions are campaigning for train lines to be run by the public sector, which they say will cut prices.
Regulated fares cover about half of all tickets sold, including season tickets and day returns.
The government had already announced that regulated rail fares in England would rise by no more than RPI inflation for this parliament.
A restriction limiting increases in these fares to RPI inflation has been in place for the past two years, during the latter years of the coalition government.
"Next year's fares will see some of the lowest increases for decades," said rail minister Claire Perry.
Speaking to Radio 5 live, she said that the 1% rise in fares from January "is actually a real-terms freeze".
She added: "With the economy recovering, and wages recovering, for the first time in over a decade you'll actually see wage growth outstripping any change in rail fares."
But TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said many commuters were "seriously out of pocket" because of the sharp rise in fares.
"If ministers really want to help hard-pressed commuters, they need to return services to the public sector.
"It would allow much bigger savings to be passed on to passengers," she added.
Action for Rail - the TUC and rail union-led campaign pushing to bring the railways back into public ownership - maintains that Â£1.5bn could be saved over the next five years if routes, including the Northern, Transpennine and West Coast Main Line, were returned to the public sector.
A third of this would come from recouping the money that private train firms...

Summary: Regulated rail fares are to rise by 1% in January, the Department of Transport has said.
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Article: Physical and genetic evidence suggests that cetaceans found in waters off northern Australia are distinct within the humpback family.
This general group grows up to 2.4m in length and inhabits coastal waters from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The evidence for the distinct species in northern Australia is outlined in the academic journal Molecular Ecology.
"Based on the findings of our combined morphological and genetic analyses, we can suggest that the humpback dolphin genus includes at least four member species," said co-author Martin Mendez, from the Wildlife Conservation Society's Latin America and the Caribbean programme.
Dr Mendez added: "This discovery helps our understanding of the evolutionary history of this group and informs conservation policies to help safeguard each of the species."
The authors analysed physical data gathered mostly from beached dolphins and museum specimens. Specifically, the team examined features from 180 skulls covering most of the distribution area of the group in order to compare features across the region.
The researchers also collected 235 tissue samples from humpback dolphins, stretching from the eastern Atlantic to the western Pacific Oceans, analysing both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to study variation.
Dr Nicholas Higgs, a marine biologist from Plymouth University, told BBC News: "It is an interesting and significant finding and has important conservation implications, namely that the Australian population is  a distinct species and should be given conservation status on its own.
He added: "We knew that there were humpback dolphins living off Australia, but didn't realise that they were a separate species from that living in the rest of South-East Asia."
Paul.Rincon-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter

Summary: A team of researchers says it has identified a new species of humpback dolphin.
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Article: The Wales Act 2014 means a referendum could be held to give Welsh ministers the power to vary income tax.
The Welsh government, now its official name, is also getting control of stamp duty, land tax and landfill tax, and can now borrow up to Â£1bn.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said it "marks the next step on our devolution journey".
The changes mean the Welsh government is now accountable for raising some of the money it spends.
Power over landfill taxes, stamp duty and the aggregates levy will pass to Cardiff Bay in 2018.
However, devolution of income tax powers will be subject to a referendum.
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said: "This is an historic day for Wales.
"Today's Royal Assent of the Wales Bill will help create a robust and lasting Welsh devolution settlement.
"It means that for first time the Welsh government is not only responsible for the money it spends but also for raising a portion of that money as well.
"It is now important that they make full use of these new financial powers as soon as possible to help grow and strengthen the Welsh economy."
Mr Jones said the act would allow the Welsh government to "develop a distinct tax policy which is fair and meets the needs of the people and businesses of Wales".
But he said a referendum on income tax powers could not happen until "the issue of fair funding from Westminster is addressed".
Politicians in Wales claim the funding mechanism for the various governments and assemblies is over-generous to Scotland and Northern Ireland, and believe it short-changes Wales by up to Â£300m a year.
Mr Jones said: "The Wales Act 2014 gives the National Assembly the power to call a referendum over income tax devolution.
"This is something I welcome, but I must emphasise that until the issue of fair funding from Westminster is addressed this cannot happen."

Summary: A bill that hands tax-raising powers to the Welsh government has received Royal Assent.
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Article: It has also indicated that EU payments to farmers will be upheld until 2020.
The Treasury statement comes after Northern Ireland's finance minister raised concerns that Stormont was not being consulted about future EU funds.
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said the money was to be handed out between now and 2020.
He told an audience in Belfast that he did not believe the Treasury would underwrite half of peace and cross-border funding.
But the Treasury has now said it will stand by structural and investment fund projects signed before November.
Chancellor Philip Hammond also said universities bidding competitively for EU projects would still have their payments underwritten even if those projects continue after the UK leaves the EU.
Responding to Mr Hammond's announcement, Mr Ó Muilleoir said it did not go far enough.
"While the decision will help some applicants for EU funds, it will leave a question mark over scores of other vital projects and means potentially up to £300m of future funding is in peril," he said.
He added that he had spoken to Mr Hammond to ask that Northern Ireland "would not lose a penny of EU related funding streams".
Funding from the EU has helped to improve transport links between Belfast and Dublin and build Londonderry's Peace Bridge.
EU money has also been a major source of funding for peace-building and the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said: "We recognise that many organisations across the UK, which are in receipt of EU funding, or expect to start receiving funding, want reassurance about the flow of funding they will receive.
"That's why I am confirming that structural and investment funds projects signed before the autumn statement will be guaranteed by the Treasury after we leave [the EU].
"The government will also match the current level of agricultural funding until 2020, providing certainty to our agricultural community, who play a vital role in our country."
While the UK voted to leave the European Union by 52% to 48%, 56% of voters in Northern Ireland...

Summary: EU structural and investment projects in Northern Ireland signed before the chancellor's autumn statement will be funded even if they continue after Brexit, the Treasury has said.
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Article: HP split into two separate companies in November - one focused on the printer and PC businesses and the other on corporate services.
Shares of Hewlett Packard Inc fell 4% while services focussed Hewlett Packard Enterprises rose 2.3%.
The Dow Jones gained 19 points to close at 17,812, after a bumpy start.
The S&P 500 rose 2 points to 2,079.22, while the Nasdaq gained 20 points to 5,102.
Hewlett-Packard's revenue fell 9.5% to $25.71bn in the fourth-quarter.
On a broader theme, concerns about global political tensions weighed on early trading after it was reported that Turkey had shot down a Russian warplane.
Stocks regained their footing, though on the back of news that the US economy grew faster than previously estimated in the third quarter of the year.
The Commerce Department said gross domestic product rose at an annual pace of 2.1% in the quarter, up from the 1.5% rate it reported last month.
Oil prices rose sharply on concerns that there could be more uncertainty in the Middle East.
Brent crude jumped by 2.5% or $1.14, to $45.97 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $0.94 to $42.96 a barrel.
As a result, shares in oil firms rose, with Exxon Mobil up 2% and Chevron 1.5% higher.

Summary: